What Is Twinax Cable?_
Twinax cable is a type of copper cable that uses two inner conductors (twin axial) to carry differential signals with high bandwidth and low latency over distances typically up to 5 meters. It is often terminated with QSFP or OSFP connectors and is preferred over fiber for intra-rack links due to lower cost and power consumption. In GPU data centers, it is a standard medium for NVLink spine connections between GPUs and NVSwitch within the same rack.
Technical Details
Twinax cables support data rates up to 800 Gbps per port in current generations, with passive variants for short runs and active variants for longer reaches. They use push-pull connectors with no torque screws, making them quick to install and remove. The cable construction includes a balanced pair of conductors with a surrounding shield to reduce electromagnetic interference. Impedance is typically 100 ohms differential, and maximum bend radius should follow the OEM spec to avoid signal degradation.
How Leviathan Systems Works with Twinax Cable
In our field work, twinax cables are run as part of the NVLink copper spine inside the rack, connecting GPU modules to the NVSwitch tray. We dress and route these cables carefully to maintain bend radius and avoid kinking, as they are less flexible than fiber.
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