DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC Arista 12 Ports 100GbE QSFP28 Line Card for 7500E Series

Product Highlights of Arista DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC Line Card

The Arista DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC is a high-performance switch line card engineered to deliver exceptional speed and reliability for demanding enterprise and data center environments. The 7500E-12CQ-LC module integrates seamlessly into the Arista 7500E chassis architecture, enabling organizations to deploy advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching capabilities with exceptional throughput and low-latency packet forwarding. The line card is developed to support mission-critical networking operations that demand deterministic performance, ultra-high bandwidth capacity, and extensive scalability.

General Information

• Manufacturer: Arista
• Part Number: DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC
• Product Type: Switch Line Card

Technical Highlights

• Equipped with 12 QSFP28 interfaces
• Throughput capacity: 100GBPS
• Optimized for scalability and low latency
• Total Number of Ports: 12 Ports
• Series: 7500E

Compatibility

• Specifically tailored for integration with Arista 7500E-36Q and Arista 7500E-48S systems, ensuring maximum interoperability and streamlined deployment.

Key Advantages

Enhanced Reliability

• Built to maintain consistent uptime, reducing risks of network interruptions.

Scalable Architecture

• Flexible enough to expand with growing enterprise needs without compromising performance.

Arista DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC 12 Ports Switch Line Card

The Arista DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC line card is engineered for high-density data center networking environments that require scalable 100 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity within the Arista 7500E modular switching platform. Designed as a high-performance switch line card, this module provides twelve dedicated 100GbE QSFP28 interfaces optimized for spine-layer aggregation, cloud networking fabrics, enterprise core deployments, and hyperscale infrastructure environments.

Each QSFP28 interface on the module is capable of supporting 100 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity while also providing flexibility for breakout configurations in selected deployment scenarios. This enables administrators to create adaptable network topologies suitable for large-scale east-west traffic patterns commonly found in modern virtualized and cloud-centric environments.

Optimized Design for Modular Switching Environments

The DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC is purpose-built for integration with Arista’s modular switching ecosystem. The hardware architecture focuses on maximizing fabric bandwidth while maintaining operational reliability and forwarding consistency. By leveraging advanced switching silicon and high-speed backplane integration, the line card delivers substantial aggregate throughput for large-scale workloads.

The modular design allows network architects to expand switching capacity incrementally without replacing the entire chassis infrastructure. This investment-friendly approach enables scalable growth strategies while preserving operational continuity and reducing deployment complexity.

Data Center Fabric Integration

The DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC is suitable for deployment in modern leaf-spine architectures where predictable latency and high throughput are critical. The module supports large-scale data center fabric connectivity and can be utilized within multi-tier enterprise infrastructures requiring robust aggregation and interconnectivity.

Its 100GbE QSFP28 interfaces provide the bandwidth required for virtual machine mobility, distributed storage systems, software-defined networking, and high-performance computing clusters. The hardware is designed to sustain continuous traffic flows associated with east-west data center communication patterns.

12-Port 100GbE QSFP28 Connectivity Features

The twelve integrated QSFP28 interfaces provide substantial bandwidth density for aggregation and high-capacity interconnect deployments. Each interface supports 100 Gigabit Ethernet transmission speeds, enabling rapid data movement between servers, storage arrays, switches, and data center infrastructure components.

QSFP28 technology provides compact high-speed connectivity while maintaining power efficiency and cabling flexibility. The interfaces are compatible with a broad range of optical transceivers and direct attach cable solutions suitable for short-range and long-range deployments.

Support for High-Density 100GbE Deployments

Organizations implementing high-density networking environments benefit from the compact interface layout provided by the 7500E-12CQ-LC module. The design maximizes port density while maintaining efficient airflow and thermal management characteristics.

The line card supports large-scale switching infrastructures where multiple 100GbE uplinks are required for spine aggregation, inter-data-center connectivity, or high-performance application clusters. The combination of modular flexibility and high-speed interfaces enables efficient scaling across expanding enterprise and cloud environments.

QSFP28 Interface Flexibility

QSFP28 ports support multiple media options depending on deployment requirements. Network administrators can implement optical transceivers for extended reach applications or direct attach copper solutions for cost-efficient short-distance interconnections.

The versatility of QSFP28 technology allows organizations to optimize connectivity strategies according to rack layouts, switching topologies, and data center design objectives. This flexibility enhances deployment efficiency and simplifies future infrastructure upgrades.

Optical Transceiver Compatibility

The DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC supports numerous optical standards commonly deployed in enterprise and hyperscale environments. Administrators can select transceivers appropriate for multimode fiber, single-mode fiber, or active optical cable deployments.

Support for diverse optical media enables the module to function effectively across different networking layers, including core aggregation, spine switching, storage networking, and interconnect applications.

Breakout Connectivity

Selected deployment configurations may support breakout capabilities that allow a single 100GbE QSFP28 interface to operate as multiple lower-speed connections. This functionality provides enhanced deployment versatility and can improve interface utilization efficiency within specific infrastructure architectures.

Breakout configurations can facilitate migration strategies between 10GbE, 25GbE, 40GbE, and 100GbE networking environments while simplifying cabling and port management requirements.

Performance of the Arista 7500E-12CQ-LC Module

The Arista DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC is designed to deliver enterprise-class switching performance with extensive forwarding capacity and ultra-low latency characteristics. The line card architecture is optimized for environments where traffic consistency and deterministic forwarding behavior are essential.

The switching hardware supports wire-speed forwarding across all interfaces, enabling the simultaneous transmission of high-bandwidth workloads without performance bottlenecks. This capability is particularly important in large-scale cloud environments and data-intensive enterprise applications.

Low Latency Switching Performance

Low latency is a critical requirement in modern data center environments, particularly for distributed applications, virtualization platforms, storage networks, and real-time analytics systems. The DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC is engineered to minimize packet forwarding delays while maintaining consistent throughput under heavy network loads.

The optimized switching architecture contributes to efficient packet traversal across the switching fabric, reducing application response times and improving overall infrastructure responsiveness.

Wire-Speed Forwarding Efficiency

The module supports wire-speed forwarding on all active ports, ensuring that interface bandwidth can be fully utilized without introducing forwarding limitations. This is essential for maintaining optimal application performance and supporting large-scale east-west traffic flows.

Wire-speed processing capabilities also enhance scalability by allowing organizations to expand infrastructure capacity without sacrificing forwarding efficiency or increasing network congestion.

High Aggregate Throughput Capacity

The aggregate throughput provided by the twelve 100GbE interfaces enables substantial data transport capacity across the switching infrastructure. This level of bandwidth is suitable for demanding enterprise workloads including big data processing, distributed computing, storage replication, and cloud-native application environments.

The high-throughput architecture ensures that the line card can handle simultaneous traffic streams generated by thousands of virtual machines, containerized applications, and high-performance workloads.

Advanced Buffer Management

Sophisticated packet buffering mechanisms help maintain traffic stability during periods of transient congestion. Effective buffer management contributes to improved application reliability and reduced packet loss in oversubscribed or burst-heavy traffic conditions.

The hardware architecture is optimized to balance latency sensitivity with efficient traffic absorption capabilities, enabling consistent network performance across varying workload profiles.

Deployment Scenarios for the Arista DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC

The 7500E-12CQ-LC line card is suitable for numerous enterprise and cloud networking scenarios requiring high-capacity 100GbE connectivity. The module can be deployed within modular core switches, spine-layer infrastructures, high-performance computing environments, and multi-tenant cloud architectures.

Cloud Data Center Networking

Cloud data centers require scalable switching infrastructures capable of supporting massive east-west traffic flows between virtualized workloads. The DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC provides the bandwidth density and forwarding efficiency necessary for these demanding environments.

The module supports rapid workload mobility, distributed application architectures, and software-defined networking frameworks commonly implemented in cloud computing infrastructures.

Enterprise Core Aggregation

Large enterprise organizations often deploy modular chassis-based switches as centralized aggregation platforms within campus or data center cores. The DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC enables these environments to scale bandwidth capacity while maintaining centralized management and operational consistency.

Its high-speed interfaces facilitate efficient aggregation of access-layer switches, storage platforms, security appliances, and server infrastructure components.

High-Performance Computing Environments

High-performance computing clusters require ultra-fast interconnects capable of supporting parallel processing and low-latency communications between compute nodes. The 100GbE QSFP28 interfaces provide the bandwidth necessary for large-scale computational workloads and distributed analytics systems.

The switching architecture helps maintain efficient data exchange between compute resources while supporting demanding throughput requirements.

Storage Network Interconnectivity

The line card is suitable for storage networking deployments involving high-speed data replication, backup infrastructures, and distributed storage architectures. The substantial throughput capacity supports rapid movement of storage traffic between arrays, servers, and disaster recovery environments.

Low latency and high forwarding efficiency contribute to improved storage responsiveness and enhanced application performance.

Hot-Swappable Module Functionality

The modular architecture of the 7500E platform supports hot-swappable line card functionality, allowing administrators to perform maintenance or upgrades with minimal disruption to production operations.

This capability enhances operational flexibility and reduces downtime during infrastructure expansion or hardware replacement activities.

Scalable Network Virtualization

The line card supports network virtualization technologies commonly implemented in multi-tenant cloud environments and software-defined data centers. These capabilities facilitate scalable segmentation and workload isolation across large infrastructures.

Virtualization support improves deployment flexibility and enables efficient resource utilization within dynamic networking environments.

Bandwidth Scalability and Future-Ready Networking

The Arista DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC is engineered to support evolving bandwidth demands associated with modern enterprise computing, cloud adoption, and digital transformation initiatives. The 100GbE interface density provides a strong foundation for scalable infrastructure growth.

Support for Virtualized Infrastructure

Virtualized server environments generate substantial east-west traffic that requires high-capacity switching backbones. The line card’s 100GbE interfaces provide the throughput necessary to support virtual machine communication, workload balancing, and storage connectivity.

The architecture is optimized to handle dynamic traffic patterns associated with virtualized application ecosystems.

Cloud-Scale Networking Efficiency

Cloud-scale environments demand predictable network performance, extensive scalability, and automation compatibility. The DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC supports these objectives through its high-density 100GbE architecture and integration with the EOS operating system.

The module contributes to efficient cloud networking operations by enabling scalable interconnectivity between compute, storage, and networking resources.

Compatibility with Modular Chassis Infrastructure

The line card is specifically designed for integration with compatible Arista 7500E modular chassis systems. The chassis architecture provides high-capacity switching fabric connectivity, centralized management, and scalable expansion capabilities.

This modular compatibility enables organizations to build highly scalable switching infrastructures tailored to evolving operational requirements.

Power Efficiency

The DCS-7500E-12CQ-LC is engineered to balance performance with operational efficiency. Optimized hardware design and advanced silicon technologies contribute to effective power utilization within dense switching environments. Power-efficient operation can support data center sustainability initiatives while helping organizations manage infrastructure operating costs more effectively.