A DAC (direct attach copper) cable is a fixed-length copper assembly with transceiver-style connectors moulded onto both ends. It replaces two pluggable modules and a patch cord with a single factory-made unit. Inside its natural habitat — the rack and the rack row — nothing beats it on cost per link or power draw, which is why GRT lists 10G DAC copper cables as a first-class part of the cabling range rather than an accessory.
The trade is flexibility: a DAC is one length, one rate, one pair of endpoints. It cannot change media, cannot be re-terminated, and stops being economical beyond a few metres where its thick copper bundle becomes unwieldy. The standard data-centre pattern is therefore DAC inside the rack, optics between racks — and GRT supplies both halves of that pattern, with AOC as the middle option where copper bulk or EMI argues against DAC.
DAC is the right choice when
- Both endpoints are in the same rack or adjacent racks
- The rate is fixed (10G today, not a migration path)
- Link count is high and per-link cost dominates
- Power budget per port matters
What lengths are available?
Available lengths are confirmed per model with your inquiry. Tell us your rack layout and we will match lengths per link — never order one length for a whole row.
DAC or AOC for 3–10 metres?
That is the contested zone. AOC is thinner, lighter and immune to EMI; DAC is cheaper. Our comparison guide works through the decision.