The "Last Kilometer" Bottleneck in the Race for Computing Power: Why Copper Cable Remains a Key Choice

With the rapid development of the "East Data West Computing" project in China and the AI large model industry, computing power demand is growing significantly. Data shows that GPU computing power has increased about 90-fold over the past five years, while network bandwidth growth has been only around 10-fold. The issue of "fast computation, slow transmission" has become a common bottleneck in intelligent computing centers and computing hubs.

 [Image from: "MOSAIC: Breaking the Optics versus Copper Trade-off with a Wide-and-Slow Architecture and MicroLEDs", Microsoft Research Team]

In "short-distance, high-speed" scenarios such as inter-cabinet, server-to-server, and device interconnections within 30 meters, traditional cabling solutions are difficult to adapt to the demand. Standard Category 5e/Category6 network cables cannot meet 25G/40G transmission requirements, with problems such as insufficient bandwidth, signal attenuation, and electromagnetic interference. Meanwhile, all-optical solutions at the edge/access layer face challenges including high deployment and maintenance costs and difficulty integrating with existing equipment.

In this context, high-end copper cabling solutions show their unique value due to their good support for PoE (Power over Ethernet), wide compatibility with RJ45 interfaces, and lower total cost of deployment and operation. Among them, Category 8 (Category 8) shielded cabling systems, which support 40Gbps transmission over 30 meters, have become a key choice to fill the high-speed connectivity gap in the "last kilometer" (referring to the critical access segment within 30 meters) of data centers and industrial sites.

Easily Meeting New Computing Power Challenges

In data centers/computing hubs, server cabinets have high-density stacking, resulting in cramped spaces, limited heat dissipation, and severe cable crosstalk. To address the deployment challenges in server cabinet scenarios of data centers/computing hubs, Zhaolong's Category 8 shielded cabling solution can provide tailored solutions.

The company's Category 8 high-density shielded cabling solution effectively suppresses signal interference through its S/FTP (individual pair foil + overall braid) double-layer shielding structure. It can stably support 40Gbps bandwidth within 30 meters, meeting the high-speed direct connection requirements between servers and switches. Its low-latency characteristics help ensure efficient collaboration of computing clusters, while the excellent flame-retardant properties of the entire cable system provide basic protection for the safe operation of data centers.

Zhaolong Category 8 Shielded Network Cable/Lan Cable/Data Cable

Zhaolong Category 8 Information Module

Zhaolong Category 8 Modular Connector (RJ45-type)

The core advantage of Zhaolong's Category 8 shielded system lies in its "same-source, same-quality, seamless compatibility" one-stop delivery concept. This system is not a single product, but a complete kit consisting of Category 8 shielded cable, information modules, and modular plugs. All Category 8 products of the company comply with international standards such as ISO/IEC 11801-1 and TIA-568.2-D for 40Gbps (25G/40GBASE-T) transmission, helping reduce compatibility risks and performance shortcomings caused by mixed procurement.

Detailed Breakdown of Zhaolong Category 8 Solution:

• Category 8 Shielded Cable: Adopts an S/FTP (individual pair foil + overall braid) double-layer shielding structure, which can provide 360° comprehensive EMI protection. A 23AWG solid bare copper conductor combined with a "Skin-Foam-Skin" insulation process ensures low attenuation and high bandwidth at 2000 MHz high frequency. Cables with LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) sheathing meet the flame retardancy requirements of IEC 60332-1-2 (single vertical flame test); at the same time, the material has low smoke density and no release of halogenated acid gases when burning, meeting more stringent environmental safety and personnel protection requirements.

• Category 8 Shielded Information Module: Adopts a patented tool-less termination design, which can improve construction efficiency and reliability. It has a built-in optimized compensation PCB to ensure high-frequency signal performance, and the all-metal shielded shell can achieve low-impedance connection with the cable's shielding layer.

• Category 8 Shielded Modular Connector: Supports on-site tool-less termination, which can maintain shielding continuity. High-wear gold-plated contacts support ≥2500 insertions and extractions, meeting high-reliability requirements.

Zhaolong's Category 8 shielded one-stop solution can be applied in data centers’ server interconnects, High-Performance Computing (HPC) clusters, smart building backbone networks, and industrial automation scenarios with strong electromagnetic interference, providing a solid and reliable high-speed data transmission foundation for the digital transformation of various industries.

About Zhaolong Interconnect

Zhejiang Zhaolong Interconnect Technology Co., Ltd. (Stock Code: 300913.SZ) has been deeply engaged in the cable and connectivity field for more than 30 years. It has smart manufacturing bases in China(Deqing, Zhejiang) and Thailand(Amata Chonburi Industrial Estate, Chonburi), with products covering more than 100 countries and regions around the world. The company focuses on the digital communication field, and its products are widely used in data centers, industrial automation, medical equipment, new energy and other fields.

The company's R&D laboratory (Testing Center) has obtained accreditation from the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) and the qualification of Intertek's "Satellite Program" laboratory. It has comprehensive testing capabilities for copper and optical cable systems, and carries out industry-university-research cooperation with top institutions such as Shanghai Electric Cable Research Institute, Tsinghua University and Zhejiang University. With strong R&D and verification capabilities, it provides reliable solutions for high-standard network infrastructure construction.