Arista DCS-7280SR3AK-48YC8-FLX-R | 7280R3A 48-Port 50G Switch, 6x 200G QSFP, FLX

Q: What is the difference between the 7280SR3AK and standard 7280SR3K models?
A: The 7280R3A Series (SR3AK) features 48x 50GbE SFP ports versus 48x 25GbE on the standard SR3K, and supports 6x 200G QSFP uplinks with TunnelSec encryption on all ports. It delivers 3.6 Tbps throughput compared to 2 Tbps on the standard model, making it ideal for higher-bandwidth leaf/spine architectures.

Q: Does this model include the FLX license or is it sold separately?
A: The -FLX suffix indicates the FLX license is included with the switch. This provides full routing up to 2 million routes, >24K ACL support, EVPN, VXLAN, segment routing, and advanced MPLS-LER/LSR capabilities without requiring a separate license purchase.

Q: What deployment scenarios is the 7280SR3AK-48YC8 best suited for?
A: This model excels in high-density data center leaf/spine fabrics, internet peering, service provider edge deployments, and high-performance computing environments requiring 50G server connectivity with 200G spine uplinks. The expanded routing table makes it ideal for internet-scale routing applications.

Q: Can the QSFP ports operate at both 100G and 200G speeds?
A: Yes, the 8x QSFP28 ports can operate at 40G, 100G, or 200G speeds depending on optics and configuration. The platform supports flexible port modes including 4x10G, 4x25G, or 2x50G breakout configurations for maximum deployment flexibility.

Q: What is included with the TunnelSec encryption capability?
A: TunnelSec provides line-rate authenticated encryption using AES-256-GCM on all ports. It supports IEEE 802.1AE MACsec for Layer 2, IPsec (RFC 4303) for Layer 3, and VXLANsec for overlay networks, enabling secure data center interconnect and WAN encryption without performance impact.