High-Density 10GbE Access with 100GbE Uplinks: Juniper QFX5110-48S-AFI The Juniper QFX5110-48S-AFI is a powerful 1U top-of-rack (ToR) and leaf switch designed for modern data center fabrics, cloud deployments, and high-performance enterprise environments. Equipped with 48 SFP 10GbE access ports and 4 QSFP28 uplinks for 40GbE or 100GbE, it delivers wire-speed forwarding, low latency, advanced automation, and full EVPN-VXLAN support. This AFI variant uses front-to-back airflow, aligning with standard hot-aisle/cold-aisle designs and ensuring compatibility with common server airflow patterns. The QFX5110-48S-AFI is ideal for high-density leaf deployments, and its Trident II ASIC provides predictable, high-performance switching for east–west traffic. At a Glance: QFX5110-48S-AFI Highlights 48 × SFP 10GbE ports for server, storage, or access connectivity 4 × QSFP28 uplinks supporting 40GbE or 100GbE Powered by Broadcom Trident II for predictable L2/L3 performance EVPN-VXLAN L2/L3 gateway for scalable, modern data center fabrics Full MPLS support for WAN and metro-edge convergence Low latency and deep buffers for mixed workload environments ZTP, Python, automation, telemetry for operational efficiency Front-to-back airflow (AFI) to match data center cooling standards Runs Junos OS for consistency across QFX, EX, and MX platforms Hardware Architecture & System Capabilities ASIC: Broadcom Trident II Ports: 48 × SFP (10GbE) 4 × QSFP28 (40/100GbE) Airflow Direction: AFI (front-to-back) Breakout Options: QSFP28 → 4×10GbE or 4×25GbE Form Factor: 1U fixed-configuration switch Ideal Roles: Leaf, ToR, EVPN gateway, campus distribution Port Architecture: 48 × 10GbE 4 × 40/100GbE The QFX5110-48S-AFI supports dense server connectivity while offering flexible high-speed uplinks. 48 SFP ports for 10GbE servers, storage, or downstream switches 4 QSFP28 uplinks for 40GbE or 100GbE to spines or aggregation tiers Breakout options for additional 10GbE or 25GbE fan-out Advanced Fabric & Routing Features EVPN-VXLAN L2/L3 gateway for multi-tenant and scalable leaf–spine designs MPLS & L3VPN for hybrid data center / metro architectures OSPF, IS-IS, BGP, ECMP for resilient Layer 3 underlay routing Low-latency switching with deep buffers for storage, VM, and DCI workloads Automation, Telemetry & Operations Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) for rapid deployment Junos automation Python scripting for programmable workflows Streaming telemetry for real-time visibility Integration with Juniper SDN and fabric controllers Deployment Scenarios Data Center Top-of-Rack (ToR) High-density 10GbE access with 100GbE uplinks to spines. Leaf Switch in Leaf–Spine Fabrics Ideal for EVPN-VXLAN-based multi-tenant fabrics. Enterprise and Campus Distribution 10GbE access with high-speed 100GbE uplinks into EVPN-based campus cores. Metro/MPLS Edge Suitable for converged metro/data center topologies with MPLS. Optics & Cable Compatibility 10GbE SFP : SR, LR, ER, ZR 100GbE QSFP28: SR4, LR4, ER4 DAC/AOC for short-reach low-latency links Related QFX5110 Switch Models QFX5110-48S-AFO – Same port layout as AFI with reverse airflow (AFO). QFX5110-32Q-AFI – High-density 40/100GbE variant for spine/aggregation with front-to-back airflow. QFX5110-32Q-AFO – Same QSFP / QSFP28 aggregation model with AFO airflow. Comparison: Juniper QFX5110-48S-AFI vs Arista DCS-7050SX2-72Q-F Both switches use the Broadcom Trident II ASIC, ensuring similar latency, buffer behavior, and forwarding performance. However, they target different roles in a leaf–spine design. Hardware & Port Density QFX5110-48S-AFI: 48 × 10GbE SFP 4 × 40/100GbE QSFP28 Arista 7050SX2-72Q-F: 72 × 40GbE QSFP ports (with breakout support) Deployment Focus Juniper QFX5110-48S-AFI: Optimized for 10GbE access/leaf with flexible 100GbE uplinks. Arista 7050SX2-72Q-F: Optimized for high-density 40GbE aggregation or spine layers. Fabric & Overlay Functions QFX5110: EVPN-VXLAN L2/L3 gateway MPLS carrier-grade routing. 7050SX2-72Q-F: VXLAN support via Arista EOS, no MPLS capabilities. Airflow Comparison QFX5110-48S-AFI: Front-to-back airflow 7050SX2-72Q-F: Front-to-back airflow This makes the two platforms safe to deploy together in mixed-vendor racks without airflow conflicts. Which Model Fits Your Use Case? Choose QFX5110-48S-AFI if you need dense 10GbE access with 100GbE uplinks and EVPN/MPLS integration. Choose 7050SX2-72Q-F if you need extremely high 40GbE density in aggregation/spine roles. Juniper QFX Resources & Technical Guides Juniper QFX5100 vs QFX5110 vs QFX5200 Comparison Guide Juniper QFX vs EX Series Switches Our engineering team can help you compare the QFX5110-48S-AFI with other QFX5110 variants and Arista DCS-7050SX2 models to design a scalable, efficient data center or enterprise fabric.
