A server technician is connecting a server to a switch in the server room. Both the server and the switch are equipped with 10 Gigabit Ethernet adapters. Which of the following cable choices would…

A rollover cable is a console management cable with a full pin reversal used for CLI access to routers and switches, not for carrying Ethernet data traffic.

CAT5e is rated for a maximum of 1000BASE-T (1 Gbps) and does not meet the electrical specifications required for 10GBASE-T, capping throughput well below the adapter capability.

A straight-through cable is the proper wiring for connecting unlike devices - a server (DTE) to a switch (DCE) - because the transmit pair on one end connects directly to the receive pair on the other, as each device handles the crossing internally. CAT6 cable supports 10GBASE-T at distances up to 55 meters, making it compatible with the 10 Gigabit Ethernet adapters installed in both the server and the switch. Among the options listed, CAT6 straight-through is the only cable that provides both the correct pinout for a server-to-switch link and sufficient bandwidth for 10 GbE throughput.

CAT5e cannot support 10 Gbps speeds, and a crossover cable is incorrect for a server-to-switch connection where the switch port already performs the pair crossing internally.