Arista DCS-7308X3-FM-F | 7300X3 Fabric Module for 7308 Chassis, Front-to-Rear Airflow

Q: What is the purpose of the DCS-7308X3-FM-F fabric module?
A: This fabric module provides essential switching fabric connectivity for the DCS-7308 modular chassis. It includes integrated fans for active cooling and is required in slots 1-4 to enable full fabric redundancy and bandwidth capacity for installed line cards.

Q: Can I mix airflow directions in the same chassis?
A: No. All modules in the chassis must have matching airflow direction. The DCS-7308X3-FM-F has front-to-rear airflow (blue handle), and all other installed modules including power supplies, supervisors, and line cards must also be front-to-rear variants to ensure proper cooling.

Q: How many fabric modules does a DCS-7308 chassis require?
A: The DCS-7308 chassis requires four fabric modules for full redundancy and bandwidth. These modules install in slots 1-4 on the rear panel of the chassis and work together to provide distributed switching fabric capacity.

Q: Is this module hot-swappable?
A: Yes, the DCS-7308X3-FM-F is designed for hot-swap capability, allowing field replacement without powering down the chassis. However, it is recommended to install all four fabric modules during initial deployment for optimal redundancy and performance.

Q: What's the difference between 7300X and 7300X3 fabric modules?
A: The 7300X3 fabric modules are newer generation components designed to support higher bandwidth line cards in the 7300X3 series, including 100G and 400G options. They offer improved fabric capacity compared to the original 7300X fabric modules while maintaining backward compatibility with the same chassis platforms.