Arista CAB-Q-2Q-100G-3M | 100G QSFP to 2x 50G QSFP Breakout DAC Cable, 3M

Q: What does the CAB-Q-2Q-100G-3M breakout cable actually do?
A: It splits a single 100GBASE-CR4 QSFP28 port into two independent 50GBASE-CR2 QSFP28 connections. This enables a 100G switch port to serve two separate 50G devices, maximising port density and reducing cabling costs in data centre environments.

Q: Is this an active or passive cable?
A: It is a passive Twinax copper DAC cable with no active electronic components. This means minimal power consumption, lower latency compared to active optical cables, and no requirement for additional power budgeting on your switches.

Q: Which Arista switches and platforms is this cable compatible with?
A: The CAB-Q-2Q-100G-3M is certified and fully supported on all Arista switching platforms that feature QSFP28 ports, unless otherwise stated in Arista's compatibility matrix. It integrates natively with Arista EOS and CloudVision for plug-and-play operation.

Q: What is the maximum cable reach for this DAC cable?
A: As a passive Twinax copper DAC, it is designed for short-reach applications up to 3 metres. The Arista family also includes 1M, 2M, and 5M variants if a different length suits your rack layout better.

Q: Can I purchase the Arista CAB-Q-2Q-100G-3M in Australia?
A: Yes. IP Trading is an Australian B2B IT hardware reseller stocking Arista optics and cabling including this 100G to 2x 50G breakout DAC. You can order directly through iptrading.com.au with local support and competitive pricing.

Q: What are the typical use cases for this breakout cable in a data centre?
A: Common deployments include connecting 100G-capable spine or leaf switches to two 50G-attached servers or storage nodes, high-performance computing (HPC) cluster interconnects, and top-of-rack cabling where maximising port utilisation is a priority.