720211-B21 HPE BLc 40G QSFP+ QSFP+ 15m AOC Cable

Physical Structure & Length

• Length: Fixed 15 meters (~49.21 feet), ideal for rack‑to‑rack, chassis‑to‑chassis, or mezzanine zone connections—balancing reach and simplicity.
• Cable Profile: Slim, approximately 3 mm outer diameter, facilitating dense routing panels, clean cable trays, and reduced clutter in blade enclosures.
• Bend Radius: Recommended ≥ 25 mm; some documentation cites as tight as 7.5 mm—follow vendor instructions to prevent fiber stress and signal degradation.

Optical & Electrical Performance

• Data Rate: Aggregates four 10.3125 Gb/s NRZ lanes, achieving ~41.25 Gb/s throughput (commonly marketed as “40 Gb/s”).
• Media Type: OM3 graded‑index multimode fiber, ideal for QSFP+ short‑reach optical applications.
• Time Delay: Minimal propagation delay (~1.57 ns/ft), supporting low‑latency environments such as HPC clusters, financial trading, or storage fabrics.

Power Consumption & Diagnostics

• Power Draw: Efficient operation—typically < 1 W or up to ~1.5 W per transceiver end, significantly lower than copper DAC equivalents.
• DDM/DOM Monitoring: Embedded digital diagnostic monitoring capabilities via 2‑wire (I²C) interface enable real‑time tracking of temperature, bias current, TX/RX optical power, and voltage—supporting proactive fault detection.

Standards & Compliance

• Fully adheres to the QSFP+ Multi‑Source Agreement (MSA).
• Compliant with IEEE 802.3ba (40GBASE‑CR4), SFF‑8436, SFF‑8635, SFF‑8661, SFF‑8679 specifications.
• Meets regulatory requirements including RoHS, REACH, CE, FCC—ensuring enterprise readiness and procurement compliance.

Environmental Tolerances

• Operating Temperature: 0 °C to 70 °C (32 °F to 158 °F).
• Storage Temperature: −40 °C to +85 °C.
• Humidity: 5% to 95% operating (non‑condensing).
• Altitude: Rated for up to ~3,000 meters (10,000 ft), suitable for high‑altitude facilities.

Compatibility & Deployment Use Cases

Compatible HPE Platforms

Designed for seamless integration with a wide array of HPE blade and rack systems—spanning c‑Class BladeSystem, Synergy, Apollo, Virtual Connect, FlexFabric, and StoreFabric chassis. Pre‑programmed vendor EEPROM ensures plug‑and‑play connectivity, minimizing deployment friction.

Multi‑Protocol Interoperability

Although primarily used for 40 Gb Ethernet (40GBASE‑CR4), this AOC also supports InfiniBand QDR/DDR/SDR, Fibre Channel (2 Gb to 12 Gb), PCI Express, and SAS in variant implementations—facilitating unified cable SKU management.

Example Deployment Scenarios

High‑Density Data Center Environments

Use within rack clusters for switch‑to‑switch or server‑to‑switch links where rack density is paramount and heat/power budgets are tight.

HPC & Financial Computing Clusters

Leverage the low latency and high throughput to interconnect compute nodes or GPU arrays running tightly‑coupled, distributed workloads.

Storage‑to‑Server Fabrics

Connect storage arrays to blade or rack servers, particularly in converged infrastructure setups where flexible path length and diagnostics are critical.

Edge & Hyperscaler Deployments

Compact, lightweight, and low power—this AOC suits modular edge compute sites, dense colocation racks, and hyperscale layouts demanding high connectivity per square foot.

Advantages & Value Propositions

Power & Thermal Efficiency

Consumes substantially less power than copper alternatives, reducing overall heat generation. This efficiency enables higher port density per rack and lowers cooling requirements in hyperscale or enterprise deployments.

Improved Signal Integrity Over Distance

Optical media bypasses limitations of copper DACs such as signal attenuation and EMI susceptibility—ensuring reliable link performance up to and beyond 15 m.

Hot‑Pluggability & Operational Flexibility

QSFP+ connectors allow live swapping without system reboots—ideal for maintenance windows or incremental scale‑outs in active clusters or switches.

Diagnostic Awareness

DDM/DOM provides granular visibility into the cable’s operational health—monitoring optical power, temperature, and voltage ensures proactive notifications and decreases mean time to repair (MTTR).

SKU Consolidation Through Multi‑Protocol Support

One AOC handles Ethernet, InfiniBand, or Fibre Channel applications—reducing inventory complexity, enabling cross‑platform compatibility, and simplifying support logistics.

Regulatory & Standards Assurance

Certifications and compliance with industry standards make it eligible for government contracts, enterprise purchasing, and regulated sector deployments.

Installation, Handling & Best Practices

Cable Management Guidelines

• Adhere to bend radius (≥ 25 mm); avoid kinks and tight corners that may degrade optics.
• Employ Velcro or cable‑management arms rather than zip‑ties to prevent cable crushing.
• Bundle optical cable paths away from high‑heat zones and pressure points.
• Label both ends clearly to ease identification during re‑racks or maintenance.

Thermal & Airflow Considerations

Though low in power draw, QSFP+ ports can emit localized heat. Maintain proper front‑to‑rear airflow, avoid blocking cage vents, and plan port placement to mitigate thermal stacking in dense deployments.

Monitoring & Maintenance

Use HPE iLO, Aruba, or corresponding vendor management interfaces to track DDM/DOM parameters. Set threshold alerts for optical power drop‐offs or thermal spikes and schedule periodic firmware or diagnostics scans.

Third‑Party Compatibility Verification

When sourcing from independent vendors, ensure EEPROM coding aligns with HPE devices. Ask for vendor certification or test logs to validate interoperability and warranty coverage.

AOC vs Splitter / Breakout Cables

Breakouts (e.g., QSFP+ to 4×SFP+) are handy for legacy device connection but add complexity, require port mapping, and can complicate airflow and diagnostics. The single‑cable QSFP+ AOC retains simplicity and reliability.

Length Variants in AOC Category

This 15 m variant balances cable management and reach. Other offerings span 1 m to 30 m, and higher‑distance versions (50 m+) exist using advanced optics. Choosing the right length optimizes cost and form factor based on layout.

OEM vs Third‑Party AOC Options

OEM (HPE) units ensure guaranteed compatibility and vendor support. Third‑party AOCs (e.g., AddOn Networks, ProLabs, FiberMall) offer cost‑effective alternatives—provided they include proper EEPROM encoding and warranty guarantees.

Inventory, Budgeting & Purchasing Guidance

Pre‑Purchase Checklist

• Confirm QSFP+ transceiver speed and protocol match (40 Gb/s Ethernet, InfiniBand, Fibre Channel, etc.).
• Verify rack layout and calculate necessary cable length with slack margin.
• Assess environmental conditions (temperature, altitude, airflow) to validate cable rating.
• Choose vendor‑programmed units for peace of mind in HPE systems.
• Check warranty specifics—lifetime warranties reduce long‑term replacement costs.

Cost vs Operational Efficiency

While AOCs may have a slightly higher per‑unit CAPEX compared to copper DACs, the operational OPEX benefits (reduced power, cooling, and improved density) typically realize ROI in dense and critical installations.

Lifecycle & Future‑proofing

With long shelf and operating life, compliance with OM3 and QSFP+ standards, and diagnostic capacities, this AOC supports gradual infrastructure evolution toward 100 GbE or beyond, preserving value over time.