Arista DCS-7280QRA-C36S-R | 7280R 36-Port 40G Switch, 12x 100G QSFP28, 3.84Tbps

Q: What port configurations does the DCS-7280QRA-C36S-R support?
A: The switch offers flexible configurations: 36x 40GbE QSFP+ with 12x 100GbE QSFP28 uplinks, or breakout options including 144x 10GbE, 48x 25GbE, 24x 50GbE, or mixed combinations. This flexibility supports diverse server and spine connectivity requirements in modern data centers.

Q: What is AlgoMatch and how does it benefit this switch?
A: AlgoMatch is Arista's hardware-accelerated regex processing engine that performs complex pattern matching at 40/100GbE line rate without CPU overhead. It enhances security ACLs, deep packet inspection, telemetry, and real-time threat detection, ideal for high-speed monitoring and compliance applications.

Q: Is this switch suitable for leaf-spine data center architectures?
A: Yes, the DCS-7280QRA-C36S-R is optimized for leaf-spine topologies with its high-density 40/100GbE ports, non-blocking 3.84 Tbps fabric, and ultra-low 3.8 microsecond latency. It supports VXLAN, BGP EVPN, and cloud-scale routing, making it ideal for east-west traffic in modern data centers.

Q: What routing capabilities does this switch provide?
A: The switch runs Arista EOS with FlexRoute, supporting up to 2 million IPv4 routes for internet-scale deployments. It includes full Layer 3 features such as BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, VXLAN routing, and EVPN, enabling use as a high-performance leaf or spine switch router.

Q: What airflow direction is the R-suffix model, and why does it matter?
A: The DCS-7280QRA-C36S-R features rear-to-front (back-to-front) airflow, drawing cool air from the front and exhausting hot air out the rear. This design is standard for hot-aisle containment in data centers and ensures efficient thermal management in high-density rack environments.