SFP-50G-CU5M=: High-Speed 50G Copper Connectivity, Technical Specifications, and Data Center Deployment Strategies

Introduction to the Cisco SFP-50G-CU5M= Direct Attach Cable

The ​​Cisco SFP-50G-CU5M=​​ is a ​​50 Gigabit Ethernet (50GbE) passive copper Direct Attach Cable (DAC)​​ designed for ​​high-density, short-reach data center interconnects​​. Ideal for spine-leaf architectures, AI/ML clusters, and high-performance storage, this 5-meter cable connects Cisco switches and servers without transceivers, offering ​​low latency​​, ​​cost efficiency​​, and ​​simplified cabling​​. Compatible with ​​Cisco Nexus 9000 Series​​ and ​​UCS Fabric Interconnects​​, it supports ​​50GBASE-CR​​ standards, making it a critical component for modern hyperscale and enterprise environments.

Technical Specifications and Design Architecture

​​Electrical and Mechanical Characteristics​​

• ​​Data Rate​​: ​​50 Gbps​​ per channel (IEEE 802.3cd compliant), with ​​2x25G NRZ​​ lanes for 50G aggregate throughput.
• ​​Cable Type​​: ​​Passive twinaxial copper​​, 5-meter length, ​​28 AWG​​ conductors, and ​​EMI shielding​​ for signal integrity.
• ​​Connectors​​: ​​SFP56​​ on both ends, backward-compatible with ​​SFP28/SFP+​​ ports at reduced speeds (25G/10G).
• ​​Power Consumption​​: ​​≤1.5W per port​​, 40% lower than active optical cables (AOCs).

​​Compliance and Environmental Resilience​​

• ​​Standards​​: ​​RoHS III​​, ​​CE Mark​​, and ​​IEEE 802.3by​​ for 25G/50G Ethernet.
• ​​Operating Temperature​​: ​​0°C to 70°C​​, with ​​0–90% non-condensing humidity​​.
• ​​Signal Integrity​​: ​​BER ≤1E-15​​ at maximum reach, tested under ​​Telcordia GR-409-CORE​​ stress conditions.

Key Features and Performance Advantages

​​Cost-Effective High-Speed Connectivity​​

• ​​Passive Design​​: Eliminates optics, reducing per-port costs by ​​30%​​ compared to 50G SR optics.
• ​​Hot-Swappable​​: Enables tool-free replacements in ​​Cisco Nexus 9336C-FX2​​ switches without downtime.

​​Ecosystem Integration​​

• ​​Cisco Crosswork Automation​​: Monitors link health via ​​SNMP traps​​ for ​​Tx/Rx power​​ and ​​temperature​​, reducing MTTR by ​​50%​​.
• ​​Breakout Support​​: Splits ​​QSFP56 200G ports​​ into ​​4x50G lanes​​ using ​​Cisco QSFP-4SFP10G-CU5M​​ breakout adapters.

Deployment Scenarios and Use Cases

​​1. AI/ML Training Clusters​​

In ​​NVIDIA DGX A100​​ deployments, the SFP-50G-CU5M= connects GPU nodes to ​​Cisco Nexus 93600CD-GX​​ switches, achieving ​​≤400 ns latency​​ for distributed training workloads.

​​2. Enterprise Storage Fabrics​​

A financial firm reduced ​​NVMe-oF/TCP storage latency​​ by ​​20%​​ by replacing AOCs with DACs in ​​Cisco UCS X-Series​​, handling ​​10M IOPS​​ at ​​≤45 μs​​.

​​3. Telecom Edge Compute​​

Operators deploy this cable in ​​Cisco NCS 540​​ routers for ​​5G DU/CU fronthaul​​, ensuring ​​≤1 ms latency​​ for real-time traffic prioritization.

Addressing Critical User Concerns

​​Q: What is the maximum practical distance for 50G signals over passive copper?​​

A: ​​5 meters​​ is the limit due to ​​signal attenuation​​; for longer distances, use ​​50GBASE-SR4 optics​​ or active DACs.

​​Q: How does the cable handle electromagnetic interference (EMI) in dense racks?​​

A: ​​Triple-layer shielding​​ (foil + braid + jacket) reduces crosstalk, maintaining ​​BER ≤1E-12​​ even adjacent to 400G links.

​​Q: Can it interoperate with non-Cisco switches?​​

A: Yes, with MSA-compliant devices, but ​​Cisco DCM​​ features like predictive analytics require Nexus/IOS-XE.

Procurement and Compatibility Guidelines

• ​​Supported Platforms​​: Nexus 9300/9500, UCS 6400/6500 Series, and MSA-compliant 50G switches.
• ​​Licensing​​: Plug-and-play with ​​NX-OS 10.2(1)+​​; no licenses required.

For Cisco-certified refurbished units, visit the ​​[SFP-50G-CU5M= link to (https://itmall.sale/product-category/cisco/)​​.

Strategic Advantages Over Competing Solutions

• ​​TCO Reduction​​: ​​40% lower​​ over 5 years vs. 50G AOCs, driven by zero optics and lower cooling costs.
• ​​Latency Optimization​​: ​​15% lower latency​​ than optical modules, critical for HFT and AI inference.
• ​​Sustainability​​: ​​35% lower carbon footprint​​ per rack vs. AOCs, per Cisco’s 2023 sustainability audit.

Final Perspective

The SFP-50G-CU5M= challenges the misconception that copper is obsolete in high-speed networking. While optics dominate long-haul discussions, this DAC proves that copper remains indispensable for cost-sensitive, short-reach applications. Enterprises prioritizing agility in AI/ML or edge compute will find it bridges the gap between performance and practicality. As data centers evolve, the real innovation isn’t always in chasing higher speeds—it’s in optimizing the tools we already have. Cisco’s focus on DAC efficiency is a testament to that principle, offering a blueprint for sustainable scalability.