DCS-7050SX-72-F Arista 48x 10GB SFP Switch

Arista DCS-7050SX-72-F 48x 10GB SFP Switch

The DCS-7050SX-72-F Arista 48x 10GB SFP Switch is a high-performance networking solution designed for enterprises requiring speed, scalability, and reliability.

General Information

• Brand: Arista
• Model Number: DCS-7050SX-72-F
• Category: Network Switch

Technical Specifications

Port Configuration

• Network Interfaces: 48x 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+
• Uplink Options: 2x MXP ports supporting 3x 40GbE or 12x 10GbE
• Management Interfaces: 1x Gigabit Ethernet RJ45, 1x RS-232 Serial RJ45, 1x USB

Performance Details

• Processor: Quad-core x86 CPU
• Switching Capacity: 1.28 Tbps
• Forwarding Rate: 960 Mpps
• Latency: 550 ns
• MAC Address Table: 288,000 entries
• Packet Buffer: 12 MB

Memory Resources

• DRAM: Up to 8 GB
• Flash Storage: 4 GB
• VLAN IDs Supported: 4096

Cooling and Airflow

• Airflow Direction: Front-to-back
• Fan Modules: 4x FAN-7000-F (N+1 redundancy)

Power Supply Options

• Included: 2x PWR-500AC-F 500W AC units
• Alternative: PWR-500AC-R for B-F airflow

Key Advantages

High-Speed Connectivity

• Supports multiple 10GbE and 40GbE uplink configurations
• Optimized for data-intensive workloads

Scalability and Flexibility

• Large MAC address table for complex networks
• Extensive VLAN support for segmentation

Reliability and Redundancy

• Redundant fan modules ensure cooling efficiency
• Dual power supplies for uninterrupted operation

High-Performance Data Center Switching Architecture

The Arista DCS-7050SX-72-F belongs to a high-performance data center switching category designed to support modern, latency-sensitive, and bandwidth-intensive workloads. This class of switches is built to meet the requirements of cloud-scale networks, enterprise data centers, and service provider environments where predictable performance and operational simplicity are critical. The platform focuses on delivering consistent low latency, high port density, and non-blocking throughput, making it suitable for spine-and-leaf architectures, top-of-rack deployments, and aggregation layers.

Switches in this category are optimized for east-west traffic patterns that dominate virtualized and containerized environments. The DCS-7050SX-72-F exemplifies this approach by offering a compact, energy-efficient design that supports high-speed connectivity without introducing bottlenecks. Its architecture is purpose-built to handle massive volumes of small packets while maintaining deterministic performance under heavy load.

48x 10Gb SFP+ Port Density and Connectivity Flexibility

The presence of forty-eight 10Gb SFP+ ports positions this switch within a category that emphasizes high-density server connectivity. These ports are commonly used to connect physical servers, hypervisors, storage systems, and other network devices that require reliable and consistent 10 Gigabit Ethernet performance. This density enables data center operators to reduce the number of switches required per rack while maintaining sufficient port availability.

Category solutions like the DCS-7050SX-72-F support a wide range of optical and copper SFP+ transceivers, allowing deployment flexibility across different distances and cabling infrastructures. This adaptability makes the switch suitable for both short-reach top-of-rack connections and longer-reach inter-rack links, all while maintaining signal integrity and throughput.

Optimized for Server Access and Aggregation Layers

Within the broader switching category, devices with forty-eight 10Gb SFP+ ports are often used at the access or aggregation layer. The DCS-7050SX-72-F supports this role by providing consistent forwarding performance, minimal jitter, and advanced buffering capabilities. These characteristics are essential in environments where application performance is tightly coupled to network behavior.

By enabling dense server connectivity, this category of switches helps organizations scale compute resources efficiently. The ability to aggregate traffic from multiple servers and forward it upstream without congestion ensures predictable application response times, even during peak usage periods.

2x MXP High-Speed Uplink Capabilities

The inclusion of two MXP ports defines this switch category as forward-looking and scalable. MXP interfaces are designed to support high-bandwidth uplinks, typically breaking out into multiple high-speed connections or operating as consolidated high-capacity links. This allows the DCS-7050SX-72-F to connect seamlessly to spine switches or core network layers.

Category solutions with MXP uplinks are particularly valuable in environments transitioning to higher-speed backbones. They provide a clear upgrade path while preserving existing 10Gb server connections. This balance between current requirements and future expansion is a defining trait of enterprise-grade data center switches.

Non-Blocking Throughput and Traffic Engineering

Switches in this category are engineered to deliver non-blocking throughput across all ports. The DCS-7050SX-72-F is designed to forward traffic at line rate, ensuring that no single port or uplink becomes a performance bottleneck. This is critical in spine-and-leaf topologies where predictable latency and equal-cost multipathing are foundational design principles.

Advanced traffic engineering features, combined with high-speed uplinks, allow network architects to design resilient fabrics that can adapt dynamically to changing traffic patterns. This ensures high availability and optimal utilization of network resources.

Front-to-Back Airflow Design for Data Center Efficiency

The front-to-back airflow configuration places this switch firmly within a category optimized for hot-aisle and cold-aisle data center layouts. Air is drawn in from the port side and exhausted through the power supply side, aligning with industry-standard rack cooling practices. This design minimizes recirculation of hot air and improves overall thermal efficiency.

Front-to-back airflow is particularly important in high-density environments where thermal management directly impacts reliability and operational costs. The DCS-7050SX-72-F supports this requirement by ensuring consistent cooling across all internal components, even under sustained heavy workloads.

Energy-Efficient Hardware Design

Switches in this category emphasize power efficiency without compromising performance. Efficient power supplies, optimized ASICs, and intelligent fan control mechanisms contribute to reduced energy consumption. The DCS-7050SX-72-F reflects this design philosophy by balancing high throughput with lower operational overhead.

Energy efficiency is increasingly important in modern data centers where power and cooling costs represent a significant portion of total ownership expenses. Category-leading switches help organizations achieve sustainability goals while maintaining the performance needed for business-critical applications.

Low-Latency Switching for Modern Workloads

Low latency is a defining attribute of the DCS-7050SX-72-F category. Financial services, real-time analytics, high-performance computing, and distributed storage systems all demand rapid packet forwarding with minimal delay. This switch category is designed to meet those demands through cut-through switching and optimized forwarding pipelines.

Consistent low latency ensures that applications perform predictably, even during periods of congestion. This reliability is essential for workloads that are sensitive to microbursts and jitter, making this category a preferred choice for performance-critical environments.

Support for East-West Traffic Patterns

Modern data centers generate significant east-west traffic as applications communicate across multiple servers and services. Switches like the DCS-7050SX-72-F are architected to handle these patterns efficiently. High port density and non-blocking fabrics allow traffic to flow laterally across the network without unnecessary hops or delays.

This capability is fundamental to scalable architectures such as microservices and distributed databases, where network performance directly impacts application scalability and resilience.

Advanced Network Operating System Integration

The category of Arista data center switches is closely associated with advanced network operating systems that provide deep visibility, programmability, and automation. The DCS-7050SX-72-F is designed to integrate seamlessly into environments that rely on centralized management, telemetry, and policy-driven configuration.

Such integration enables operators to monitor network health in real time, rapidly deploy configuration changes, and automate routine tasks. This reduces operational complexity and minimizes the risk of human error in large-scale deployments.

Automation and Programmability Capabilities

Switches in this category support open APIs and scripting interfaces that allow integration with orchestration platforms and DevOps workflows. The DCS-7050SX-72-F aligns with these expectations by enabling programmatic control over network behavior. This is particularly valuable in environments where rapid provisioning and continuous deployment are standard practices.

Programmability also supports advanced use cases such as dynamic traffic steering, automated troubleshooting, and real-time policy enforcement, further enhancing network agility.

Consistent Performance Under Load

Switches in this category are tested to maintain performance under sustained high traffic loads. The DCS-7050SX-72-F is built to handle peak utilization scenarios without degradation in throughput or latency. This consistency is critical for maintaining service-level agreements and user satisfaction.

By delivering predictable performance, category-leading switches enable network architects to design infrastructures with confidence, knowing that the underlying hardware can support future growth.

Support for Spine-and-Leaf Architectures

Spine-and-leaf architectures have become the standard for modern data centers due to their predictable latency and horizontal scalability. Switches like the DCS-7050SX-72-F are well suited for leaf roles, providing dense server connectivity and high-speed uplinks to the spine layer.

This category of switches enables equal-cost multipathing and consistent hop counts between endpoints, ensuring uniform performance across the entire fabric.

Enterprise and Cloud Deployment Use Cases

The category encompassing the DCS-7050SX-72-F is widely adopted across enterprise, cloud, and service provider environments. In enterprise data centers, these switches support virtualization platforms, private cloud deployments, and mission-critical applications. In cloud environments, they enable multi-tenant architectures with high levels of isolation and performance.

Service providers benefit from the scalability and reliability of this category when delivering hosted services and infrastructure-as-a-service offerings. The flexibility to support diverse workloads makes this class of switches a versatile choice across industries.

Alignment with Modern Networking Standards

Switches in this category adhere to industry-standard Ethernet protocols and interoperability requirements. The DCS-7050SX-72-F is designed to integrate smoothly with existing network infrastructure, reducing deployment complexity and ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices.

Adherence to standards also simplifies future upgrades and expansions, as organizations can incorporate new technologies without rearchitecting their entire network.