Mellanox Spectrum SN2100 16-Port 100GbE QSFP28 1U Open Ethernet Switch

The Mellanox MSN2100-BB2R is a 16-port 100GbE QSFP28 1U Open Ethernet switch built on the Mellanox Spectrum ASIC. Designed for high-performance data center spine and leaf deployments, it delivers wire-rate L3 forwarding, deep buffer capability, and open networking support via Cumulus Linux, SONIC, and ONYX — enabling programmable, disaggregated network architectures for cloud, HPC, and enterprise environments.

Key Features

• 16x 100GbE QSFP28 ports in a compact 1U form factor
• Mellanox Spectrum ASIC — wire-rate L3 forwarding with deep buffer support
• Open networking: Cumulus Linux, SONiC, and Mellanox ONYX compatible
• Suitable for spine, leaf, and ToR roles in data center fabrics
• Low latency for AI/ML, HPC, and high-frequency trading workloads

Product Specifications

• Part Number: MSN2100-BB2R
• Manufacturer: Mellanox (NVIDIA)
• Ports: 16x 100GbE QSFP28
• Form Factor: 1U Rack-mountable
• ASIC: Mellanox Spectrum
• Switching Layer: Layer 3

Switch & Port Specifications

• QSFP28 Ports: 16x 100GbE
• Breakout: 4x25GbE or 4x10GbE per port (via breakout cables)
• Switching Capacity: 3.2 Tbps
• Forwarding Rate: Wire-rate L3
• Buffer: Deep shared buffer (Spectrum ASIC)
• Latency: Sub-microsecond cut-through

Network & Protocol Specifications

• Routing: BGP, OSPF, ECMP, VXLAN
• NOS Options: Cumulus Linux, SONiC, Mellanox ONYX
• Management: REST API, NETCONF, OpenConfig, gNMI
• VLAN: IEEE 802.1Q
• QoS: DSCP, 802.1p, ECN, PFC
• Multicast: PIM-SM, IGMP snooping

Use Cases

• Data center spine switch in leaf-spine fabrics with 100GbE server/storage connectivity
• AI/ML GPU cluster top-of-rack or spine switching with low latency
• Open networking deployments running Cumulus Linux or SONiC
• HPC cluster interconnect requiring deep buffer and wire-rate 100GbE

Compatibility

• Standard 100GBASE-SR4/LR4 QSFP28 transceivers and DAC/AOC cables
• Breakout to 4x25GbE or 4x10GbE with appropriate breakout cables
• Cumulus Linux, SONiC, and Mellanox ONYX NOS options
• NVIDIA Air and Mellanox Fabric Manager for fabric orchestration

Frequently Asked Questions

What operating systems run on the MSN2100-BB2R?

The MSN2100-BB2R supports Cumulus Linux, SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud), and Mellanox ONYX — providing full open networking flexibility for disaggregated network deployments.

What does BB2R mean in the part number?

BB2R indicates the base configuration with rear-to-front airflow — important for hot-aisle/cold-aisle data center cooling alignment.

Can QSFP28 ports be broken out to 25GbE?

Yes — each QSFP28 port supports 4x25GbE or 4x10GbE breakout via appropriate breakout cables, expanding effective port density to up to 64x25GbE.

The Mellanox MSN2100-BB2R delivers 16-port 100GbE QSFP28 open networking in 1U — a high-performance Spectrum-based switch for AI, HPC, and cloud data center spine-leaf deployments. Order today for fast shipping.