OFFICIAL-SOURCE ENDPOINT AND LANE SELECTION
Fortinet Direct-Attach and Breakout Cable Selection Guide
Select the exact Fortinet cable PID by endpoint form factor, aggregate rate, breakout lane count and physical length rather than by connector appearance.
Endpoint identity and length define the order line
| Exact PID | Link structure | Official length | Cable construction | Primary distinction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FN-CABLE-QSFP+1 | 40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ | 1 m | Passive twinax copper | Shortest 40G QSFP+ DAC in this group. |
| FN-CABLE-QSFP+3 | 40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ | 3 m | Passive twinax copper | Same endpoint type as the 1 m and 5 m PIDs; length is part of the order identity. |
| FN-CABLE-QSFP+5 | 40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ | 5 m | Passive twinax copper | Five-meter 40G direct-attach order line. |
| SP-CABLE-ADASFP+ | 10G SFP+ to SFP+ | 10 m / 32.8 ft | Active direct-attach cable | Transceivers are included; use with systems that provide SFP+ or SFP/SFP+ slots. |
| FN-CABLE-QSFP56-DAC-L1 | 200G QSFP56 to QSFP56 | 1 m | Passive twinax copper | One-meter 200G DAC. |
| FN-CABLE-QSFP56-DAC-LB5 | 200G QSFP56 to QSFP56 | 2.5 m | Passive twinax copper | The B5 suffix represents the 2.5 m order line in the official table. |
| FN-CABLE-QSFPDD-DAC-01 | 400G QSFP-DD to QSFP-DD | 1 m | Passive twinax copper | Straight 400G DAC; it does not split into lower-rate endpoints. |
| FN-CABLE-QSFPDD-2QSFP56-L1 | 1x 400G QSFP-DD to 2x 200G QSFP56 | 1 m | Passive twinax copper | Two-way breakout; host and software must support the 2x 200G lane mode. |
| FG-TRAN-QSFP-4XSFP | 1x 40G/100G QSFP+/QSFP28 to 4x 10G/25G SFP+/SFP28 | 1 m | OM3 MMF, MPO to 4x duplex LC | Optical breakout; transceivers are not included. |
| FG-TRAN-QSFP-4SFP-5 | 1x 40G/100G QSFP+/QSFP28 to 4x 10G/25G SFP+/SFP28 | 5 m | OM3 MMF, MPO to 4x duplex LC | Five-meter optical breakout; transceivers are not included. |
| FG-CABLE-SR10-SFP+ | 1x 100G SR10 CFP2 to 10x 10G SFP+ | 1 m | OM3 MMF, MPO to 10x duplex LC | Ten-way optical fan-out; transceivers are not included. |
| FG-CABLE-SR10-SFP+5 | 1x 100G SR10 CFP2 to 10x 10G SFP+ | 5 m | OM3 MMF, MPO to 10x duplex LC | Five-meter ten-way optical fan-out; transceivers are not included. |
A breakout cable does not create breakout support
FN-CABLE-QSFPDD-2QSFP56-L1 physically presents one QSFP-DD endpoint and two QSFP56 endpoints. Procurement must still confirm that the source port supports the required 400G-to-two-200G breakout mode, that the software release exposes it, and that both destination ports use the matching rate and FEC configuration.
FN-CABLE-QSFPDD-DAC-01 is a straight 400G connection. It must not be substituted for the two-way breakout PID even though both use a QSFP-DD endpoint.
The four FG-prefixed optical breakout records do not include transceivers. The link design must therefore specify compatible optics at every populated endpoint in addition to the exact fan-out cable.
SP-CABLE-ADASFP+ is different: Fortinet identifies it as a 10G active direct-attach assembly with the endpoint transceivers included. Its 10-metre length and active construction are part of the order identity, so it should not be substituted with a shorter passive SFP+ cable without checking the platform and deployment requirements.
Preserve physical and operational acceptance evidence
- Record both host models, port numbers, software releases and configured rates.
- Verify the complete PID and length before routing the cable.
- Respect the official bend radius and avoid unsupported strain at the cage.
- For breakout links, label every branch and map it to the intended logical interface.
- Capture negotiated speed, FEC state, interface errors and a tested traffic path.
Exact cable product records
Official manufacturer source
- Fortinet Transceivers Data Sheet, direct-attach and breakout cable tables
- Fortinet Document Library, SFP compatibility appendix
This independent selection guide is not a Fortinet publication. Validate the exact platform port, software support and lane configuration before ordering or installing a cable.