{"product_id":"dilinker-sff-8643-to-sff-8644-hd-sas-to-external-hd-sas-mother-port-cable-60cm","title":"DiLinKer SFF-8643 to SFF-8644 Cable, Internal MiniSAS HD to External MiniSAS HD, 60cm, 12 Gb\/s SAS","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe cable that gets four SAS lanes out of the box: \u003cstrong\u003eSFF-8643\u003c\/strong\u003e (internal 36-pin) on one end, \u003cstrong\u003eSFF-8644\u003c\/strong\u003e (external 36-pin, with the pull-latch shell) on the other, 60 cm apart. It is what sits between a host HBA and an external JBOD, disk shelf or tape library — and it carries SAS, so this is not the cable for a U.2 NVMe drive no matter how similar the two connectors look.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat separates 8643 from 8644\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSame four lanes, different shell.\u003c\/strong\u003e SFF-8644 is the external variant of MiniSAS HD: same 36 pins and same 12 Gb\/s SAS signalling, but with a shielded, latching shell designed to be plugged and unplugged from outside a chassis. The 8643 end is the internal one that goes to the HBA.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwelve gigabits per lane, four lanes.\u003c\/strong\u003e That is 48 Gb\/s of SAS bandwidth across the cable, and it negotiates down to 6 Gb\/s or 3 Gb\/s with older expanders and shelves. It is a SAS link end to end — no PCIe, no NVMe, no U.2 drive support.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBuilt for repeated mating.\u003c\/strong\u003e The external end has the pull-tab release and the metal shell that the spec requires, so it survives being cycled every time someone swaps a shelf. An internal 8643 plug pushed into service as an external connector is how ports get damaged.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShielding matters outdoors.\u003c\/strong\u003e The 8644 shell is shielded to keep 12 Gb\/s signalling clean across the cable and through the bulkhead. That is why this is not simply a longer internal cable with a different connector on the end.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:14px\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px;background:#f7f8fa;width:34%\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConnector A\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px\"\u003eSFF-8643, internal MiniSAS HD, 36-pin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px;background:#f7f8fa;width:34%\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConnector B\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px\"\u003eSFF-8644, external MiniSAS HD, 36-pin, latching shell\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px;background:#f7f8fa;width:34%\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLanes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px\"\u003e4\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px;background:#f7f8fa;width:34%\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px\"\u003e12 Gb\/s SAS per lane (SAS 3.0); backward compatible with 6 and 3 Gb\/s\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px;background:#f7f8fa;width:34%\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px\"\u003e60 cm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px;background:#f7f8fa;width:34%\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProtocol\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px\"\u003eSAS \/ SATA tunnelling — not PCIe, not NVMe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px;background:#f7f8fa;width:34%\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSKU\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #e3e6ea;padding:7px 10px\"\u003eB07Q3TFYZT\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCompatibility\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWorks with\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHost HBAs and RAID cards with an internal SFF-8643 port\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExternal JBODs, disk shelves, tape drives and DAS enclosures with an SFF-8644 port\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSAS and SATA drives behind an expander in the external enclosure\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e12 Gb\/s, 6 Gb\/s and 3 Gb\/s SAS links\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes not work with\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eU.2 NVMe drives and NVMe backplanes — this is a SAS cable; the connectors look alike but nothing will enumerate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConsumer SATA controllers — they have no 8643 port to plug into\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePort-to-port external runs longer than 60 cm; use an external 8644-to-8644 cable for that\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConnecting SAS drives directly: this is a host-to-enclosure cable, not a drive breakout\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTypical deployments\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHBA to a 12-bay external shelf.\u003c\/strong\u003e The 8643 end goes on the card inside the host, the 8644 end onto the shelf, and the shelf’s expander handles the drives.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWorkstation with an external SAS tape or LTO drive.\u003c\/strong\u003e A single cable from an internal port to the external unit, no PCIe bracket adapter needed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLab setup moving a JBOD between hosts.\u003c\/strong\u003e The latching external end is made for that kind of handling; unplug at the shelf, leave the card side alone.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I use this for a U.2 NVMe drive?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. SFF-8644 is physically similar to SFF-8643 and both are 36-pin, but this cable carries SAS signalling. An NVMe drive will not enumerate, and no amount of adapter fiddling changes that. For U.2 you need an SFF-8643-to-SFF-8639 cable or a PCIe-to-U.2 cable, both of which we stock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs 8644 the same as 8643 with a bigger shell?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElectrically it is the same four-lane SAS interface; mechanically it is a different, shielded, latching connector intended for external use. That is exactly why this cable exists: to cross from the internal port to the external one without a bulkhead adapter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat speed will I actually get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUp to 12 Gb\/s per lane, so 48 Gb\/s across four lanes, but only if the HBA, the cable, the expander and the drives all support it. A 6 Gb\/s expander in the shelf brings the whole link down to 6 Gb\/s — normal, and not a cable fault.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow long is the run, exactly?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e60 cm connector to connector. That is sized for a host with the card near the bulkhead; if the card is at the far end of a deep chassis, measure before ordering, because external SAS cables are not meant to be stretched.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I plug two of these together to make 120 cm?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot usefully — you would need a 8644-to-8644 coupler, and every extra connector costs signal margin at 12 Gb\/s. Buy an external 8644-to-8644 cable in the length you need instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhich end goes to the host?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSFF-8643 (the plain internal plug) to the card or board, SFF-8644 (the one with the pull latch and metal shell) to the enclosure. The latch end is always the one you reach from outside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eIn the box\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e1 × SFF-8643 to SFF-8644 MiniSAS HD cable, 60 cm, 12 Gb\/s SAS (SKU B07Q3TFYZT)\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery cable is continuity- and pinout-tested before it ships and carries a 24-month warranty. If a link does not train, send us the controller model and the backplane part number before returning anything — in most cases the cable is the wrong variant for the port, not faulty, and we would rather tell you that up front.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRelated\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/diliving-internal-hd-mini-sas-sff-8643-host-4x-sata-target-cable-sff-8643-to-4x-sata-cable-sff-8643-for-controller-4-sata-connect-to-hard-drive-2-46ft-75cm\"\u003eNeed internal SAS fan-out instead? 8643 host to 4x SATA\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/slimsas-8x-to-2x-minisas-hd-80cm-05-60003-00\"\u003eSlimSAS x8 to 2x MiniSAS HD, for newer controllers\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/minisas-hdsff-8643\"\u003eAll MiniSAS HD cables\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"DiLinKer","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47981368738088,"sku":"B07Q3TFYZT","price":25.54,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0866\/1460\/6120\/files\/41QPZCyvNzL.jpg?v=1712028297","url":"https:\/\/diliving.com\/products\/dilinker-sff-8643-to-sff-8644-hd-sas-to-external-hd-sas-mother-port-cable-60cm","provider":"DiLiVing","version":"1.0","type":"link"}