Direct Attach Cable Market Share, Trends & Analysis | 2031

Report Description

Direct Attach Cable Market Outlook

The global direct attach cable market was valued at USD 7.07 Billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 12.15 Billion in 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast period, 2023-2031.

A direct attach copper cable, also known as a DAC cable, is a Twinax copper cable that connects directly to the ports (or line cards) of active equipment in a data network, such as routers, switches, servers, or data storage devices.

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DAC is a constant-length cable assembly with fixed connectors on both ends. Although the connector used at the end of the direct attach cable is identical to the interface of optical transceivers, the connector module on the direct attach cable does not contain expensive optical lasers and other electronic components, which significantly reduces the cost and power consumption in short-distance applications.

By connecting DAC with switches to routers or servers, DAC can be widely utilized in storage area networks, data centers, and high-performance computer connections as a low-cost and highly efficient high-speed data transfer solution that substitutes optical transceivers. Only in situations when there is a short physical distance of less than 15m between the ports can a DAC be used.

However, the maximum distance a signal can be transmitted through a DAC cable changes depending on the data rate. The distance decreases as data rates increase, from 10G to 40G and then to 100G. Only 5m can be sent with a 100G DAC. These distance limitations mean that the most common use of DAC cables is connecting equipment located within the same data rack, for instance, connecting servers to the top of the rack switch.

Direct attach cables are becoming popular, as they are suitable for short-distance cabling in data centers. DAC cables are high-performance, low-latency solutions that create an integrated duplex data link between source and receiver for secure, reliable two-way communication. These factors are expected to boost the direct attach cable market.

Direct Attach Cable Market Dynamics

Driver

Increasing Demand for Next-generation High-Speed Pluggable

Rising demand for next-generation high-speed pluggable products is expected to drive the market during the forecast period. For example, Molex, LLC introduced Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable Plus products such as QSFP28 and QSFP56-DD interconnect form factors for high-density applications requiring speeds up to 400 Gbps. QSPF28 and QSFP56-DD can be combined with servers, switches, routers, and SAN cards.

Pluggable products can be used in harsh conditions such as high-temperature data centers. These next-generation cables are used to support the ultra-fast speeds required by the hyper-scale industry.

Use of Fiber Optics in Consumer Electronic Products

Rising preference for using fiber optics in consumer electronic products such as digital signage and 4k televisions is expected to boost the demand for DAC during the estimated period. For instance, in HDMI 2.0 in 2018, active optic fibers of Cosemi Technologies Inc. have been recognized by the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) for their excellent performance.

Wide-ranging lab and field testing was undertaken by ISF to manufacture visually enhanced color images with high clarity to enhance the quality of the electronic imaging. Furthermore, advantages such as high speed, bandwidth, reliability, and security are provided by the HDMI AOCs, which in turn are expected to boost the demand in the growth direct attach cable market during the forecast period.

Rising Demand for Cost-Effective Cable

The demand for direct attach cables is increasing in the networking industry due to the large price difference compared to conventional optical cables. DAC cables are less costly than their predecessors when managing a large number of transceivers and cables required in a data center.

A piece of copper wire is used to connect both ends to inexpensive hardware in the transceiver itself. DACs are an excellent purchase for data center operators when bought in bulk to equip their facilities. By comparison, data centers using AOC using fiber optics and other optical technologies are slightly more expensive options.

Restraint

The Threat of Wireless Broadband

The rise in the replacement of copper and fiber optic cables with wireless broadband is likely to hinder the direct attach cable market. Wireless networks provide internet access and connectivity to people living in rural areas.

Additionally, technological advancements lead to low initial investment costs and high-frequency rates, thus boosting the demand for wireless broadband. Wireless broadband caters to business need better than fiber optic or copper cables, due to its low latency, short installation time, and high reliability and stability.

Higher Installation Cost

High costs associated with building direct attach cable networks and costly raw materials such as silica and plastics used to manufacture optical cables are restraining the market. Moreover, ongoing research and development activities by manufacturers to produce next-generation DACs and transceivers to meet the evolving needs of data centers is an expensive process. This, in turn, is projected to hinder the market during the forecast period.

Opportunity

Rising Adoption of Direct Attach Cables for Data Storage

Growing demand for direct attach cables for data storage for high-bandwidth and high-density applications and devices such as broadband modems and Wi-Fi routers is creating opportunities in the market. Moreover, manufacturers are investing in this market to meet the growing demand for high-bandwidth, high-density, and low-power applications cables across the globe, which in turn, is expected to create opportunities in the market.

Research and Development

Globally, the use of the Internet has led manufacturers and suppliers to invest in R&D to improve data transmission. Manufacturing active optical cables is a complex and expensive process. Researchers are increasingly focused on innovating pluggable products that are reliable, and fast, and keep the cost of the end product low, which is expected to create lucrative opportunities in the direct attach cable market.

For instance, Molex has developed high-speed passive I/O cable assemblies capable of delivering data rates up to 400 Gbps in various lengths or custom options for greater design flexibility.

Scope of Direct Attach Cable Market Report

The report on the Global Direct Attach Cable market includes an assessment of the market, trends, segments, and regional markets. Overview and dynamics have also been included in the report.

Direct Attach Cable Market Segmental Outlook

The Global Direct Attach Cable market is segmented on the basis of Product Type, By Connector, By Signal Rate Per Channel, By Application, and Region.

Product Type

Based on product type, the global direct attach cable market is segmented into direct attach copper (DAC) cable, and active optical cable (AOC). The AOC segment is expected to account for the largest share of the market during the forecast period, due to the rising need for bandwidth requirements arising from high-performance computing centers and the increasing number of deployed data centers.

AOCs are heavily employed in hyper-scaling builders and subsystems of storage centers. This is expected to increase the use of AOC during the tenured forecast, thus fueling the segment. The viability of DACs and AOCs is going to be highly utilized, as they are available in a wide range of connectors such as SPF+, SPF28, QSFP+, and QSFP28, among others.

The DAC segment is expected to register significant growth during the forecast period due to their increasing requirement for connecting servers and storage systems within racks. Furthermore, DACs consume lesser power than AOCs. A typical DAC cable consumes 1-2w power. Additionally, DAC active cables consume power, which is less than 1w while DAC passive cables consume nearly no power at a rate of 0.15w.

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Connector

On the basis of the connector, the global direct attach cable market is segmented into SFP, QSFP, QSFP-DD, OSFP, CFP, CDFP, CXP, Cx4, SFF, and others. The Cx4 and CXP segments are expected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period. These segments are anticipated to expand at a high CAGR, as they have signal-boosting abilities.

Historic trends indicate that the QSFP segment held a key share of the market due to their operability in rough environments such as high temperatures. QSFP connectors are highly recommended for utilization in data and high-performance computing centers. Rising investments by manufacturers for the advancements in technology have further enabled its historic trend to continue.

The SFF segment is anticipated to grow at a considerable pace in the coming years due to its functionality in a compact size. CFP connectors are typically used for LAN and WAN applications. SFP connectors are used in applications such as between servers, storage, switches, and other forms of video & audio systems along with industry verticals such as data centers and HPFC-based applications.

Signal Rate Per Channel

In terms of the signal rate per channel, the global direct attach cable market is segmented into 10 Gbps, 25 Gbps, 56G PAM4, 112G PAM4, and 224 Gbps. The 10 Gbps segment is expected to constitute a key share of the market, as this speed has been preferred for a long period of time.

Established in 2002, the most technologically advanced signal rate is expected to keep most of its market value due to the rising integration of the latter within local area networks. Additionally, the bandwidth of a 10 Gbps signal rate is currently enough to avoid bottlenecks for the most common applications.

The 25 Gbps segment is expected to grow at a moderate rate. It was available to the public in a wide range of forms since 2016. The current form factors the current segment offers are completely viable, its functionality over short distances (>5 mts) hampers the market growth of the latter.

The 56G PAM4 segment is expected to grow at a market rate far greater than its historical trend due to rising demand from telecommunication centers and data communication centers. The 112G PAM4 segment is being developed; however, it is available in a handful of form factors for public usage. These segments are expected to hold a small share of the market due to their current market position.

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Application

Based on application, the global direct attach cable market is segmented into networking, telecommunications, data storage, high-performance computing (HPC) centers, and others. The telecommunication segment is expected to hold the largest share of the market during the forecast period. Active optical cables (AOCs) play an important role in the telecommunications industry. AOC allows information to be transferred from one point to another at maximum speed and with minimal errors.

The data storage segment is expected to lead the market. The rising demand for active optical cables in data centers around the globe is one of the major factors driving the market. The data center industry requires a broad portfolio of fiber optic modules for connecting switches, servers, and storage, which is enabled by AOCs.

Hence, the increasing establishment of data centers is a major factor driving the market. The others segment, including consumer electronics such as 4K TVs. The segment is expected to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period.

Direct Attach Cable Market Regional Outlook

On the basis of regions, the global direct attach cable market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to hold a dominant share of the global market during the forecast period owing to the growing need for improvement and the increasing establishment of data centers in countries such as China, India, and Japan.

The market of North America is expected to grow at a rapid pace during the forecast period due to the increasing demand for high bandwidth speed, mainly in high-performance data centers, and a steady increase in the number of data centers. The market in Europe is expected to grow steadily in the coming years due to the high demand for bandwidth in countries such as the UK and Germany.

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Key Benefits for Industry Participants & Stakeholders

• In-depth Analysis of the Global Direct Attach Cable Market
• Historical, Current, and Projected Market Size in Terms of Value and Volume
• Potential & Niche Segments and Regions Exhibiting Promising Growth Covered
• Industry Drivers, Restraints, and Opportunities Covered in the Study
• Recent Industry Trends and Developments
• Competitive Landscape & Strategies of Key Players
• Neutral Perspective on Global Direct Attach Cable Market Performance