Cisco SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M
10GBASE-CU SFP+ Cable 1.5 Meter, Original Cisco
Product Highlights
When every microsecond of latency and every watt of power matters in your data center, choosing the right interconnect is critical. The Cisco SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M is an original Cisco 10GBASE-CU SFP+ passive direct attach copper (DAC) twinax cable that delivers reliable 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity over a 1.5-meter distance.
Designed for short-reach, high-density deployments, this passive twinax cable connects any two SFP+ ports — switch-to-switch, switch-to-server, or switch-to-storage — without the cost or power overhead of optical transceivers. With a power draw of just 0.1W and ultra-low latency inherent to passive copper, the SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M is the go-to choice for top-of-rack (ToR) architectures and high-performance computing clusters.
The cable features a 30AWG copper construction with SFP+ connectors on both ends, supporting hot-swappable installation across a wide range of Cisco platforms including Catalyst, Nexus, and ASR series equipment. As a genuine Cisco product, it carries Cisco's quality identification (QID) encoding for authenticated, plug-and-play operation — no configuration or licensing required. For IT teams looking to maximize 10G port density while keeping cabling costs and power budgets in check, this DAC cable is an ideal solution.
Features & Benefits
Ultra-Low Latency Passive Copper
As a passive twinax cable, the SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M introduces virtually zero additional latency compared to active or optical alternatives. There are no active electronic components or signal processing in the data path — signals travel directly over copper. This makes it ideal for latency-sensitive workloads such as high-frequency trading, real-time analytics, and high-performance computing clusters.
Near-Zero Power Consumption
With a maximum power draw of just 0.1W, this passive DAC cable consumes a fraction of the energy required by optical SFP+ transceivers (typically 1W each). When deployed at scale across hundreds of 10G links, the cumulative power and cooling savings are substantial — directly reducing operational expenses in power-constrained data center environments.
Hot-Swappable SFP+ Design
Both SFP+ connectors are fully hot-swappable, allowing you to install, remove, or replace the cable without powering down the host switch or router. This simplifies maintenance windows and supports non-disruptive upgrades — critical for production environments with strict uptime SLAs.
Genuine Cisco Quality Identification
As an original Cisco product, the SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M is encoded with Cisco's proprietary quality identification (QID) data. This ensures the cable is automatically recognized and authenticated by Cisco platforms without generating unsupported-transceiver warnings, simplifying deployment and ensuring full TAC support eligibility.
Cost-Effective 10G Interconnect
DAC twinax cables are significantly less expensive than equivalent optical SFP+ transceiver pairs plus fiber patch cords. The SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M eliminates the need to purchase two separate transceivers and a fiber cable, reducing per-link costs while delivering the same 10 Gbps throughput. The durable copper construction also resists the bend-radius and contamination issues common with fiber optics.
Deployment Scenarios
Top-of-Rack Data Center Switching
Connect servers directly to top-of-rack (ToR) Cisco Catalyst or Nexus switches over 10G links. The 1.5-meter reach is ideal for standard 42U rack depths, providing high-bandwidth, low-latency server uplinks without the cost of optical transceivers.
Adjacent-Rack Interconnects
Link switches or storage arrays in neighboring racks where the total cable path is within 1.5 meters. This is common in structured cabling designs where racks are positioned side-by-side in a row, enabling cost-effective 10G fabric extension.
High-Performance Computing (HPC) Clusters
In HPC environments where compute nodes are densely packed and latency is paramount, passive DAC cables deliver the lowest possible interconnect latency. The SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M provides a reliable, power-efficient link between cluster nodes and aggregation switches.
Storage Area Network (SAN) Connectivity
Establish 10G links between SAN switches and storage controllers within the same rack or cabinet. The passive copper design ensures consistent, low-latency I/O performance for block-level storage traffic without introducing optical signal degradation concerns.
General
Performance
Power
Physical
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Warranty
Compatibility Notes
The Cisco SFP-H10GB-CU1-5M is supported on a broad range of Cisco platforms with SFP+ ports, including but not limited to:
- Routers: Cisco 7600 Series, ASR 901, ASR 903, ASR 1000 Series, ASR 9000 Series
- Catalyst Switches: Catalyst 2960-S/2960-X/2960-XR, Catalyst 3560-X, Catalyst 3750-X, Catalyst 3850, Catalyst 4500/4500-X, Catalyst 6500, Catalyst 6800
- Nexus Switches: Nexus 7000, Nexus 9000 Series
Always verify compatibility against the Cisco Transceiver Module Compatibility Matrix for your specific platform and IOS/NX-OS version before ordering.
Downloads & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
| Part Number | Product | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| SFP-H10GB-CU1M | Cisco 10GBASE-CU SFP+ Cable 1 Meter | Shorter 1m reach — ideal when 1.5m is more cable than you need for same-rack connections. |
| SFP-H10GB-CU2M | Cisco 10GBASE-CU SFP+ Cable 2 Meter | Slightly longer 2m passive reach for connections that exceed 1.5m but stay within close proximity. |
| SFP-H10GB-CU3M | Cisco 10GBASE-CU SFP+ Cable 3 Meter | 3m passive reach for cross-rack connections; still 30AWG passive copper at 0.1W power. |
| SFP-H10GB-ACU7M | Cisco 10GBASE-CU SFP+ Active Cable 7 Meter | Active copper cable for longer 7m reach; consumes 1W but extends distance beyond passive limits. |
