Does anyone know the difference between DAC Cable and DAC C-Cable?

[FrankLG]

I have been connecting uplinks and doing IRF between comware switches using HPE X240 10G SFP+ SFP+  X(0.65, 1.2, 3, 5) m DAC Cables.

Recently i see there is HPE X240 10G SFP+ SFP+  X(0.65, 1.2, 3, 5) m DAC C-Cables.

what is the difference anyone?

[FrankLG]

Thanks to user "parnassus" Honored Contributor i now know that, and I quote him:

"....For the benefit of all of us:
DAC C-Cable = DAC Campus Cable
DAC AOC = DAC AOC (Active Optical Cable)."

But I still don't know the technical difference between DAC- Cable and the new DAC C-Cable ( or may be it is only marketing?)

[parnassus · Accepted solution]

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FrankLG wrote: But I still don't know the technical difference between DAC- Cable and the new DAC C-Cable ( or may be it is only marketing?)

That's an interesting question...I'm not aware of any difference (apart the product packaging weight?) simply because I wasn't able to find any technical documentation (and the only DAC Cables related QuickSpecs is available only for HPE X242 which aren't "Campus" tagged, as reported on [*] of my previous post) about them.

So I did some homework examining the (2016) HPE Networking Product Portfolio...trying to recognize where (Data Center or Campus segments), as example, a simple 7 meters long DAC Cable is positioned/categorized.

That was an interesting task because - considering the HPE X242 SFP+ to SFP+ 7m Direct Attach Cable (SKU: J9285B) - I discovered (probably not in a exhaustive way) that that SKU is positioned on:

• Data Center portfolio: ONLY for HPE Virtual Connect.
• Campus portfolio: for any Aruba Switch Series (Aruba 2915-8G-PoE excluded, Aruba 2620 Switch Series excluded). All HPE FlexNetwork Switch Series excluded.

If, instead, I consider another simple 7 meters long DAC Cable, the HPE X240 10G SFP+ 7m Direct Attach Cable (sKU: JC784C), I discovered this portfolio positioning pattern:

• Data Center: for any HPE FlexFabric Swith Series (HPE FlexFabric 5820 Switch Series excluded), HPE Altoline Switch Series, HPE 6100 Blade and HPE Virtual Connect.
• Campus: for some HPE FlexNetwork Switch Series only (10500, 5500 EI/HI), Aruba Switch Series totally excluded.

Long story short: this preamble to say that - apparently - the same DAC Cable 7 meters long is positioned for both Data Center and Campus segments with specific exclusions (if Data Center -> no Aruba, if Campus -> no HPE FlexFabric, some HPE FlexNetwork...or any other fancy combination...a selection nightmare!).

There is no evidence of (neither below the Campus's Cables dedicated section):

• JH693A HPE X240 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 0.65m Direct Attach Copper Campus Cable
• JH694A HPE X240 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 1.2m Direct Attach Copper Campus Cable
• JH695A HPE X240 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 3m Direct Attach Copper Campus Cable
• JH696A HPE X240 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 7m Direct Attach Copper Campus Cable

but this is not relevant since the HPE Networking Product Portfolio could have been redacted before those cables were marketed (I'm really doubtful about that).

Probably that HPE Networking Product Portfolio simply doesn't show all marketed accessories available at present time (specifically about DAC Cables).

All to say that while a 7 meters long DAC Cable can/can't be Campus tagged (see X240 vs X242) it is then positioned as an accessory for different Campus/Data Center Switch Series...so the same, IMHO, could be said about exactly those DAC Campus tagged Cables listed above...probably it is just a new marketing "way" to impose the segment in which they should be used (Campus versus Data Center).

I could be wrong...will be interesting to understand if there are really technical differences (QuickSpecs!).

[FrankLG]

Wow, thanks for the information you really did some digging.

[aspiandore]

I suspect that the only difference is that new Campus-Cable are ready and compatible ONLY with new "Flex"fabric / "Flex"switches probably with an update electronics / firmware on DAC connector. No fisical proprieties differences.

User parnassus have a good research job (with an cable that now are out of market).

I add this info:

JD095C Copper Cable DAC HPE FlexNetwork X240 10G SFP+ SFP+ 0.65mt. have a list price of € 184.00 in Italy and is on HPE networking portfolio started from 14.May.2012

JH693A Copper Campus Cable DAC HPE (_{^{not FlexNetwork}}) X240 10G SFP+ SFP+ 0.65mt. have a list price of € 184.00 in Italy and is on HPE netoworking portfolio started 09.Gen.2017

This is the compatibility list from HPE portfolio May 17 edition for JD095C:

-  Series router HPE FlexNetwork MSR4000, HPE Switch Altoline 6900, Series Switch HPE FlexFabric 12900, 5700, 5800, 5820, 5830, 5900, 5900CP, 5920, 5940, 5950, 7900, HPW Switch Flexnetwork Series 5130EI, 7500,  HPE Switch Series OfficeConnect 1950, HPE Switch 5130 HI, 5500 B, 5500 HI, 5510 HI.

This is the compatibility list from HPE portfolio May 17 edition for JH693A:

- FlexFabric 5940, FlexNetwork 10500 (this is actually the only devices that NEEDS specifically JH693A cable), 5130EI, 7500, Switch HPE 5130 HI, 5510 HI

Other observation: in the PDF-Specs, updated in March 2017, for 5130 HI and 5510 HI not are present JD095C code, and others old code for 10GbE DAC, only JH693A and others new codes.