Withouth being physically at the server, is there a way to tell if the network cable is unplugged?

It might matter on the version of the OS, but the ndd command should work.

This line sets the device to look at to hme0
# ndd set /dev/hme instance 0

This line gets the status of the line. If it returns 0 it is down - if it returns 1 it is up.
# ndd get /dev/hme link_status


Also, if there is no cable plugged in, your system should be pushing a bunch of Link Down - cable problem? messages out to either console or /var/adm/messages.

well not sure which device to use here is ifconfig -a

ifconfig -a
lo0: flags=1000849<UP,LOOPBACK,RUNNING,MULTICAST,IPv4> mtu 8232 index 1
inet 127.0.0.1 netmask ff000000
qfe0: flags=1000843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,IPv4> mtu 1500 index 2
inet xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx netmask fffffe00 broadcast xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
ether x:x:xx:xx:xx:xx

when i run

ndd set /dev/qfe instance 0
couldn't push module 'set', No such device or address

You have to be root - that messags shows up if you are not root.

this worked

ndd -get /dev/qfe link_status
0


zero means down, does this mean my network cable is unplugged or can i start the qfe card?

qfe0: flags=1000843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,IPv4>

From what you put before, your qfe0 is up. There isn't much more you could do on the server. If you aren't getting the error messages I posted earlier, then you probably have a cable plugged in. It may be a bad port on the other side.

thanks buddy, i having operations check the link light, thanks!