Active copper interconnect technology is emerging as a critical enabler for scaling AI infrastructure inside the rack, where power efficiency, latency and cost directly impact cluster design. A new industry consortium, the Active Copper Cable Multi-Source Agreement (ACC-MSA), has formed to define specifications for interoperable linear active copper cables that extend copper reach while reducing power and complexity compared to DSP-based alternatives.
The ACC-MSA will focus initially on optimized copper interconnects that integrate linear equalizers directly into cable connectors. The specifications will define electrical, firmware and compliance test requirements to ensure seamless interoperability between networking equipment and cable vendors. The goal is to create a multi-source ecosystem that lowers deployment risk and improves economics for high-speed, short-reach links used in AI and high-performance computing systems.
The consortium is co-chaired by MACOM Technology Solutions and Semtech Corporation. Founding members include AMD, Amphenol, Ciena, Cisco, Dell Technologies, Keysight Technologies, Luxshare Technologies, MACOM Technology Solutions, Molex, Multilane, NVIDIA, Semtech Corporation and TE Connectivity.
- Defines specifications for linear active copper cables with integrated equalizers
- Targets lower power consumption and latency versus DSP-based active copper solutions
- Maintains compatibility with pluggable passive copper and optical interfaces
- Establishes multi-vendor electrical, firmware and compliance test standards
- Focused on short-reach, high-speed intra-rack interconnects for AI and HPC
“Through the integration of linear equalizers within cable connectors, we can significantly increase copper’s reach, reduce cable thickness and deliver lower power consumption and latency compared to DSP-based solutions, while maintaining low bit error rate and a pluggable interface compatible with existing passive copper and optical interconnects,” said Marek Tlaka, Vice President, High Performance Connectivity at MACOM.
🌐 Analysis: The formation of the ACC-MSA reflects growing demand for low-power, short-reach interconnect options as hyperscalers deploy larger 800G and 1.6T AI fabrics. Linear active copper has gained attention as an alternative to DSP-based cables inside the rack, particularly where power budgets constrain cluster density. By defining interoperability early, the consortium aligns copper innovation with broader AI infrastructure buildouts led by GPU and networking silicon vendors.
| Category | Key facts / specs (ACC context) |
|---|---|
| What “ACC” means | Active Copper Cable: a copper interconnect that adds active signal conditioning in the cable assembly to improve link performance versus passive copper. |
| Initial technical focus | Linear active copper using integrated linear equalizers inside the connector/cable ends (i.e., analog signal conditioning rather than full DSP retiming). |
| Architecture vs DSP-based | Linear equalization approach targets lower power and lower latency than DSP-based active copper, while aiming to maintain low bit error rates for short-reach links. |
| Compatibility goal | Pluggable interface intended to work alongside existing passive copper and optical interconnect options (operationally “swap-friendly” in data center environments). |
| Target deployment zone | Intra-rack and short-reach connectivity for AI and other high-performance applications where copper economics and power budgets matter most. |
| What the MSA standardizes | Electrical requirements, firmware behaviors, and test/compliance methods designed to ensure multi-vendor interoperability between networking equipment and ACCs. |
| Ecosystem signal | Founding members span GPUs/XPUs, switch platforms, test/measurement, and connector/cable manufacturing—an indicator the group aims to align silicon, systems, and validation workflows. |
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