Arista DCS-7130-96LBAS-R | 7130LS 96-Port SFP+ Layer 1+ FPGA Switch, 5ns, 2RU

Q: What is Layer 1+ switching and how does it differ from a standard Layer 2/3 switch?
A: Layer 1+ switching combines physical-layer (Layer 1) ultra-low latency forwarding with FPGA-based programmability. Unlike traditional Layer 2/3 switches that process packets through software-defined pipelines, the 7130LS achieves 5-nanosecond port-to-port latency by forwarding traffic through FPGA logic rather than a CPU-driven forwarding engine. This makes it ideal for latency-sensitive applications such as high-frequency trading and financial market data distribution.

Q: What Arista network applications are supported on the DCS-7130-96LBAS-R?
A: The DCS-7130-96LBAS-R supports a range of Arista-developed network applications including MetaMux (market data multiplexing), MetaWatch (timestamping and monitoring), SwitchApp (Layer 1+ switching logic), MetaProtect (network protection), ExchangeApp (exchange connectivity), and MultiAccess (multi-source access management). Third-party FPGA applications can also be deployed using the Arista FDK.

Q: Can I develop custom FPGA applications on this platform?
A: Yes. The platform provides unrestricted access to the Xilinx Virtex UltraScale+ VU9P-3 FPGA via the Arista FPGA Development Kit (FDK), which uses the same APIs as Arista's internal engineering team. The Xilinx Vitis high-level development platform is also supported, enabling developers to write custom packet processing and application logic without low-level HDL expertise.

Q: What is the Atomic Clock used for on the 7130LS?
A: The integrated Atomic Clock provides sub-nanosecond precise timestamping synchronised via GPS/PPS signals. This is critical for regulatory compliance in financial trading environments (such as MiFID II and CAT reporting) where accurate trade timestamping at nanosecond granularity is required, as well as for precise network event correlation and latency measurement.

Q: What airflow direction does the DCS-7130-96LBAS-R use and why does it matter?
A: This model uses rear-to-front airflow (port-side exhaust), meaning cool air enters from the rear of the chassis and exits through the port side at the front. This configuration is designed for hot-aisle/cold-aisle data centre deployments where the port side of equipment faces the cold aisle, ensuring efficient thermal management in high-density co-location environments.

Q: Can I purchase the Arista DCS-7130-96LBAS-R in Australia from IP Trading?
A: Yes. IP Trading (iptrading.com.au) is an Australian-owned and operated B2B IT hardware reseller with over two decades of experience supplying enterprise networking equipment. You can order the DCS-7130-96LBAS-R directly through our website or contact our sales team for pricing, lead times, and configuration advice tailored to your deployment requirements.