200G QSFP56 to 2×100G QSFP56 Passive DAC Breakout Cable: 200G-PDAC-QSFP56-2QSFP56

Our EDGEOPTIC 200G-PDAC-QSFP56-2QSFP56 is a multi-vendor compatible 200G QSFP56 to 2x 100G QSFP56 passive direct attach copper breakout cable designed for ultra-high-performance 200 Gigabit Ethernet and InfiniBand HDR applications within modern data center environments. The 200G-PDAC-QSFP56-2QSFP56 cable features a 1-to-2 breakout configuration with a single QSFP56 connector on the host end and two independent 100G QSFP56 connectors on the multi-port end, delivering reliable high-bandwidth connectivity for 200G-to-100G interconnects between high-density spine switches, ToR aggregation layers, and 100G server or storage endpoints.

The cable routes data signals from the 200G QSFP56 host port to two independent 100G QSFP56 endpoints, with lane pairs 1 and 2 connecting to the first 100G QSFP56 connector and lane pairs 3 and 4 connecting to the second 100G QSFP56 connector. The cable supports 4×50G or 4×56G PAM-4 lane operation, accommodating the demanding bandwidth requirements of contemporary data center architectures. For Ethernet deployments, the cable enables a 200GbE switch port to terminate into two 100GbE endpoints (2×50G PAM-4 each), allowing operators to double switch port utilization when connecting to 100G servers, storage arrays, or aggregation switches during the migration phase from 100G to 200G infrastructure. The cable also supports InfiniBand HDR-to-EDR breakout topologies for HPC and AI/ML fabric expansion.

As a passive DAC solution, the 200G-PDAC-QSFP56-2QSFP56 requires no external power and introduces zero latency to signal transmission, making it the preferred choice for latency-sensitive applications such as high-frequency trading, real-time analytics, and tightly coupled HPC workloads. The cable construction utilizes high-quality twinax copper with optimized wire gauges for each length range: AWG30 for 0.5 to 1.5 meters and AWG26 for 2 to 3 meters. This progressive wire gauge selection ensures optimal signal integrity at 50 Gbps PAM-4 per lane while maintaining practical cable flexibility for installation in high-density breakout deployments.

The electrical interface conforms to QSFP56 MSA, SFF-8636, and SFF-8402 specifications, ensuring broad compatibility with standard QSFP56 host systems from multiple equipment vendors. Our 200G to 2x100G QSFP56 DAC breakout cables can be encoded for compatibility with over 80 different equipment brands including major networking, server, and storage vendors. The cable incorporates an I2C two-wire interface for DDM/DOM (Digital Diagnostic Monitoring) functionality, providing real-time diagnostic data including module temperature and supply voltage through the MSA-compatible interface for proactive network monitoring.

Standards compliance includes IEEE 802.3bj and IEEE 802.3cd alongside HDR InfiniBand specifications. The cable supports hot pluggability and is engineered with low crosstalk and optimized return loss characteristics for excellent signal integrity across all four lanes at PAM-4 modulation rates. The cable operates within a 0 to 70°C temperature range, suitable for controlled data center environments. With an MTBF rating of 1,000,000 hours, the cable delivers long-term reliability for mission-critical 200G breakout infrastructure deployments.

Typical deployment scenarios include 200G spine-to-100G leaf interconnects, 200G ToR-to-server connectivity where servers retain 100G NICs, hybrid 200G/100G migration topologies, and 2:1 port density expansion in space-constrained switch deployments. The breakout architecture effectively doubles usable port count on 200G-capable switches, reducing per-port cost when connecting to 100G endpoints and simplifying cable management compared to running separate 100G cables from dedicated 100G ports.

Our 200G to 2x100G QSFP56 passive DAC is CE/RoHS certified and compliant with product safety standards. Because our focus is providing top quality service, we perform comprehensive quality checks before delivery including electrical parameter measurements, connector inspection tests, and QSFP56 EEPROM memory data validation tests.