"40GBASE-Passive Copper" vs "40G QSFP(Copper-Pigtail)"

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ZFSZealot

New Member
Aug 16, 2021
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Relevant output of "sh media" on a Brocade ICX6610:

Code:
Port 1/2/1:  Type : 40GE-Passive Copper
Port 1/2/6:  Type : 40GE QSFP(Copper-Pigtail)
1/2/1 and 1/2/6 are both the 40G ports in the stack module, first cable is a Dell DAC-QSFP-40G-1M, Dell P/N 05NP8R, second cable is an Amphenol 112-00178+A0 "CBL,QSFP to QSFP, 5.0m", sold on eBay as "NetApp X6559 R6 External SAS Cable 5m QSFP to QSFP 112-00178 Amphenol 1515". Both are QSFP to QSFP cables.

They are not breakout cables. In fact I have two other breakout cables, one shown as "OEM" validation and the other shown as "FCI Electronics" in the breakout ports (1/2/2 - 1/2/5 and 1/2/7 - 1/2/10) and all of those ports show as "40GE-Passive Copper" also.

I've never see the "QSFP(Copper-Pigtail)" thing before. I haven't tried connecting anything with it yet. Anyone have any idea what the difference may be in these two cables?

EDIT: I see reference to this in explosivelobster's posts starting here https://forums.servethehome.com/ind...erful-10gbe-40gbe-switching.21107/post-198879 ... I am gathering based on that post and the same user's post a few posts down that an SGI 018-1422-001 shows up as "40GE-Passive Copper" and works, but a QLOGIC CBL1-0600230 shows up as "40GE QSFP(Copper-Pigtail)" and does not work.

Even more curious to know what the difference is now...
 
Last edited:

ZFSZealot

New Member
Aug 16, 2021
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For the record, the pigtail cables seem to work just fine, at least in this case between an HP 649281-B21 flashed over to 544QSFP and the 40Gbit/sec ports on the ICX6610. To join the chorus of people who confirm these cables work, I'm now using two cables from an eBay listing titled " Genuine NetApp QSFP-QSFP X6559-R6 6ft / 2M External SAS Patch Cable 112-00177" that show up as "40GE QSFP(Copper-Pigtail)", like the "QLOGIC CBL1-0600230"