DCS-7160-48YC6-R Arista 48x 25GBE SFP28 6x 100GBE QSFP28 Switch R-f Air 2x Ac

Overview of the Switch

General Information

• Part: DCS-7160-48YC6-R
• Brand: Arista 
• Product Type: Switch

Key Features

• 48 high-speed 25GbE SFP28 interfaces and 6 100GbE QSFP28 uplinks
• Rear-to-front airflow design for optimized cooling in dense environments
• Dual AC power supplies ensuring continuous operation and redundancy
• Advanced hardware for minimal latency and maximum data forwarding efficiency

Included Components

• 1x DCS-7160-48YC6-R core switch unit
• 2x AC power modules (PWR-500AC-R) for resilient power backup
• 4x high-performance cooling fans (FAN-7000-R) for consistent thermal regulation
• 1x Rack Mount Kit (KIT-7000), compatible with standard racks, excluding sliders
• Power cords for immediate deployment
• Console cable for configuration and management access

Performance & Reliability

• Designed for high-density data center topologies with minimal packet loss
• Supports continuous, uninterrupted traffic even during peak loads
• Redundant components reduce risk of downtime and enhance operational stability
• Energy-efficient design to reduce operational costs without compromising performance

Compatibility

• Seamlessly integrates into existing data center infrastructures
• Supports a broad range of networking protocols and cloud-ready applications
• Rack-mountable with straightforward installation and setup
• Optimized for both enterprise-scale and hyperscale network environments

Arista DCS-7160-48YC6-R

The Arista DCS-7160-48YC6-R is a high-performance, data center-grade switch designed to meet the demands of modern enterprise and cloud network infrastructures. Featuring 48x 25GbE SFP28 ports and 6x 100GbE QSFP28 uplinks, this switch provides unparalleled throughput, low latency, and extensive scalability. With dual AC power supplies and redundant fans, the DCS-7160-48YC6-R ensures continuous operation in mission-critical environments.

This category of switches is specifically optimized for cloud data centers, high-frequency trading platforms, and large-scale enterprise networks. Its combination of 25GbE and 100GbE connectivity enables seamless aggregation and spine-leaf deployment, offering a future-proof solution for organizations looking to scale their network infrastructure without compromising performance.

Designed for rigorous data center operations, the Arista DCS-7160 series delivers exceptional reliability, programmability, and efficiency. The switch supports Arista EOS (Extensible Operating System), a fully programmable Linux-based network operating system, allowing network operators to automate tasks, implement advanced telemetry, and integrate with modern orchestration platforms such as Ansible, Chef, or Puppet.

Technical Information of the Arista Switch

The Arista DCS-7160-48YC6-R provides 48x 25GbE SFP28 ports, delivering high-density server connectivity for hyper-scale data centers. These ports allow organizations to connect a large number of servers at high speeds while minimizing the number of switches required. Additionally, the switch includes 6x 100GbE QSFP28 uplinks, which enable aggregation or spine connectivity, ensuring minimal bottlenecks in high-throughput environments.

These uplink ports also support breakout functionality, allowing each 100GbE port to be divided into four 25GbE links. This flexibility maximizes bandwidth utilization and supports mixed-speed deployments, making it ideal for hybrid environments where different generations of server NICs coexist.

Advanced Network Operating System (EOS)

Arista’s Extensible Operating System (EOS) is a cornerstone feature of the DCS-7160-48YC6-R. EOS offers full programmability through its API-driven architecture, enabling network automation, monitoring, and rapid deployment of services. With EOS, organizations can integrate the switch into existing DevOps workflows, creating a highly agile and responsive network environment.

The operating system includes a robust set of features such as advanced routing protocols, VXLAN overlays for data center virtualization, MPLS capabilities, and deep telemetry for real-time analytics. EOS also provides in-service software upgrades, minimizing downtime and ensuring that network services remain uninterrupted during maintenance.

Reliability and Redundancy

The DCS-7160-48YC6-R is built for continuous operation with dual hot-swappable AC power supplies and redundant cooling fans. This high level of redundancy ensures that the switch remains operational even in the event of a component failure, which is critical for high-availability environments such as financial networks or cloud services.

The switch also features comprehensive hardware monitoring, environmental sensors, and predictive failure analysis, allowing IT teams to proactively manage hardware health and reduce the risk of unplanned outages. This combination of hardware reliability and advanced monitoring ensures that the DCS-7160-48YC6-R meets the stringent requirements of modern enterprise data centers.

Data Center Spine-Leaf Architecture

The Arista DCS-7160-48YC6-R is ideal for spine-leaf architectures, where high-speed uplinks and low-latency switching are critical. In such deployments, 25GbE ports typically connect leaf switches to servers, while 100GbE uplinks link leaf switches to the spine, creating a high-performance, low-latency network fabric capable of handling massive east-west traffic.

This switch is particularly well-suited for large-scale cloud deployments, hyperscale data centers, and virtualized environments where micro-segmentation and rapid scaling are required. Its support for VXLAN overlays and MLAG (Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation) further enhances network flexibility and redundancy.

High-Performance Computing (HPC)

For high-performance computing applications, the DCS-7160-48YC6-R offers low latency and high throughput, essential for scientific simulations, AI training, and big data analytics. The switch’s ability to handle large volumes of small packets efficiently makes it ideal for HPC clusters where inter-node communication speed directly impacts overall computational performance.

With advanced routing and QoS features, this switch can prioritize latency-sensitive workloads, ensuring optimal performance for critical applications. Its robust telemetry also allows HPC administrators to monitor network health and proactively manage traffic patterns.

Enterprise Campus and Core Networks

While primarily designed for data centers, the Arista DCS-7160-48YC6-R can also be deployed in enterprise campus core networks. With its high-density 25GbE ports, organizations can consolidate multiple access switches, reducing complexity and simplifying network management. Its 100GbE uplinks provide scalable aggregation for connecting multiple buildings or high-traffic core switches.

In campus environments, the switch’s advanced EOS features enable seamless integration with software-defined networking (SDN) platforms, ensuring centralized policy enforcement, automated configuration, and comprehensive visibility into network traffic.

VXLAN and Network Virtualization

The Arista DCS-7160-48YC6-R supports VXLAN (Virtual Extensible LAN), allowing the creation of scalable Layer 2 overlays over a Layer 3 network. VXLAN is particularly valuable in multi-tenant data centers and cloud environments, where network segmentation and isolation are critical for security and performance.

By combining VXLAN with MLAG, this switch ensures redundancy and high availability, while enabling seamless mobility of virtual machines across physical hosts without requiring network reconfiguration.

Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation (MLAG)

MLAG allows multiple Arista switches to appear as a single logical switch, providing link redundancy and load balancing without the need for spanning tree protocols. This improves network efficiency, reduces latency, and eliminates single points of failure. The DCS-7160-48YC6-R fully supports MLAG, making it ideal for resilient and high-capacity network topologies.

Quality of Service (QoS) and Traffic Management

Advanced QoS features on the DCS-7160-48YC6-R enable administrators to prioritize critical workloads, manage bandwidth allocation, and ensure predictable network performance. Traffic shaping, rate limiting, and congestion management help maintain low latency for time-sensitive applications while efficiently utilizing available bandwidth for all network traffic.

Telemetry and Analytics

Arista’s streaming telemetry capabilities provide real-time network insights, allowing IT teams to detect anomalies, monitor traffic patterns, and proactively troubleshoot potential issues. With support for standard protocols such as gRPC, OpenConfig, and SNMP, the DCS-7160-48YC6-R integrates seamlessly with network monitoring and analytics platforms, providing a complete view of network health and performance.

High Port Density for Growing Environments

The DCS-7160-48YC6-R’s 48x 25GbE ports enable dense server connectivity, reducing the number of switches required and lowering operational costs. This high port density supports rapid expansion of data center infrastructure without major architectural changes, making it a cost-effective solution for organizations planning for long-term growth.

Flexible Uplink Options

With 6x 100GbE QSFP28 uplinks and breakout capabilities, this switch offers flexible connectivity for future-proofing network designs. Enterprises can upgrade uplinks to higher speeds as traffic demands increase without replacing the entire switch, ensuring investment protection and scalability.

Programmability and Automation

Through Arista EOS, the switch supports full programmability, automation, and integration with cloud orchestration platforms. Network administrators can deploy automated workflows, dynamic configuration templates, and real-time monitoring scripts, reducing manual errors and improving operational efficiency. This ensures that the DCS-7160-48YC6-R remains relevant as networking technologies evolve.

The Arista DCS-7160-48YC6-R stands out as a premier choice for high-performance, reliable, and scalable networking solutions. Its combination of high-density 25GbE ports, robust 100GbE uplinks, advanced EOS features, and enterprise-grade reliability makes it suitable for data centers, HPC clusters, and large-scale enterprise networks alike.

Organizations seeking a switch that offers both immediate performance and long-term scalability will find the DCS-7160-48YC6-R an ideal investment. With its comprehensive telemetry, programmable architecture, and support for modern network designs such as spine-leaf and VXLAN overlays, this switch not only meets current demands but also adapts to future networking trends and requirements.

By choosing the DCS-7160-48YC6-R, enterprises ensure a robust, high-performance foundation for critical applications, enabling seamless cloud integration, low-latency operations, and efficient network management. Its design prioritizes uptime, operational efficiency, and adaptability, making it a key component in any forward-looking IT infrastructure.