Arista DCS-7280CR3AK-24D12-FLX-F | 7280R3A 24-Port 100G + 12-Port 400G Switch, 9.6 Tbps

Q: What is the difference between the DCS-7280CR3AK-24D12-FLX-F and the standard DCS-7280CR3AK-24D12-F model?
A: The FLX-F variant includes the advanced FlexRoute license enabling full routing capabilities up to 2 million routes, over 24K ACL entries, and advanced MPLS LER/LSR functionality. The standard model supports base routing up to 256K routes. Both include enhanced MACsec and TunnelSec encryption.

Q: Can this switch be used in spine-leaf data center architectures?
A: Yes, the 7280R3A series is purpose-built for modern data center spine-leaf and leaf-spine topologies. It delivers non-blocking performance with deep packet buffers, making it ideal for high-throughput, low-latency applications including AI/ML workloads, high-performance storage, and content delivery networks.

Q: What encryption capabilities does the TunnelSec feature provide?
A: TunnelSec provides line-rate AES-256-GCM encryption at layer 2 (MACsec), layer 3 (IPsec), and overlay networks (VXLANsec). This enables secure connectivity within data centers and across WAN/DCI links without additional encryption appliances, supporting encrypted tunnels that traverse multiple unencrypted hops.

Q: Is the 7280R3A compatible with multi-vendor environments?
A: Yes, the switch supports open standards including IEEE 802.1AE MACsec, IETF VXLAN, BGP EVPN, MPLS, and Segment Routing. It interoperates with industry-standard optics, cables (QSFP28, QSFP-DD), and integrates with multi-vendor network management platforms via SNMP, REST APIs, and streaming telemetry.

Q: What advanced monitoring features are included?
A: The switch includes accelerated sFlow sampling at full wire-speed (1:500 ratio), Inband Network Telemetry (INT) for per-flow latency and congestion monitoring, DANZ for traffic mirroring, and IPFIX support. These provide deep visibility for capacity planning, security analysis, and application performance optimization.