As AI-driven workloads demand faster, more reliable, and scalable infrastructure, networking solutions must evolve to meet these challenges. Cisco announced latest series of switches—Nexus 9364E-SG2, Cisco 8122-64-EH/EHF, and Cisco 8501—designed around the powerful Silicon One G200 chip, are leading the charge toward transforming data center operations for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications on OCP Summit. These switches are built to provide the throughput, low-latency communication, and programmability necessary to support the massive computational loads and complex architectures of AI ecosystems.

The Foundation: Cisco Silicon One G200

At the core of these new switches is Cisco’s Silicon One G200 chip, a revolutionary 51.2 Tbps processor that enables ultra-low latency and high-radix switching, providing a unified architecture for routing and switching. The G200 supports flexible configurations and scalability, allowing enterprises and hyperscalers to optimize AI workloads, reduce job completion times, and increase energy efficiency .

Cisco Silicon One G200 has introduced significant advancements for AI networking:

• High Bandwidth and Throughput: 51.2 Tbps of switching capacity enables handling vast data traffic, essential for AI training clusters.

• Programmability: G200’s flexibility to scale in both hardware and software configurations allows it to support next-gen networking needs, such as congestion management and load balancing, crucial for AI/ML workloads.

• Energy Efficiency: With improvements in power usage and fewer optical links required, this chip significantly lowers the energy footprint in AI-driven data centers .

_{Nexus 9364E-SG2}

The Cisco Nexus 9364E-SG2 switch exemplifies Cisco’s vision of the future of AI networking. Designed to offer high-density 800GE switching capabilities, it is tailored for data centers that support large-scale AI and ML applications.

Key features of the Nexus 9364E-SG2 include:

• 64 x 800GE Ports: Offering ultra-high port density, this switch is ideal for organizations deploying large AI/ML clusters that require high bandwidth for data flow between processing units.

• Flexible Speeds: In addition to 800GE, it supports configurations such as 128 x 400GE, 200GE, and 100GE, making it highly versatile and future-proof.

• OSFP and QSFP-DD: The switch supports both optical module formats, ensuring compatibility with current and future data center optical infrastructures .

9364e Datasheet

Paired with Cisco Nexus Dashboard, the switch also offers a seamless experience for managing AI data centers with automation and deep visibility into network operations. Advanced load-balancing capabilities and congestion management features, such as Priority Flow Control (PFC) and Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN), optimize performance under heavy AI workloads .

Cisco 8122-64-EH/EHF: Open-Source Flexibility with SONiC

The Cisco 8122-64-EH/EHF is designed specifically for open-source environments and offers deep integration with SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud), making it an ideal solution for enterprises looking for highly customizable and programmable networks.

• Open Networking with SONiC: The 8122-64-EH/EHF offers support for SONiC, providing enterprises with the flexibility to run open-source applications that can be tailored to their specific network environments. This makes it a powerful choice for organizations deploying AI/ML workloads but seeking a more open and extensible networking solution .

• AI-Ready Infrastructure: Just like the Nexus 9364E-SG2, this switch supports high-speed connectivity and is built with the Silicon One G200, providing the same high throughput and programmability necessary for handling large AI datasets.

By supporting a range of configurations and open-source software, the Cisco 8122-64-EH/EHF allows network architects to optimize their infrastructure for AI/ML while maintaining flexibility to adapt to future demands.

Cisco 8501: Hyperscaler Optimization with Meta

The Cisco 8501 switch represents a unique collaboration between Cisco and Meta, designed specifically for hyperscaler environments. Built for OCP (Open Compute Project) specifications, this switch is fine-tuned to meet the needs of some of the world’s largest data centers, such as those operated by Meta.

• Purpose-Built for Hyperscalers: The 8501 is a custom hardware solution optimized for Meta’s OCP designs, built to deliver massive throughput, ultra-low latency, and energy efficiency for hyperscale AI operations .

• Flexible Silicon One G200 Integration: Just like the other switches, the 8501 is powered by the Silicon One G200, providing the same level of high performance and scalability. It is tailored to offer high-density, high-performance switching while reducing the complexity and cost of scaling AI networks .

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