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You can download a PDF version of the full guide here.

About This Technology Guide

This technology guide introduces the basic technologies and terminologies used for NVIDIA cables and transceivers for NVIDIA Quantum InfiniBand and Spectrum Ethernet architectures.

Cables and transceivers are constructed using multiple technologies and a blizzard of buzzwords to describe the parts. This makes discussing cables and transceivers almost a language by itself. This document describes the basic components and terminologies used in constructing and describing NVIDIA^® LinkX^® cables and transceivers.

Where to Find More LinkX Documentation

This technology guide is to be used in conjunction with other documents located in folders in docs.nvidia.com/networking/ > Interconnect.This site is where the following LinkX cables and transceivers documents are provided.


LinkX Overview Documents:	Review of parts, important notes, and configuration details for linking to NVIDIA switches and adapters LinkX Cables and Transceivers Guide to Key Technologies (this document) LinkX User Guide for 400Gb/s 100G-PAM4 OSFP & QSFP112-based Cables and Transceivers LinkX User Guide for 400Gb/s and 200Gb/s using 50G-PAM4 and 100Gb/s using 25G-NRZ Modulation Cables and Transceivers
Configuration Maps:	Picture and part number-based PowerPoint^® slides for every configuration with NVIDIA switches, network adapters, and DGX GPU systems for 100G-PAM4, 50G-PAM4, 25G-NRZ cables and transceivers Configuration Maps

Parts Lists:	Tables summarize by speed, form factor, connector, power, reach, etc. and hyperlinks to individual products specs 400Gb/s (100G-PAM4) Transceivers and Fiber Parts List 400Gb/s and 200Gb/s (50G-PAM4) and 100Gb/s (25GNRZ) Cables and Transceivers Parts List using QSFP-DD, QSFP56, QSFP28, SFP28

Product Specifications:	10–to-16-page detailed hardware datasheets with physical, thermal, electrical, and optical specifications for each product docs.nvidia.com/networking/ > Interconnect > select speed and type

Additional Docs:	NVIDIA Cable Management Guidelines and FAQ

The guides are organized by speeds and modulation rates:


100G-PAM4:	400GbE Ethernet and 400Gb/s NDR InfiniBand using twin-port OSFP, OSFP, and QSFP112
50G-PAM4:	400GbE Ethernet only using QSFP-DD and QSFP56
50G-PAM4:	200GbE Ethernet and 200Gb/s HDR InfiniBand using QSFP56
25G-NRZ:	100GbE Ethernet and 100Gb/s EDR InfiniBand using QSFP28 and SFP28

Parts are Described by Use in the Switch

The DAC, ACC, and AOC cable part number descriptors are based on the connector used in the switches, as the devices used in network adapters may consist of multiple connector types such as the single-port OSFP, QSFP112, QSFP56, etc. These plugs or “form-factors” are used to contain optical transceivers and copper cables to form the switching networks linking CPU/GPU compute engines with storage subsystems and to other system clusters in the network. For example, an 800G twin-port OSFP-to-4x 200G QSFP112 splitter copper cable is listed in the parts lists as 800Gb/s twin-port OSFP, and not as 200Gb/s QSFP112.

Cable Descriptions Denoted by the Switch-side Connector

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