Networking
Data centre networking, 10G to 100G
Switches, optics, cables and server adapters that work together at the speed you need.
Speed ladder
Which speed, which port, which cable
Match the switch port, the adapter in the server and the cable or transceiver between them. This table covers the common combinations.
| Speed | Typical use | Port type | Common media |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10G | Server uplinks, NAS and storage, access-switch uplinks | SFP+ or 10GBASE-T (RJ45) | DAC, OM3/OM4 fibre, Cat6A copper |
| 25G | Modern server connections to top-of-rack switches | SFP28 | DAC, OM4 multimode, single-mode fibre |
| 40G | Older aggregation and spine links | QSFP+ | DAC, MPO multimode, single-mode fibre |
| 100G | Spine, storage and GPU cluster links | QSFP28 | DAC, AOC, MPO or duplex single-mode fibre |
Switching
Data centre and 10G+ switches
138 switches with 10G or faster ports, from Cisco Nexus to compact 10G models for small server rooms.
Optics
Transceivers by form factor
1,394 10G+ transceivers in stock, including optics coded for Cisco, HPE, Dell, Juniper, Arista and others.
SFP+10G
SFP2825G
QSFP40G and 100G
Check the coding. Many switches only accept transceivers coded for their brand. The compatible brand is named in each product title, so match it to the switch the optic plugs into.
DAC or fibre?
Both carry the same speeds. The choice mostly comes down to distance.
Direct attach cables (DAC)
- Copper cable with the connectors built in
- For short runs, usually within a rack or to the next one
- No separate transceivers to buy
Fibre and transceivers
- A transceiver at each end with fibre between them
- For longer runs between racks, rooms or buildings
- Multimode (OM3/OM4) for shorter links, single-mode (OS2) for long ones
Server network adapters
PCIe and OCP 3.0 cards from Intel, Broadcom and others, from 10GBASE-T to 100G.
Prices are as listed on networkdistri.co.uk in September 2026 and can change; the product page always shows the current price, VAT and delivery. Product names and trademarks belong to their owners.
