Aruba JL309A — 100G QSFP28 MPO SR4 multimode transceiver (100m)
What it is
JL309A is a 100GbE QSFP28 optical transceiver from Aruba/HPE’s X151 optics line. It’s the standard 100GBASE-SR4 short-reach module for multimode fiber, using a parallel 4-lane 850nm design over an MPO/MTP-12 connector. Think “default 100G optic for short in-building / data-center MMF runs.”
Why buyers pick JL309A (plain English)
-
Easy, standard 100G over multimode
The go-to for short-reach 100G links inside a data center or campus building. -
High density, clean cabling
One QSFP28 port gives 100G without bundling multiple 10/25G links. -
Great for leaf-spine and core uplinks
SR4 is the common choice when your fiber plant is OM3/OM4 and distances are short. -
Breakout-friendly
Can be used for 100G → 4×25G SR breakout if your switch supports it and you use the right MPO breakout cable.
60-second spec box (JL309A)
Form factor
-
QSFP28 (100GbE)
Type / standard
-
100GBASE-SR4 (Short Reach, 4-lane parallel optics)
Fiber / connector
-
Multimode fiber (MMF)
-
MPO / MTP-12 connector
Wavelength
-
850 nm
Max distance (typical)
-
Up to ~70 m on OM3 MMF
-
Up to ~100 m on OM4 MMF
Lane structure
-
4 × 25Gb/s lanes (Tx/Rx) for 100Gb/s aggregate
Diagnostics
-
DOM/DDM supported
Use case
-
100G switch-to-switch or switch-to-server links over short MMF runs
Where it fits (and when to choose something else)
Perfect for:
-
Data center leaf-to-spine, TOR-to-aggregation, core uplinks on OM3/OM4
-
Short campus backbone runs inside the same building
-
100G ports that may need 4×25G breakout
Choose something else if:
-
You need longer reach → use 100GBASE-LR4 / CWDM4 on single-mode
-
Your run is very short in-rack → QSFP28 DAC/AOC is usually cheaper
TL;DR
JL309A is the Aruba 100G QSFP28 SR4 MMF optic:
850nm over MPO-12, ~70m OM3 / ~100m OM4 — the standard short-reach 100GbE transceiver for Aruba CX and high-speed campus/data-center links.

