Arista CAB-Q-S-3M | QSFP+ to 4x SFP+ DAC Breakout Cable, 40G, 3m

Q: What does the CAB-Q-S-3M do?
A: The CAB-Q-S-3M is a passive DAC breakout cable that converts a single 40GbE QSFP+ port into four independent 10GbE SFP+ connections. It delivers 40 Gbps aggregate bandwidth over a 3-metre passive copper twinax cable, making it ideal for cost-effective short-range data centre interconnects.

Q: Is the CAB-Q-S-3M compatible with non-Arista switches?
A: Yes. The cable is fully compliant with the QSFP+ MSA (SFF-8436) and SFP+ MSA (SFF-8431) multi-source agreements, ensuring broad compatibility with multi-vendor networking equipment including other leading switch and server platforms that support these standards.

Q: What protocols does the CAB-Q-S-3M support?
A: The cable supports 40GbE, QDR InfiniBand, SAS, and Fibre Channel, making it suitable for a wide range of data centre workloads beyond standard Ethernet — including storage and HPC interconnects.

Q: Does this cable require any special configuration or transceivers?
A: No. The CAB-Q-S-3M is a passive plug-and-play cable with no active electronics. It integrates directly with Arista EOS without requiring additional configuration, and no separate transceivers are needed — the QSFP+ and SFP+ connectors are built into the cable ends.

Q: What is the maximum reach of the CAB-Q-S-3M?
A: The cable is 3 metres in length, suitable for top-of-rack and adjacent-rack deployments. For longer runs, active DAC or optical solutions would be required. This passive design is optimised for short-reach, high-density environments where low cost and low power are priorities.

Q: Can I purchase the Arista CAB-Q-S-3M in Australia from IP Trading?
A: Yes. IP Trading (iptrading.com.au) is an Australian B2B IT hardware reseller stocking Arista cables and transceivers with fast delivery across Australia. Contact us or order online for competitive pricing and prompt dispatch.