DCS-7280CR2K-30-F Arista 30 Ports 100GBE QSFP28 Switch

Product Overview of the Arista DCS-7280CR2K-30-F Switch

The Arista DCS-7280CR2K-30-F is a high-density, ultra-fast data center network switch designed for modern enterprise, cloud, and hyperscale environments. Built to support massive bandwidth requirements, this switch delivers exceptional performance, scalability, and reliability for spine, leaf, and core network deployments.

General Product Information

• Brand: Arista Networks
• Model Number: DCS-7280CR2K-30-F
• Device Category: Enterprise-Class Network Switch
• Total Ports: 30 High-Speed QSFP28 Interfaces

Network Interfaces and Port Speeds

• 30 x 100 Gigabit Ethernet QSFP28 ports
• Supported speeds: 100GbE, 50GbE, 40GbE, 25GbE, and 10GbE
• Ideal for spine-leaf and high-performance computing networks

Management and Connectivity Ports

• 2 x USB management ports
• 1 x RS-232 RJ45 console port
• 1 x 1 Gigabit Ethernet dedicated management port

Operating System

The switch runs on Arista EOS, a robust and programmable network operating system known for automation and reliability.

Switch Software

• Operating System: Arista EOS (Group 3)
• Minimum Supported EOS Version: 4.20.3
• Advanced feature set with AlgoMatch-2 support

Hardware Architecture and Performance

Designed for demanding workloads, this switch offers industry-leading throughput, low latency, and advanced routing capacity.

System Resources

• Up to 32GB DDR system memory
• 4GB onboard flash storage
• High-performance x86-based CPU

Switching and Forwarding Power

• Switching capacity of up to 6 Tbps
• Forwarding rate reaching 2.51 billion packets per second
• Ultra-low latency starting from 3.8 microseconds

Routing, VLAN, and Packet Handling

The Arista DCS-7280CR2K-30-F is optimized for large routing tables and advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 networking.

Routing and Address Table Capacity

• MAC address table size: 768,000 entries
• Maximum IPv4 LPM routes: 1.3 million
• Maximum IPv6 LPM routes: 1 million
• IPv4 host routes: up to 768,000
• Multicast routes supported: up to 768,000

VLAN and Buffer

• Supports up to 4,096 VLANs
• Large 12GB packet buffer for traffic bursts

Compatibility

The Arista DCS-7280CR2K-30-F switch is compatible with a wide range of networking environments and accessories, making it a versatile choice for enterprise and cloud deployments.

Network

• Compatible with 100GbE, 50GbE, 40GbE, 25GbE, and 10GbE network architectures
• Supports QSFP28 DAC cables, AOC cables, and optical transceivers
• Interoperable with spine-leaf and core data center designs

Optics and Cabling Support

• QSFP28 SR4, LR4, and ER4 transceivers
• Breakout cables for 4x25GbE and 4x10GbE configurations
• Compatible with single-mode and multi-mode fiber

The Arista DCS-7280CR2K-30-F 30 Ports 100GBE QSFP28 Switch

The Arista DCS-7280CR2K-30-F is a high-performance 100GbE data center switch engineered for ultra-low latency, high density, and scalable cloud networking environments. Designed with 30 QSFP28 ports supporting 100 Gigabit Ethernet, this front-to-back airflow switch delivers advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 capabilities tailored for modern hyperscale, enterprise, and service provider infrastructures. The platform is built to meet the growing demands of virtualization, containerization, big data, artificial intelligence, and high-frequency trading environments where speed, reliability, and programmability are essential.

High-Density 100GbE Connectivity

30 QSFP28 100GbE Ports

The DCS-7280CR2K-30-F offers 30 high-speed QSFP28 ports, each capable of delivering 100GbE throughput. These ports support flexible configurations, including 4x25GbE breakout, enabling seamless integration into mixed-speed environments. This flexibility ensures that organizations can adapt to evolving network requirements without replacing core switching infrastructure.

Breakout Capabilities

Each QSFP28 port supports breakout cables that allow a single 100GbE interface to split into multiple 25GbE connections. This capability increases port density and allows network architects to maximize rack-level connectivity. It is especially valuable in leaf-spine architectures where high server port counts are required.

High-Speed Aggregation

The switch functions as both a leaf and spine device within modern data center topologies. In spine deployments, it aggregates traffic from multiple leaf switches at 100GbE speeds, ensuring non-blocking performance and consistent throughput across east-west traffic flows.

Front-To-Back Airflow Design

Optimized Cooling for Data Center Racks

The “-F” designation indicates a front-to-back airflow configuration. Cool air enters from the port side and exits from the power supply side, aligning with standard hot aisle/cold aisle data center layouts. This airflow design helps maintain consistent temperature control while minimizing cooling costs.

Hot-Swappable Fans and Power Supplies

The system includes hot-swappable fan modules and redundant power supplies. These components can be replaced without powering down the switch, ensuring maximum uptime and minimizing maintenance disruptions.

Energy-Efficient Architecture

Advanced thermal management and efficient power consumption reduce operational expenses. Intelligent fan control adjusts speed based on system temperature, ensuring optimal cooling while lowering energy usage.

Performance and Switching

High Throughput and Low Latency

The DCS-7280CR2K-30-F is engineered for ultra-low latency environments. With multi-terabit switching capacity, the platform ensures wire-speed performance across all 30 ports simultaneously. This is critical for environments requiring deterministic performance such as financial trading platforms and AI workloads.

Deep Packet Buffers

Deep buffer architecture enables efficient traffic management during congestion. In bursty application environments such as cloud storage or big data analytics, packet buffering ensures minimal packet loss and stable performance.

Non-Blocking Architecture

The non-blocking switch fabric ensures that every port can operate at full line rate without performance degradation. This is essential for high-density server deployments where traffic patterns are unpredictable and demanding.

Advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 Capabilities

Comprehensive Layer 2 Features

The switch supports advanced Layer 2 features including VLAN tagging, link aggregation (LAG), spanning tree protocols, and MAC address scalability. These capabilities allow seamless integration into existing enterprise networks.

Full Layer 3 Routing Support

Layer 3 features include static routing, OSPF, BGP, IS-IS, and VRF support. These protocols enable the switch to function as a core routing device within data center and campus environments.

Equal-Cost Multi-Path (ECMP)

ECMP routing distributes traffic across multiple paths to maximize bandwidth utilization and redundancy. This feature enhances network resilience while improving load balancing across spine and leaf architectures.

VXLAN and EVPN Support

The DCS-7280CR2K-30-F provides hardware-accelerated VXLAN and EVPN capabilities. These technologies enable large-scale network virtualization and multi-tenant cloud environments.

Cloud-Scale Data Center Architecture

Leaf-Spine Topology Integration

The switch is ideally suited for leaf-spine architectures, offering predictable latency and linear scalability. Its 100GbE ports allow high-bandwidth connections between leaf and spine layers.

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) Compatibility

The platform integrates with SDN controllers and supports open APIs. This programmability enables automated provisioning, configuration management, and policy enforcement across complex infrastructures.

Arista EOS Operating System

Single Binary Image Architecture

The switch runs on Arista EOS (Extensible Operating System), a Linux-based operating system known for its stability and modular design. EOS uses a single binary image across all platforms, simplifying software updates and maintenance.

Stateful Fault Containment

EOS architecture isolates processes to prevent system-wide failures. If a software process encounters an issue, it can restart independently without affecting the entire switch operation.

Advanced Automation Tools

EOS supports Python scripting, REST APIs, and automation frameworks such as Ansible and Puppet. This enables seamless integration with DevOps workflows and infrastructure-as-code practices.

Security and Access Control

Comprehensive Access Policies

The DCS-7280C

Switching Capacity

Multi-terabit switching capacity ensures non-blocking throughput across all ports.

Forwarding Rate

High packet-per-second forwarding performance guarantees efficient data handling even under heavy traffic loads.

Memory and CPU

Enterprise-grade processors and ample system memory support advanced routing protocols and telemetry services.

Redundant Power Supplies

Dual power supply support enhances reliability and uptime.

Rack-Mount Form Factor

The 1RU design maximizes rack space efficiency while delivering high-density connectivity.

Reduced Latency

Lower latency improves application responsiveness and overall user experience.

Improved Network Efficiency

High-speed links reduce oversubscription and bottlenecks.

Scalable Infrastructure

Organizations can scale horizontally without redesigning network architecture.