Fiber-mart.com tells you the difference between DAC & AOC

by www.fiber-mart.com

If we want to know the difference between DAC & AOC, we must first understand the two products.

 

1. DAC (Direct Attach Cable)

 

In the  Fiberland technology Co. Ltd, there are four types of Direct Attach Cable, which are:

10G SFP+ DAC

25G SFP28 +DAC

40G QSFP+ to 4 SFP+

100G QSFP28 to QSFP28

DAC cable port is fixed, can not be detached, the copper can not be separated from the module.

Application is generally used to connect the data center and storage area network servers. Passive copper transmission speed as fast and cheap, so more suitable for short-distance transmission.

Advantages and disadvantages of DAC

 

advantage:

① high data transfer rate

② interchangeable: high-speed fiber optic cable and transceiver may be interchanged

③ low cost

④ good heat dissipation

 

Disadvantages: 

① the transmission distance is limited, a large volume of weight

 

2. AOC (Active Optical Cable)

 

In the  Fiberland technology Co. Ltd, there are four types of AOC, such as ：

10G  SFP+ TO SFP+ AOC

25G  QSFP28 TO QSFP28 AOC

40G  QSFP+ TO QSFP+ AOC

100G QSFP28 TO QSFP28 AOC

 

The AOC consists of two optical modules and cable strips for high-speed transmission between data center, high-performance and high-capacity memory devices. It is usually used in industrial electrical interface standard, the electrical – optical – electrical converter.

 

Advantages and disadvantages of AOC

 

advantage:

① higher bandwidth transmission performance, no external equipment or upgrade equipment

② small size, light weight

③ EMI shielding capability

 

Disadvantages:

AOC is more expensive than DAC

 

In summary, the main differences between the two are:

 

* Active and passive

The DAC can be active or passive, while the AOC is active.

 

* price

The DAC is transmitted by copper cable, and the AOC is transmitted by optical cable, so the DAC is cheaper than the AOC, and the cost is relatively low.

 

* Transmission distance and volume

The transmission distance of the DAC is shorter than the AOC, and the DAC is heavier than the AOC.