10Gb Ethernet Cabling Option: SFP+, DAC and 10GBaseT - Sponsored Whitepaper

10GBase-T is taking longer than expected, and cabling with the familiar RJ45 connector and Cat 6A cables is still a year or more away. But SFP+ connectors and DAC fill the gap nicely – especially in the data center.

For 10Gb Ethernet (10GE) switches and NICs, SFP+ connectors and the Direct Attach Cables (DAC) that attach to them have become widely available. SFP+ and DAC offer certain advantages over 10GBase-T: lower latency, lower power, lower cost and the technology is available and stable today. 10GBase-T offers a different set of advantages – familiarity, longer distance, and use of structured wiring and patch panels. SFP+ and 10GBase-T will offer data center designers an interesting choice in the 2011 timeframe.