DCS-7260CX3-64-F Arista 64-Port 100GBE QSFP 2XSFP+ Switch

Overview of the Switch

Engineered for modern data centers and high-density cloud environments, the DCS-7260CX3-64-F delivers ultra-fast throughput, low latency performance, and enterprise-grade reliability. Built to support large-scale virtualization, spine-leaf architectures, and high-performance computing, this advanced switching platform ensures seamless traffic management and scalable network expansion.

Main Information

• Part: DCS-7260CX3-64-F
• Brand: Arista 
• Product Type: Switch 

Technical Features

• Network Ports : 64x 100 Gigabit Ethernet QSFP28
• Uplink Ports : 2x 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+
• Management Ports : 1x RJ45 Console, 1x RS-232, 1x USB
• Switch Version : Arista EOS - Group 3
• System Memory : 8GB, 30GB Flash
• AirFlow Direction : Front-to-Back Airflow
• Fan Modules : 4x FAN-7002H-F Fan Modules Include - Front-to-Back Airflow
• Power Supplies : 2x PWR-745AC-F 745W AC Power Supplies Included - Front-to-Back Airflow
• Switching Capacity : 6.4 (12.8) Tbps
• Forwarding Rate : 4.2 Bpps
• MAC Address Table Size : 136,000
• Max IPv4 LPM Routes : 345K
• Max IPv6 LPM Routes : 168K (Unicast (prefix length <= 64)
• Max IPv4 Host Routes : IPv4 - 136K (Group 2), IPv6 - 68K (Group 2)
• Multicast Routes : 68K (IPv4) - Group 2
• VLANs Supported : 4096
• Packet Buffer : 42 MB (Dynamic Bu#er Allocation)
• Latency : 450 ns
• CPU : Dual-Core x86

Port Configuration & Connectivity

• 64 × 100 Gigabit Ethernet QSFP28 interfaces for ultra-high bandwidth aggregation
• 2 × 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ uplink ports for flexible upstream connectivity
• Dedicated management interfaces: 1 × RJ45 console, 1 × RS-232 port, and 1 × USB port
• Optimized for high-density 100GbE deployments in spine or core layers

Performance & Switching Capabilities

• Switching throughput up to 6.4 Tbps (12.8 Tbps full duplex capacity)
• Forwarding performance reaching 4.2 billion packets per second
• Ultra-low latency of approximately 450 nanoseconds for delay-sensitive workloads
• 42 MB dynamic packet buffer for efficient traffic burst handling

Advanced Routing & Scalability

• Supports up to 136,000 MAC addresses for large Layer 2 environments
• Up to 345,000 IPv4 LPM routes for extensive routing tables
• Handles 168,000 IPv6 LPM unicast routes (prefix length ≤ 64)
• IPv4 host routes up to 136,000 and IPv6 host routes up to 68,000
• Multicast routing capacity of 68,000 IPv4 entries
• Supports up to 4,096 VLANs for segmented network design

System Architecture & Memory

• Powered by a dual-core x86 processor for efficient control plane operations
• 8GB system memory for enhanced multitasking and protocol support
• 30GB flash storage for system images and configuration files
• Running Arista EOS (Group 3) for advanced programmability and automation

Cooling & Power Efficiency

• Front-to-back airflow design for optimized rack cooling strategies
• Includes 4 × FAN-7002H-F fan modules with front-to-back ventilation
• Equipped with 2 × PWR-745AC-F 745W AC power supplies
• Redundant, hot-swappable power modules for maximum uptime
• Energy-efficient architecture tailored for high-performance data centers

Arista 64-Port 100GBE QSFP28 Switch

The Arista DCS-7260CX3-64-F 64-Port 100GbE QSFP28 2xSFP+ Switch with front-to-rear airflow is purpose-built for high-performance data center environments requiring extreme scalability, low latency, and advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 functionality. Designed to meet the needs of modern cloud-scale networks, enterprise core deployments, and high-density spine-leaf architectures, this platform delivers exceptional throughput, deep buffering, and advanced programmability in a compact 2RU form factor.

With sixty-four 100GbE QSFP28 ports and two SFP+ ports for out-of-band management or additional connectivity, the DCS-7260CX3-64-F provides unmatched port density for spine aggregation, data center interconnect (DCI), and large-scale virtualization environments. Its front-to-rear airflow configuration ensures optimal cooling efficiency in hot aisle/cold aisle deployments, making it ideal for standardized data center rack designs.

High-Density 100GbE Performance Architecture

The 7260CX3-64-F platform is engineered for environments that demand ultra-high bandwidth and minimal latency. With 64 x 100GbE QSFP28 ports, organizations can achieve up to 6.4 Tbps of switching capacity, supporting large-scale east-west traffic patterns typical in cloud computing, virtualization clusters, and containerized workloads. Each port can operate at 100GbE and supports breakout configurations for 4x25GbE, allowing flexible connectivity for top-of-rack (ToR) and server-facing deployments.

The advanced switching silicon within the 7260CX3 series ensures wire-speed forwarding across all ports simultaneously. This guarantees consistent performance under heavy load, preventing bottlenecks and packet drops in latency-sensitive applications such as high-frequency trading, AI/ML clusters, distributed storage systems, and large database environments.

Deep Buffers for Lossless Performance

Data center networks frequently experience microbursts and uneven traffic flows, particularly in virtualized and hyper-converged infrastructures. The Arista DCS-7260CX3-64-F features deep packet buffers that protect against congestion and packet loss. This capability is especially important for storage traffic using protocols such as iSCSI, NVMe over Fabrics, and other latency-sensitive applications.

Deep buffering enables smooth traffic handling during burst events, preserving throughput and ensuring consistent performance for mission-critical workloads. For organizations implementing RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet), the buffering architecture contributes to maintaining lossless transport and predictable latency.

Front-to-Rear Airflow for Data Center

The “-F” designation indicates front-to-rear airflow, which aligns with cold aisle to hot aisle rack designs commonly implemented in modern data centers. This airflow direction ensures that cool air is drawn from the front of the rack and exhausted through the rear, maintaining consistent thermal management across equipment rows.

Proper airflow direction is critical for maintaining hardware longevity and preventing thermal hotspots. In high-density 100GbE deployments, efficient cooling plays a central role in ensuring continuous uptime and minimizing the risk of hardware degradation. The Arista DCS-7260CX3-64-F is equipped with hot-swappable fans and redundant power supplies to enhance serviceability and operational resilience.

VXLAN and EVPN for Modern Data Centers

VXLAN enables scalable Layer 2 overlays across Layer 3 networks, allowing organizations to extend VLANs across geographically distributed data centers. Combined with EVPN control plane integration, the 7260CX3-64-F provides efficient and scalable multi-tenant segmentation.

This architecture is ideal for private clouds, hybrid cloud deployments, and software-defined data centers. By supporting large MAC and route tables, the platform accommodates thousands of virtual machines and containers without compromising performance.

Cloud-Scale Spine-Leaf Architecture

The Arista DCS-7260CX3-64-F is optimized for spine-layer deployment in a leaf-spine topology. With 64 high-speed 100GbE ports, a single switch can connect dozens of leaf switches while maintaining full wire-speed performance. This reduces oversubscription ratios and ensures predictable latency across east-west traffic flows.

In hyperscale environments, multiple 7260CX3-64-F switches can be deployed in a spine cluster to provide massive aggregate bandwidth. ECMP routing distributes traffic evenly across available paths, maximizing utilization and eliminating single points of congestion.

Low Latency for Performance-Critical Applications

The platform delivers ultra-low latency switching suitable for financial services, scientific computing, AI/ML workloads, and high-performance computing clusters. Consistent latency across ports ensures deterministic network behavior, which is essential for time-sensitive applications.

In addition to hardware-level optimizations, the switch operating system provides fine-grained monitoring and telemetry, allowing administrators to identify latency anomalies and congestion points quickly.

These features enable seamless integration into DevOps workflows and infrastructure-as-code deployments. Automation reduces manual configuration errors and accelerates provisioning across large-scale networks.

Telemetry and Visibility

Real-time telemetry provides deep insight into traffic flows, buffer utilization, interface statistics, and routing states. With streaming telemetry support, network operators can feed data into analytics platforms for proactive monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Enhanced visibility improves troubleshooting efficiency and reduces mean time to resolution (MTTR), which is critical in environments where downtime translates to significant financial impact.

Scalability for Growing Infrastructure

As organizations scale their compute and storage infrastructure, network capacity must expand accordingly. The 7260CX3-64-F supports high route scale, large forwarding tables, and extensive MAC address capacity, enabling it to handle expanding virtualization and container deployments.

The ability to support 25GbE breakout from 100GbE ports allows gradual migration strategies. Businesses can deploy 25GbE server connectivity today and upgrade to native 100GbE in the future without replacing the switching platform.

Redundancy and High Availability

Mission-critical environments demand continuous uptime. The DCS-7260CX3-64-F includes redundant, hot-swappable power supplies and fan modules to ensure uninterrupted operation. MLAG support provides device-level redundancy, enabling active-active topologies that eliminate single points of failure.

In spine deployments, multiple switches can operate in parallel with ECMP, distributing traffic and maintaining connectivity even if one spine fails. This design ensures maximum network resiliency.

Energy Efficiency and Thermal Management

Despite its high port density and throughput, the switch is designed for energy efficiency. Advanced silicon design and optimized airflow reduce overall power consumption per gigabit. Front-to-rear airflow ensures compatibility with established data center cooling strategies.

Efficient power utilization contributes to lower operational expenditures (OpEx) and aligns with sustainability goals in modern data centers.

Enterprise Data Center Core

Enterprises with centralized data centers can deploy the 7260CX3-64-F as a high-performance core switch, aggregating multiple distribution layers and supporting thousands of endpoints.

Cloud Service Providers

Cloud operators benefit from the platform’s scalability, deep buffers, and VXLAN/EVPN support, enabling multi-tenant isolation and high-speed interconnects between compute clusters.

High-Performance Computing (HPC)

HPC clusters require consistent, low-latency communication between nodes. The switch’s high bandwidth and low latency make it suitable for distributed computing frameworks and AI model training environments.

Data Center Interconnect (DCI)

With 100GbE connectivity, the DCS-7260CX3-64-F can support high-speed links between geographically separated data centers, facilitating replication, backup, and disaster recovery operations.

Investment Protection and Future-Ready Networking

Deploying a 100GbE-ready switch ensures that organizations are prepared for increasing traffic demands driven by cloud-native applications, video streaming, big data analytics, and AI workloads. The flexibility to operate ports at multiple speeds extends the life of the platform and supports incremental upgrades.

The Arista DCS-7260CX3-64-F provides a robust foundation for modern data center architectures, delivering high density, scalability, programmability, and performance within a compact and efficient design. Its combination of advanced routing, deep buffering, and automation support makes it a powerful solution for enterprises and service providers seeking reliable, high-speed network infrastructure.