Tekmart Africa 1M External QSFP SFF-8436 to SFF-8644 Hybrid HD Mini SAS Cable Part #: TKAQSFTSASHD
- Brand: Tekmart Africa
- Part #: TKQSFTSASHD
- Specs:-
- ::Type: Hybrid JBOD interconnect Cable
- ::Connector A: SFF-8436 (QSFP+ / Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable)
- ::Connector B: SFF-8644 (Mini-SAS HD / High Density)
- ::Length:1M
- ::Data Rate: Up to 40 Gbps aggregate (typically 4 lanes at 6Gbps or 10Gbps each)
- ::Common Use: Connecting SAS 2.0 (older) to SAS 3.0 (newer) hardware
- ::Impedance:100 Ohms
- ::Speed: 6Gbps or 12Gbps per lane (depends on hardware)
- ::Bandwidth:Total aggregate bandwidth up to 48Gbps (4 lanes)
- ::Physical Design: SFF-8436 (Large, square) to SFF-8644 (Smaller, high-density)
- ::Cable Type: Passive Copper (DAC) or Active Optical (AOC)
- ::Wire Size (AWG) : 30/28/26/24
- ::SFF-8436 compliant
- ::SFF-8644 compliant
- Applications:
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- 1. NetApp Disk Shelf Connectivity:-
- ::Target: Legacy NetApp disk shelves like the DS4243, DS4246, and DS2246. These units use the QSFP (SFF-8436) interface on their I/O modules (IOM3/IOM6).
- ::Host: Modern servers or PCs equipped with 12Gbps SAS Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) like the LSI 9300-8e or Adaptec HBA 1000-8e, which use the Mini-SAS HD (SFF-8644) port.
- ::Purpose: Allows users to add up to 24 drives (per shelf) of high-density storage to a modern server at a very low cost.
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- 2. Bridging SAS 2.0 and SAS 3.0 Hardware:-
- ::In enterprise data centers, these cables allow for the gradual phase-out of older gear.
- ::Interoperability: They enable a newer SAS-3 (12Gbps) controller to communicate with older SAS-2 (6Gbps) external storage arrays.
- ::Daisy Chaining: They can be used to daisy-chain multiple enclosures of different generations, though the entire chain will usually drop to the speed of the slowest link (typically 6Gbps).
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- 3. High-Density Storage Expansion (JBODs):-
- ::Used to connect JBOD (Just a Bunch Of Disks) enclosures from manufacturers like Supermicro, Dell (PowerVault), and HP to host servers.
- ::While modern JBODs use SFF-8644 to SFF-8644, these hybrid cables are required whenever the enclosure or the head unit uses the older, wider QSFP style port for its SAS fabric.
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- Condition: New
- Warranty: 3 (three) year Tekmart Africa warranty
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INT311225AUSDEC2025
**Eligible for immediate collection / shipping upon order confirmation*
These are hybrid External SAS cables, one side is QSFP+ connector, one side is SFF-8644, for connecting between interface QSFP and SAS 3.0, with speed up to 12 Gb/s.
QSFP SFF-8436 to SFF-8644 cables are "hybrid" high-speed data cables used primarily to bridge different generations of storage and networking hardware. They are most commonly used to connect a host (like a server or RAID card) to an external storage enclosure (like a JBOD). They are the standard solution for connecting modern servers to older high-capacity storage enclosures.
Understand the Connectors:-
This cable is "hybrid" because it uses two different interface standards:
- A. SFF-8436 (QSFP+): While originally designed for Ethernet and InfiniBand networking, this connector is also used for external SAS connections. It is common on older storage arrays (like NetApp DS4243/DS4246) and some specialized network switches.
- B.SFF-8644 (Mini-SAS HD): This is the modern standard for high-density external SAS connections. You will find this port on most current-generation 12Gbps SAS HBAs (Host Bus Adapters) and RAID cards (e.g., LSI 9300 series).
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Primary Use Cases
- ::NetApp Enclosure Connectivity: This is the "go-to" cable for home lab enthusiasts and enterprise IT looking to connect NetApp DS4243 or DS4246 disk shelves to a modern server. The shelf uses the QSFP (SFF-8436) port, while the server's HBA typically uses Mini-SAS HD (SFF-8644).
- ::Legacy Hardware Integration: It allows you to use older external storage arrays with newer, high-performance servers without needing to replace the backplanes or the drive controllers.
- ::High-Speed Data Fabrics: Used in some InfiniBand and 40G Ethernet environments to bridge equipment with varying port densities.
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Technical Considerations
** Directionality: Most of these cables are passive copper and bi-directional, meaning it doesn't matter which end is the "host" and which is the "target." **
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- ::SAS Version Support: Although SFF-8644 is designed for 12Gbps (SAS-3), the SFF-8436 end often limits the link to 6Gbps (SAS-2) speeds depending on the hardware it's plugged into.
- ::Length Limits: Because these are typically passive copper cables (DAC), they are usually limited to lengths of 0.5m to 5m to maintain signal integrity.
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Connector Form Factors explained:-
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::SFF-8436 (QSFP+): Often mistaken for a networking port. In storage, it's used for 4-lane SAS connections. It is mechanically larger and more robust.
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::SFF-8644 (Mini-SAS HD): The "HD" stands for High Density. It is significantly smaller, allowing more ports to fit on a single PCIe bracket, which is why it is preferred on modern HBAs.
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