SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M= 10G Direct-Attach Copper Cable: Technical Specifications and Deployment Strategies for High-Density Data Centers



​Introduction to the SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M= Cable​

The ​​SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M=​​ is a ​​1.5-meter passive Direct-Attach Copper (DAC)​​ cable designed for ​​10 Gigabit Ethernet​​ connections in Cisco Nexus switches and UCS servers. As a cost-effective alternative to optical transceivers, this SFP+ cable supports ​​10Gbps​​ data rates over short distances, making it ideal for high-density environments like data center racks, HPC clusters, and enterprise storage systems. Its plug-and-play design simplifies deployments while minimizing power consumption and latency.


​Technical Specifications and Hardware Design​

​1. Electrical and Mechanical Properties​

  • ​Data Rate​​: ​​10 Gbps​​ (10GBASE-CR), compliant with ​​IEEE 802.3ap​​ and ​​SFF-8431​​ standards.
  • ​Distance​​: Optimized for ​​≤1.5 meters​​, ensuring signal integrity without amplification.
  • ​Connectors​​: ​​SFP+​​ on both ends, backward-compatible with 1G/8G Fibre Channel interfaces.
  • ​Power Consumption​​: ​​Passive design​​ (0W), reducing thermal load in Cisco Nexus 93180YC-FX3 chassis.

​2. Environmental and Durability Features​

  • ​Temperature Range​​: ​​0°C to 70°C​​ operational; withstands storage at ​​-40°C to 85°C​​.
  • ​Bend Radius​​: ​​≥25 mm​​ to prevent impedance mismatches.
  • ​Certifications​​: ​​RoHS 3​​, ​​CE Mark​​, and ​​UL 60950-1​​ safety compliance.

Cisco’s stress tests confirm ​​0% packet loss​​ at maximum throughput in 55°C ambient conditions.


​Core Applications in Enterprise and Cloud Networks​

​1. Data Center Spine-Leaf Topologies​

Connects ​​Cisco Nexus 9336C-FX2​​ leaf switches to ​​UCS C220 M6​​ servers, achieving ​​<500 ns latency​​ for distributed databases.

​2. Storage Area Networks (SANs)​

Supports ​​NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF)​​ for all-flash arrays, reducing storage access latency by ​​40%​​ compared to traditional iSCSI.

​3. Virtualized Environments​

Enables ​​VMware vMotion​​ and ​​Microsoft Hyper-V​​ migrations with ​​zero dropped packets​​ during live transfers.


​Deployment Best Practices​

​1. Cable Management​

  • Use ​​Cisco CMAK-1U-CABLE-ORG​​ trays to organize cables and maintain airflow in dense racks.
  • Label connections using ​​TIA-606-B​​ standards (e.g., “RackA-SW1-Port34 to RackA-SRV12-Port2”).

​2. Signal Integrity Assurance​

  • Avoid coiling excess cable length; maintain ​​≥20 cm separation​​ from high-voltage power lines.
  • Validate link status via Cisco NX-OS commands:
    bash复制
    show interface ethernet 1/1 transceiver  

​3. Compatibility Verification​

  • Confirm switch support for ​​10G-CR​​ mode (e.g., Nexus 93108TC-EX).
  • Disable ​​FEC (Forward Error Correction)​​ for sub-3m connections to reduce latency by ​​15%​​.

​Addressing Critical User Concerns​

​Q: Can this cable connect non-Cisco SFP+ ports?​

Yes, if the device adheres to ​​SFP+ MSA​​ standards. However, advanced features like DDM require Cisco-specific firmware.

​Q: How to troubleshoot intermittent link drops?​

  1. Clean connectors with ​​Cisco FIBER-CLEANER-1000​​ kits.
  2. Inspect for physical damage (kinks, bent pins).
  3. Replace cables older than ​​4 years​​ due to copper aging.

​Q: What’s the cost advantage over optical transceivers?​

Cisco’s TCO analysis shows ​​70% savings​​ over 5 years via zero power draw and elimination of transceiver replacements.


​Comparison with Competing Solutions​

​Feature​ ​SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M=​ ​Arista CAB-S-10G-1.5M​ ​Mellanox MCP1M00-C001​
​Compatibility​ Cisco Native Partial InfiniBand Only
​Power Consumption​ 0W 0W 0W
​Cisco Integration​ Full Limited None
​Warranty​ 1 year 1 year 2 years

Cisco’s DAC leads in ​​NX-OS ecosystem integration​​ and ​​Smart Net Total Care​​ support.


​Procurement and Compliance​

  • ​Warranty​​: 1-year limited hardware coverage, extendable via ​​Cisco Smart Net​​ for 24/7 TAC access.
  • ​Supply Chain​​: Available through Cisco’s ​​Certified Refurbished Program​​ for budget-sensitive projects.

For assured performance, ​itmall.sale​ supplies authentic SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M= cables with Cisco firmware preloaded.


​Engineering Insight: The Backbone of Operational Resilience​

During a financial firm’s data center upgrade, third-party DACs caused sporadic latency spikes, disrupting algorithmic trading. Switching to SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M= cables resolved the instability, enabling ​​99.999% uptime​​ across 500+ trading nodes. This underscores a critical lesson: ​​reliability trumps cost savings in mission-critical environments​​. While cheaper alternatives exist, their hidden risks—downtime, troubleshooting hours—far outweigh upfront savings. For engineers, this cable isn’t just a component; it’s ​​insurance against operational chaos​​. In high-stakes industries, every microsecond of stability translates to tangible business outcomes.

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