Arista Routers: Hardware Platforms and Modular Line Cards

Arista Networks offers a range of high-performance modular hardware platforms designed for scalable, cloud-grade networking. These platforms support flexible line card configurations, industry-leading performance, and advanced features to meet the demands of data centers, enterprises, and service providers.

• 7500 Series (7500E, 7500R, 7500N, 7500R2, 7500R3):

  Available in chassis with 4, 8, or 12 line card slots, the 7500 Series delivers non-blocking throughput with high-density 10G to 400G Ethernet support. Featuring a universal fabric design with Virtual Output Queuing (VoQ), these platforms provide low latency and head-of-line blocking mitigation. Redundant and hot-swappable supervisor and fabric modules enable high availability and easy maintenance.

• 7800R3 Series:

  Designed for large-scale backbone core and spine deployments, the 7800R3 chassis scales up to 576 wire-speed 400G ports. It incorporates deep buffers for lossless switching and leverages the latest Jericho2C+ merchant silicon for enhanced programmability, encryption, and performance.

• 7280R3A Modular:

  This flexible 4RU system supports up to 36 x 400G or 144 x 100G ports, offering a choice among standard, encryption-enabled, and large-scale switch cards.

Key Hardware Features include:

• Distributed switching with advanced packet memory of up to 16GB per line card
• Lossless, fair traffic distribution across all ports
• Modular backplane and fabric for easy upgrades and redundancy
• Industry-leading route scale and large routing table support enabled by the FlexRoute engine

Arista routers are designed to deliver performance, scalability, and programmable networking with a range of advanced hardware features. These features are engineered to address the demands of modern data centers, service providers, and enterprise networks.

• FlexRoute™ Engine:

  Provides Internet-scale routing with support for millions of IPv4/IPv6 routes in hardware, delivering high route scale for demanding core and edge deployments[1][3].

• High-Performance Packet Processing:

  Arista platforms utilize the latest high-capacity merchant silicon (like Broadcom Jericho2C+), enabling wire-speed forwarding from 10G to 400G, deep packet buffers for burst absorption, and resilient system capacity with up to 14.4 Tbps per line card[5][6].

• Deep Buffer Architecture:

  Integrated ultra-deep packet memory—up to 16GB per line card—prevents packet loss during network congestion, ensuring smooth performance for bursty traffic patterns[6].

• Modular and Redundant Design:

  Support for hot-swappable power supplies, fans, supervisors, and line cards enables in-service maintenance and zero-downtime upgrades, with grid and component redundancy across platforms[6].

• Comprehensive Encryption:

  Wire-speed MACsec, IPsec, and VXLANsec encryption support, with integrated hardware acceleration, protects data traffic without compromising throughput[5][6].

• Virtual Output Queuing (VoQ):

  Minimizes head-of-line blocking and improves fairness across ports, ensuring consistent low latency and high throughput[6].

• Algorithmic ACLs and Advanced Telemetry:

  Support for large-scale access control lists (ACLs) and hardware-accelerated flow telemetry provides granular policy enforcement and detailed network visibility[6][8].

• Programmable and Open Platform:

  Arista's EOS (Extensible Operating System) offers a fully programmable Linux-based architecture, modular state sharing, and a suite of APIs (JSON-RPC, NETCONF) for automation, monitoring, and integration with cloud workflows[6][4].

Arista’s modular router platforms enable flexible expansion through a wide selection of high-performance line cards. These line cards deliver industry-leading port density, speed, and advanced features to support evolving data center and backbone network needs.

• 7500 Series (E, R, R2, R3):

  Supports a broad portfolio of line cards with various interface types and speeds, including SFP+, QSFP+, QSFP28 (10/25/40/50/100G), and OSFP (400G). These line cards offer non-blocking throughput, deep packet buffers (up to 24GB per card in latest models), and flexible breakout support for granular port configurations. Options include wire-speed MACsec encryption and DWDM optical transport for long-haul data center interconnect.

  Model	Port Types / Density	Key Features
  DCS-7500E-48S-LC	48 x SFP+ (1/10G)	Flexible mix of 1G/10G, hot swappable, wire-speed L2/L3 forwarding
  DCS-7500E-72S-LC	48 x SFP+ + 2 x 100G MXP (up to 72x10G)	Integrated 100G MXP, versatile port configuration
  DCS-7500E-12CM-LC	12 x 100G MXP	High-density 100G or breakout for 40/10G, integrated optics
  DCS-7500R3-36CQ-LC	36 x QSFP100 (100G/40G/4x25G/2x50G)	Broad speed support, independent breakout per port, MACsec
  DCS-7500R3-24P-LC	24 x OSFP (400G)	Breakout to 4x100G per port for ultimate high-density scaling
  100G DWDM Line Card (7500E series)	6 x 100G Analog Coherent CFP2	Tunable DWDM optics for metro/long-haul, wire-speed MACsec

• 7800R3 Series:

  Designed for cloud-scale and core deployments, 7800R3 line cards enable massive scalability, supporting up to 48 x 100G QSFP or 36 x 400G OSFP ports per card. These modules feature deep buffers (up to 24GB), algorithmic ACLs, advanced telemetry, and accelerated sFlow for real-time network visibility.

  Model	Port Types / Density	Key Features
  DCS-7800R3-48CQ	48 x QSFP100 (100/40/4x25/2x50G)	High flexibility, large-scale breakout, extensive buffer
  DCS-7800R3-36P-LC	36 x OSFP (400G)	Supports 4x100G breakout, deep buffer, low latency
  DCS-7800R3-48CQM	48 x QSFP100, MACsec support	Hardware encryption options for secure transport

• 7280R3A Modular:

  This 4RU platform provides up to 36 x 400G or 144 x 100G ports through modular switch cards, with standard, encryption-focused, and large-scale (high-table) options. All modules are field replaceable and interoperable, ensuring simplified maintenance and scalability for evolving deployments.

Shared Capabilities Across Modular Line Cards:

• All models offer independent port speed and breakout settings per port, supporting multi-generational optic modules (SFP+, QSFP+, QSFP28, OSFP, CFP2, MXP).
• Extensive programmable telemetry, flexible ACLs, and hardware-accelerated encryption (MACsec, IPSec) for robust security and visibility.
• Consistent operation and management through Arista EOS across all line cards and hardware variants.

Arista routers deliver enterprise-class routing and programmability, enhanced security features, and seamless integration for multi-cloud and modern data center environments. Below are the foundational capabilities that set Arista’s modular platforms apart:

• Scalable Cloud-Grade Routing:

  Arista’s hardware and software platforms support millions of IPv4/IPv6 routes in hardware through the FlexRoute™ engine, enabling high-scale routing for edge, core, and WAN deployments. Route convergence and headroom ensure future-proof operation as route tables continue to grow[1][6].

• High-Density, Multi-Speed Connectivity:

  Platforms offer up to 576 x 400G ports per chassis, with support for multiple interface types (1/10/25/40/50/100/400G). This supports massive east-west and north-south traffic patterns required by large enterprises and service providers[1][5].

• Deep Packet Buffers & Low Latency:

  Integrated deep buffers (up to 24GB per line card) prevent congestion, maintain performance during traffic bursts, and support lossless fabric for mission-critical applications[1].

• Integrated Security & Encryption:

  Wire-speed MACsec, IPsec, and VXLANsec encryption are available on hardware-accelerated platforms, providing secure transmission for all traffic types across public and private networks, with no loss in throughput[1][2].

• Adaptive SD-WAN and Application-Aware Routing:

  Intelligent path selection, dynamic path steering, and application-aware routing are empowered by Arista’s CloudVision Pathfinder and adaptive WAN fabric, ensuring optimized, resilient service delivery across hybrid and multi-cloud environments[2][7].

• Programmability, Automation & Telemetry:

  Built on Arista EOS, all routers and switches offer programmable APIs, automated NetDevOps workflows, granular telemetry (real-time sFlow, Inband Network Telemetry), and a single operational model from data center to edge[1][4].

• Consistent Software Across Hardware and Cloud:

  Arista’s EOS runs natively on all physical, virtual, and cloud platforms, ensuring operational consistency and easy integration across all deployment types[1][2].

• Multi-Generational Compatibility & Investment Protection:

  Arista enables seamless upgrades and coexistence of older and next-generation modules, safeguarding IT investment as infrastructure evolves[5].

• Reliability & High Availability:

  Redundant, hot-swappable components (power supplies, fans, supervisors, line cards) and N+1 resilience ensure consistent uptime for critical applications[2][8].

The Arista 7500R Series offers a range of modular line cards that deliver flexible, high-density, and multi-speed connectivity for data centers and cloud networks. The following reference table summarizes key models and their core attributes:

• All models support industry-standard pluggable optics and allow independent port speed/breakout settings.
• AlgoMatch-enabled cards provide enhanced access control, telemetry, and efficient policy enforcement.
• Buffer values and maximum rates ensure optimal performance in bursty and cloud-scale traffic environments.
• Refer to official Arista datasheets for current firmware compatibility and detailed feature specifics.