Arista DCS-7280SR-48C6-M-F | 7280R 48-Port 10G Switch, 6x 100G QSFP28, Front-to-Rear

Q: What is the difference between the DCS-7280SR-48C6-M-F and the standard DCS-7280SR-48C6-F?
A: The -M suffix indicates expanded memory (32 GB system DRAM vs. standard 8 GB) and integrated SSD storage. This configuration is designed for large BGP routing tables, extensive ACL configurations, and advanced feature sets. The -F suffix denotes front-to-rear airflow.

Q: Can the 100GbE QSFP28 uplinks be broken out to lower speeds?
A: Yes, each 100GbE QSFP28 port supports breakout to 4x 25GbE or 4x 10GbE, enabling flexible connectivity for multi-speed environments and maximizing port density for lower-speed connections.

Q: What is the deep buffer VOQ architecture and why does it matter?
A: The 4 GB Virtual Output Queue (VOQ) architecture eliminates head-of-line blocking and provides substantial burst absorption capacity. This design handles TCP incast events, bursty traffic patterns, and transient congestion without triggering early packet drops, making it ideal for storage networks, big data applications, and oversubscribed topologies.

Q: Is this switch suitable for deployment as a universal leaf in a data center fabric?
A: Yes, the DCS-7280SR-48C6-M-F is designed for universal leaf and spine deployments, supporting full Layer 2/3 switch router capabilities including BGP, MPLS, Segment Routing, EVPN, VXLAN, and 128-way ECMP. The expanded memory supports large routing tables required for leaf routers in modern fabrics.

Q: What licensing is required for advanced features on this switch?
A: The 7280R Series requires Arista EOS feature licenses for advanced capabilities. Check with Arista or your reseller for specific licensing options such as LIC-FIX-2 for monitoring and provisioning or FLX licenses for full routing, EVPN, VXLAN, and advanced MPLS features.