210-BCJI Dell Z9664F-ON 64-Port 400GBE QSFP56-DD OS10 Reverse Airflow Rack Ears Switch

Dell Z9664F-ON 64-Port Network Switch

The Dell 210-BCJI Z9664F-ON Network Switch represents an advanced class of ultra-high-density Ethernet switching designed for hyperscale data centers, cloud service providers, service providers, and enterprise core networks that demand extreme throughput, reliability, and flexibility. As a 64-port 400 Gigabit Ethernet platform using QSFP56-DD technology, this switch delivers massive aggregate bandwidth, low latency forwarding, and deterministic performance required by modern workloads such as artificial intelligence training, machine learning inference, high-performance computing, distributed storage systems, and next-generation virtualized infrastructures. The category of 400GBE spine and core switches has become foundational in large-scale architectures, and the Z9664F-ON exemplifies how open networking, hardware programmability, and enterprise-grade software converge to support the next wave of data center evolution.

400GBE QSFP56-DD Port

At the heart of this category lies the QSFP56-DD port standard, which enables 400 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity per port while maintaining compatibility with lower-speed optics and breakout configurations. The Dell Z9664F-ON provides sixty-four QSFP56-DD ports, offering unparalleled port density in a compact form factor suitable for modern racks. Each port can operate at 400GbE natively or be broken out into multiple lower-speed connections such as 2x200GbE, 4x100GbE, 8x50GbE, or 8x25GbE depending on transceiver and cabling selection. This flexibility allows organizations to scale incrementally, protect investments in existing optics, and align port speeds with evolving application requirements. The cumulative switching capacity of a fully populated 64-port 400GbE switch reaches multi-terabit throughput levels, enabling non-blocking architectures across large leaf-spine fabrics. This category of switches is designed to eliminate bottlenecks at the aggregation and core layers, ensuring east-west and north-south traffic flows seamlessly even under peak loads. By supporting ultra-high port densities, data center architects can reduce the number of devices required in the network, simplify cabling, minimize power and cooling footprints, and lower total cost of ownership while maintaining superior performance.

OS10 Enterprise

The Dell Z9664F-ON is part of the Open Networking portfolio, offering OS10 Enterprise as a robust, feature-rich network operating system optimized for data center environments. This category of switches emphasizes disaggregation between hardware and software, enabling organizations to adopt open networking principles, avoid vendor lock-in, and align network infrastructure with DevOps, automation, and cloud-native operational models. OS10 Enterprise provides a comprehensive set of Layer 2, Layer 3, and overlay networking features, including advanced routing protocols, high availability mechanisms, telemetry, automation interfaces, and security capabilities. OS10 Enterprise is engineered for high-scale deployments and mission-critical workloads. It supports protocols such as BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, EVPN, VXLAN, MPLS, and more, enabling flexible network designs ranging from traditional three-tier architectures to modern leaf-spine fabrics with overlay virtualization. The integration of EVPN-VXLAN allows for scalable, multi-tenant environments with simplified network segmentation, consistent policy enforcement, and seamless workload mobility across racks, pods, and data centers.

Hardware

The Dell Z9664F-ON belongs to a category of enterprise-grade network switches engineered for continuous operation in demanding data center environments. Reliability is achieved through redundant, hot-swappable components, robust thermal design, and rigorous validation processes. The platform is equipped with dual hot-swappable 2400-watt AC power supplies configured in an I/O-to-PSU reverse airflow pattern, ensuring consistent cooling performance and compatibility with modern hot aisle/cold aisle containment strategies. Reverse airflow is particularly valuable in data centers where airflow direction is standardized across racks to optimize cooling efficiency and reduce operational costs. By aligning airflow with rack design, the Z9664F-ON helps maintain optimal operating temperatures for internal components, ensuring sustained performance and extending hardware lifespan.

High Availability

High availability is a defining characteristic of this category of switches. Dual hot-swappable power supplies ensure that the device remains operational even if one power source fails or requires maintenance. Similarly, redundant fans and robust thermal management systems provide resilience against cooling failures. Hot-swappable components allow maintenance to be performed without disrupting network services, minimizing downtime and preserving service continuity.

Thermal Efficiency

The category of high-density 400GbE switches places significant emphasis on thermal efficiency and environmental sustainability. The Z9664F-ON’s thermal design is optimized to handle the heat generated by high-speed ASICs and optical modules while minimizing energy consumption. Efficient airflow, intelligent fan control, and power management features contribute to reduced operational costs and lower carbon footprints. Data centers increasingly prioritize sustainability and energy efficiency as strategic objectives. By delivering high throughput per watt and supporting efficient cooling strategies, the Z9664F-ON aligns with these goals while maintaining uncompromising performance.

Performance

Performance is a core differentiator in this category of network switches. The Dell Z9664F-ON is built to deliver wire-speed forwarding across all ports, ensuring that packets are processed without bottlenecks or performance degradation. The underlying switching ASIC provides ultra-low latency, high packet-per-second throughput, and deterministic behavior even under heavy loads. This level of performance is essential for latency-sensitive applications such as financial trading, real-time analytics, AI model training, and distributed storage systems. In such environments, microseconds of latency can translate into significant business impact. The Z9664F-ON ensures consistent, predictable performance across all traffic types, including small packets, large frames, multicast streams, and mixed workloads.

Form Factor

As a rack-mountable switch with included rack ears, it integrates seamlessly into standard 19-inch racks and cabinets. The compact form factor enables high port density per rack unit, maximizing the utilization of valuable data center floor space. The front-panel layout is optimized for ease of access to ports, power supplies, and status indicators.

Use Cases

The Dell Z9664F-ON category addresses a broad range of use cases across industries, reflecting the versatility and scalability of high-density 400GbE switching platforms. In hyperscale data centers, the switch serves as a spine or core device, enabling massive east-west traffic flows between compute clusters, storage arrays, and application tiers. Its high throughput and low latency support large-scale distributed systems, microservices architectures, and containerized workloads.

Alignment

Data center modernization initiatives often focus on increasing agility, reducing operational complexity, improving scalability, and enhancing security. The Z9664F-ON category aligns with these objectives by enabling high-density connectivity, automation-driven operations, and open networking architectures.