NVIDIA MSN3700-CS2RC | Spectrum-2 32-Port 100G Switch, 6.4Tb/s, C2P Airflow

Q: Can the MSN3700-CS2RC ports be split for higher port density?
A: Yes, all 32 QSFP28 ports are fully splittable. Each 100GbE port can be broken out to 4x25GbE or 2x50GbE, providing up to 128x 25GbE ports total when using breakout cables. This makes the switch extremely flexible for both spine and high-density leaf deployments.

Q: What is the difference between C2P and P2C airflow variants?
A: The MSN3700-CS2RC features C2P airflow, where cooling air flows from the connector side (front) to the power supply side (back). This is also called front-to-back airflow. Select the airflow direction that matches your data center hot aisle/cold aisle configuration to ensure proper cooling efficiency.

Q: Is this switch suitable for both spine and leaf deployments?
A: Yes, the MSN3700-CS2RC is designed for flexible deployment. It can serve as a 32-port 100GbE spine switch for maximum throughput, or as a high-density leaf switch delivering up to 128x 10/25GbE ports when using splitter cables. The flexible port speeds and 6.4Tb/s switching capacity support a variety of blocking ratios.

Q: What network operating systems are compatible with this switch?
A: This model comes pre-installed with Cumulus Linux, a full-featured Linux distribution designed for network switches. Cumulus Linux provides advanced automation, programmability, and open networking capabilities. The switch supports standard Layer 2 and Layer 3 protocols including VXLAN routing, network overlays, and segment routing.

Q: What are the key performance specifications of the Spectrum-2 ASIC?
A: The Spectrum-2 ASIC delivers 6.4Tb/s bidirectional switching capacity and processes 4.76 billion packets per second. It features 42MB of on-chip fully shared packet buffering for efficient traffic handling, supports 50G PAM4 SerDes technology, and delivers cut-through switching with only 425ns port-to-port latency, making it ideal for demanding data center and cloud applications.