What Arista Networks does

Arista Networks is a publicly traded (NYSE: ANET) provider of data center, cloud, and AI networking infrastructure headquartered in Santa Clara, California, founded in 2004. The company's product portfolio centers on the Arista Extensible Operating System (EOS), a Linux-based programmable network operating system that runs across its switching, routing, and wireless platforms, paired with the CloudVision management and automation platform. Arista's switch portfolio spans the 7060X, 7280R, 7700R, and 7800R series, with the newest 7060XE7 platform delivering 1.6 Tbps per port and 100 Tbps per system for AI fabric workloads; the company has also introduced the XPO liquid-cooled pluggable optics specification to reduce AI data center rack footprints. AI operations are layered on through AVA (multi-domain agentic AIOps) and EOS NetDL (a telemetry data lake that feeds ML-driven NetOps and SecOps), and the company offers adjacent products including VeloCloud SD-WAN, DANZ monitoring fabric, Arista NDR, and Wi-Fi 7 campus access points.

Arista sells predominantly through a direct enterprise field-sales motion targeting hyperscale cloud providers, large enterprises, service providers, and electronic-trading firms, supplemented by channel partners and system integrators such as Red Hat, VMware, and Equinix. Revenue is driven primarily by hardware sales of high-performance Ethernet switches, with software subscriptions (CloudVision, EOS support) and professional services providing recurring and complementary streams. Q1 2026 revenue of $2.71B (+35.1% YoY) and raised FY2026 guidance of approximately $11.5B (~27.7% growth) reflect accelerating demand from AI infrastructure buildouts at hyperscalers including Microsoft, Meta, Google, and Oracle, with AI gear sales targeted at $3.5B for 2026. The company is led by CEO Jayshree Ullal (since 2008) and CTO Kenneth Duda, and reported a fortress balance sheet with over $12B in net cash and gross margins of 62.4% in Q1 2026.

Name

Arista Networks

Legal name

Arista Networks, Inc.

Website

https://arista.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Arista Networks designs and sells Ethernet switches, routers, and AI networking platforms built on its EOS operating system, serving hyperscale cloud providers (Microsoft, Meta, Google, Oracle), enterprises, and service providers with high-performance data center fabrics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Data Center and AI Networking Hardware

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Computer Communications Equipment (3576)

akta.pro primary industry

Data Center Ethernet Switching (ToR/Leaf-Spine) (HDABAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cloud-Scale / Hyperscale Ethernet Switching (HDAFAAAF), Fabric & High-Performance Networking (InfiniBand/RoCE) (HDABAFAL)

Keywords

• Data center networking
• Cloud networking
• AI networking
• Network automation software
• Ethernet switching platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Clara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Sale of high-performance networking switches and routers including the 7060XE7, 7800R4, 7700R4, 7280R series platforms. Hardware represents the majority of revenue, driven by AI data center demand from hyperscalers.
2. Software and Subscription Services: CloudVision subscription services, EOS software maintenance and support, and network automation software. Includes software-defined networking capabilities and AIOps features.
3. Professional Services: Deployment, training, and consulting services for network design and implementation, particularly around AI networking and data center transformations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Arista Networks designs, manufactures, and sells high-performance Ethernet switches, routers, and pluggable optics for data center, cloud, and AI networking environments, along with the Arista EOS network operating system and the CloudVision automation/observability platform. Its portfolio spans 1G to 1.6T platforms (7060XE7, 7800R4, 7700R4, 7280R, 7060X6, 7130), SD-WAN via VeloCloud, Wi-Fi access points, and AI-native features marketed as Etherlink.

Product overview

Arista Networks is a leading provider of cloud networking solutions built around its core Arista Extensible Operating System (EOS). The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of network platforms spanning data center switches (7800R4, 7700R4, 7280R, 7060X, 7050X series), AI networking solutions (7060XE7 Series, Etherlink portfolio), routing platforms, wireless solutions (Wi-Fi 7, Cognitive Wi-Fi), SD-WAN (VeloCloud), and security/observability products (DANZ, NDR). These platforms are powered by EOS and managed through CloudVision, which provides AIOps capabilities including AVA (Autonomous Virtual Assist) for autonomous network operations. The company also offers specialized solutions for electronic trading (7130 Series with FPGA) and enterprise campus networking. The architecture follows a platform-plus-modules approach where EOS serves as the unified operating system foundation enabling interoperability across all switching, routing, wireless, and security products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arista Etherlink: Ultra-high performance standards-based Ethernet systems with smart features for AI networking, including multipath reliable connection, congestion signaling, and RoCE support.
• Arista EOS
• CloudVision
• Arista AVA
• NetDL
• VeloCloud

Products and services

• Arista Extensible Operating System (EOS) Linux-based, programmable network operating system providing switching, routing, state-streaming, and telemetry functions across all Arista platforms. Sold to enterprises, hyperscalers, service providers, and government buyers as the unifying software foundation.
• CloudVision Turnkey network operation, automation, and visibility platform providing centralized management, AIOps, and integration with EOS across data center, campus, and cloud networks. Subscription-based software offering.
• 7060XE7 Series Next-generation 1.6T Ethernet switching platform delivering up to 100 Tbps capacity and 1.6 Tbps per port for AI fabric and hyperscale data center deployments. Targets Meta, Microsoft, Oracle, and other hyperscale operators.
• 7800R4 Series High-performance 800G AI spine platform delivering up to 460 Tbps throughput with 576 ports of 800G or 1152 ports of 400G for large-scale AI cluster and hyperscale backbones.
• 7700R4 Series Distributed Etherlink Switch (DES) providing a distributed approach to AI backend networks supporting over 30,000 400GbE accelerators in a single-hop system architecture for hyperscale AI clusters.
• 7060X6 Series 800G-optimized fixed switches for AI workloads and hyperscale cloud environments with up to 51.2 Tbps capacity in 1U, 2U, and 4U form factors. Targets AI training/inference and hyperscale cloud leaf/spine.
• 7280R Series Dynamic Deep Buffer switches supporting 25/50/100/400G connectivity for next-generation cloud, content delivery, service provider, and IP storage networks. Sold to cloud, telco, and content delivery operators.
• 7130 Series FPGA-enabled switches optimized for ultra-low latency electronic trading environments with L1 crosspoint chips and P4 programmable switching for custom packet handling. Sold to exchanges, market makers, and capital markets firms.
• VeloCloud SD-WAN Software-defined WAN solution for enterprise branch connectivity providing dynamic path selection, application-aware routing, and integrated security for multi-cloud operations.
• Wi-Fi 7 Series Enterprise wireless access points supporting the Wi-Fi 7 standard for high-density enterprise and campus environments, sold as part of the Cognitive Campus portfolio.
• Cognitive Wi-Fi Cloud-managed wireless solution with distributed control plane enabling seamless scaling, high availability, and simplified enterprise Wi-Fi operations across campus environments.
• DANZ Monitoring Fabric Controller-driven visibility fabric delivering multi-tenant monitoring for pervasive, context-driven network observability across data center and campus networks.
• Arista NDR AI-driven network detection and response solution for security monitoring across campus, data center, IoT, and cloud environments.
• CloudVision Universal Network Observability (CV UNO) Network observability platform providing comprehensive visibility and analytics across multi-domain network infrastructure with AI-driven insights, sold as part of the CloudVision subscription.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% reduction in interconnect power consumption with Linear Pluggable Optics
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• AMDcoreTechnology or Integration · 9 June 2026Arista partnered with AMD on next-generation compute silicon and network interface cards for scale-out AI fabrics. AMD collaboration enables scalable AI cluster deployments with Arista's 7060XE7 series platforms.
• BroadcomcoreTechnology or Integration · 9 June 2026Arista 7060XE7 series powered by Broadcom's Tomahawk 6 switching silicon. Strategic silicon partnership for 1.6T networking platforms. Broadcom also acquired Arista's VeloCloud SD-WAN platform.
• MetacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Meta is deploying Arista 7060XE7 series for AI training and inference workloads. Collaboration on AI networking fabric architectures for large-scale accelerated computing clusters.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Microsoft Azure ecosystem validation partner for 7060XE7 series. Microsoft backed Arista's XPO optical specification as a way to support a broader optical ecosystem for AI data centers.
• Oracle Cloud InfrastructurecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Oracle deploying Arista 7060XE7 series for AI workloads, collaborating on scale-out AI fabric architectures.
• Expanded Beam Optics MSA Coalition (3M, AMD, Cisco, Meta, Oracle, and others)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Arista joined 18 leading technology companies in the Expanded Beam Optics Multi-Source Agreement (EBO MSA) coalition to establish open, interoperable standards for expanded beam optical connectivity in AI data center infrastructure.
• Broadcom (VMware Partnership)strategicTechnology or Integration · 5 May 2026Arista Networks integrated with Broadcom's VMware Cloud Foundation 9.1 for standards-based networking in enterprise AI infrastructure deployments.
• EquinixstrategicTechnology or IntegrationEquinix partnership enables Arista's vision for data-driven networking at scale across Platform Equinix's 230+ data centers serving 10,000+ customers globally.
• Microsoft (Security)strategicTechnology or IntegrationPartnership on networking and cybersecurity innovations enabling Microsoft to provide new services and capabilities to customers. Collaboration on security, compliance, and identity.
• Palo Alto NetworksstrategicTechnology or IntegrationLong-standing technical collaboration including joint integrations in public clouds, secure edge routing architectures, firewall acceleration, and interoperable segmentation models. Integration with EOS NetDL for threat vector visualization.
• Red HatstrategicTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration on Arista Validated Designs (AVD) - fully tested, templatized and automated data center deployment integrating Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform with Arista CloudVision and EOS.
• VMwarestrategicTechnology or IntegrationDecade-long partnership delivering innovations for software-defined data center and multi-cloud environments. Integration with VMware NSX for network virtualization and security.
• Tech Force (Federal Hiring Program)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerArista joined the Office of Personnel Management's Tech Force federal hiring program alongside Cisco, Scale AI, Wiz, and others. Program aims to hire ~1,000 early career workers for federal technology workforce needs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cisco Systems: Cisco is Arista's largest direct competitor in Ethernet data center switching and enterprise campus networking. Both compete for hyperscale cloud and large enterprise deployments with overlapping Nexus, Catalyst, and Silicon One platforms targeting AI and traditional data center workloads.
• Extreme Networks: Extreme Networks competes with Arista's enterprise campus and data center switching portfolio through its Universal Switches and Fabric Connect solutions, primarily targeting mid-market and enterprise customers with cloud-managed networking.
• Juniper Networks: Juniper's QFX and PTX data center switches directly compete with Arista's R-series and X-series platforms in cloud and enterprise deployments. Now part of HPE, Juniper's Mist AI and Apstra data center fabrics overlap substantially with Arista's CloudVision and AVA offerings.
• Nvidia (Mellanox / Spectrum-X / InfiniBand): Nvidia competes directly with Arista in AI networking through Spectrum-X Ethernet and InfiniBand products bundled with its GPU systems. Both target hyperscale AI training and inference fabrics, with Nvidia pushing a vertically integrated stack versus Arista's open Ethernet approach.
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise (Juniper Networks): HPE completed its acquisition of Juniper Networks, combining HPE Aruba with Juniper's Mist AI and data center switching portfolios. Together they form a direct competitor to Arista across data center, campus, and AI networking with comparable Ethernet platforms.

Emerging players

• Nokia (Data Center Networking): Nokia's SR Linux and data center switching portfolio targets hyperscale and webscale operators with an open, SONiC-friendly alternative. Nokia is a meaningful emerging player in AI fabric networking seeking to dislodge incumbent Arista-Cisco positions at large cloud providers.

Regional players

• Ubiquiti Inc. Ubiquiti focuses on SMB and prosumer networking and overlaps with Arista's cognitive campus and Wi-Fi portfolio only at the very small enterprise edge. Different customer segment but adjacent networking product overlap.

Others

• Broadcom: Broadcom is Arista's primary switching silicon supplier (Tomahawk series powering Arista's flagship platforms) and also a competitor through its own networking and storage offerings. The relationship is dual — strategic supplier and adjacent market participant.

Broad incumbents

• Huawei: Huawei's CloudEngine data center switches compete with Arista, particularly in Asia-Pacific and emerging markets, and increasingly in AI cluster deployments. Geopolitical restrictions limit overlap in the US hyperscale market, but Huawei is a global scale competitor in Ethernet switching.
• Dell Technologies (PowerSwitch / SONiC): Dell's PowerSwitch portfolio and SONiC-based networking solutions compete with Arista in hyperscale and enterprise data centers. Dell bundles networking with its server and storage platforms, making it a comparable incumbent particularly for integrated AI factory deployments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AristaNetworks
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AristaNetworks
• Facebookfacebook.com/AristaNW
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arista-networks-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A6 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arista Networks