Arista 7060CX-32S VS.7260CX3-64 - Finding The Right Switch For You

Finding the Right Arista Switch For You: 7060CX-32S VS.7260CX3-64

Last year, we mentioned some recent strides Arista has made to close the gap with long-time routing juggernauts, Cisco and Juniper.

And while the company has continued to sport more and more blue chips in the networking department, we’d be lying if we told you their arena isn’t still the data center – or that having that reputation in a year like 2020 is a bad thing.

With the global COVID-19 pandemic leaving many IT professionals with a plethora of question marks, one constant has been – and will continue to be – the need for reliable and upgradable network switches to handle the influx of data right now, and in the years ahead.

Today, we’ll take a closer look at two high-performance switches from Arista we believe can both meet that impending demand: the 7060CX-32S and the 7260CX3-64.

Built around the cloud-based and seamlessly upgradable Extensible Operating System (EOS), the two low-latency switches -- part of the popular and powerful 7060X series -- provide the data investment protection and bandwidth you’d expect from the top-tier brands as well as a nice boost in port speeds from Arista’s 7050X predecessors.

The 7060CX-32 and the 7260CX3-64 are compact, flexible, and have enough features to quarterback just about any traditional or virtualized data center lineup an IT professional could imagine. But as you’ll see below, they are undoubtedly different players -- designed to be used in different networking situations.

7260CX3-64: The big data MVP

As aforementioned, the 7060X series switches are all heavy hitters in their own rights. But if you’re operating an IP or financial data center type network, you’ll more than appreciate the 3-layer support and arsenal of 64 100-gigabit ports inside the 7260CX3-64’s two rack units. The premier model in the series, which was upgraded in 2017 to reduce power usage and increase latency, also transfers up to 12.8 Tbps of data through its silicon veins, and is backed up with an impressive 42 MB of system buffer memory. Simply put: The 7260CX3-64 is your data center Joe Montana -- delivering top-level performance in high-pressure environments. And who wouldn’t want an MVP handling your intricate network?

7060CX-32: Sleek, affordable, and the perfect choice for most

While the 7060CX-32 may not be the biggest and baddest data cruncher in the series, there’s something to be said about a switch that more than “fits” the bill for the majority of data center networks. With just one space saving rack unit, the model has many of the same features as the 7260 -- including advanced traffic monitoring, awesome scalability, and the exact same latency  -- but requires far less power and is easier on the wallet. And let’s not leave out the unit’s sheer 100 GbE power; which with 32 ports gives you a lot of room to grow your high-speed data center. The 7060XC-32 is, and will continue to be, a staple crop in the secondary networking data center market for years to come.

Our Verdict: There’s no better time for a ‘switch’

Regardless of the size of your data center, faster and more simplified network switches will continue to be a hot commodity as more businesses feel the data demand of the post-pandemic, digital-first world. With that said, don’t wait to pull the trigger and be forced to purchase a top-shelf router at a top-shelf price.

Terabit Systems has you covered

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your current switches or just planning ahead for the next wave of the data evolution, Terabit Systems can help you decide on the right product for your needs.

We currently have both 7060CX-32 and 7260CX3-64 units (and their components) in stock and ready to ship today.

Who are we? Terabit Systems specializes in providing quality refurbished networking equipment-- as well as industry leading customer service -- to clients worldwide. Check out our selection of Arista products and so much more. Email us or call +1 (415) 230-4353 to speak to a Terabit representative for a quote today.