Arista CAB-O-4Q-400G-1M | 400G OSFP to 4x 100G QSFP Breakout DAC Cable, 1m

Q: What does the CAB-O-4Q-400G-1M actually do?
A: It is a passive Twinax copper breakout cable that connects a single 400GBASE-CR8 OSFP port on one switch to four separate 100GBASE-CR2 QSFP ports on other devices, effectively splitting one 400G link into four independent 100G links without any active electronics.

Q: Which Arista switches are compatible with this cable?
A: The CAB-O-4Q-400G-1M is compatible with Arista EOS-based switches that support 400G OSFP interfaces and are running EOS version 4.23.0 or later. This includes platforms such as the Arista 7800R3 and 7500R3 series. Always verify against your specific platform's compatibility matrix.

Q: Is this cable active or passive, and why does it matter?
A: This cable is passive, meaning it contains no active electronics, signal amplification, or re-timing. This results in near-zero latency, lower power consumption, and greater reliability compared to active optical cables — making it the preferred choice for short-reach intra-rack and rack-to-rack connections up to 1 metre.

Q: Can I use this cable with non-Arista QSFP equipment?
A: While the cable complies with industry MSA and IEEE standards, Arista designs and tests it for use within Arista EOS environments. Compatibility with third-party equipment is not guaranteed and should be validated before deployment.

Q: What other lengths are available if 1 metre is not suitable?
A: Arista also offers this breakout DAC cable in 2-metre and 3-metre variants to accommodate different rack layouts and cable management requirements within the same data centre environment.

Q: Can I purchase this cable in Australia through IP Trading?
A: Yes. IP Trading (iptrading.com.au) is an Australian B2B IT hardware reseller stocking Arista optics and cables. Contact the team for pricing, availability, and volume procurement enquiries for the CAB-O-4Q-400G-1M.