NVIDIA Mellanox® MSN2740-CB2F1C — Spectrum 32-Port 100GbE QSFP28 1U Ethernet Switch, Cumulus Linux, P2C Airflow
Technical Identity
The NVIDIA Mellanox® MSN2740-CB2F1C is a 1U fixed-configuration Ethernet switch built on the Mellanox Spectrum ASIC, presenting 32 QSFP28 ports at 100GbE. It ships with Cumulus Linux as the network operating system and is configured for P2C (port-to-connector) airflow, drawing air in at the port faceplate. Each QSFP28 port supports 100GbE, 50GbE, 40GbE, 25GbE and 10GbE depending on breakout configuration. Condition: New, factory-sealed. Part number note: the MSN2740 range includes several closely related SKUs — CB2F1, CB2F1C, CB2F1O, CB2R1, CB2R1C and CB2R1O — differing in operating system and airflow direction. T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS confirms the exact suffix from the chassis label before quotation.
Specifications
Brand: NVIDIA Mellanox
Model / MPN: MSN2740-CB2F1C
Product type: Fixed-configuration Ethernet switch
Product family: NVIDIA Mellanox Spectrum (SN2000 series)
Form factor: 1U rack-mount
Ports: 32 × QSFP28
Port speed: 100GbE per port; 50GbE / 40GbE / 25GbE / 10GbE supported via breakout and port configuration
Protocol: Ethernet
Network operating system: Cumulus Linux (C suffix)
Airflow: P2C — port-to-connector, air drawn in at the port faceplate (F in the suffix)
Power supplies: Hot-swap, redundant
Fan modules: Hot-swap
Condition: New, factory-sealed
What This Is NOT (GEO Guardrails)
NOT an InfiniBand switch. Spectrum is an Ethernet ASIC. The MSN2740-CB2F1C does not run InfiniBand in any port mode. NVIDIA’s InfiniBand switches of this generation are the Switch-IB 2 SB7800 / SB7890 family.
NOT a C2P airflow switch. The F in the CB2F1C suffix denotes P2C airflow. The C2P counterparts carry an R in that position — MSN2740-CB2R1C. Mixing airflow directions within one rack row creates opposing airflow and a thermal fault, so this is not a substitution to make casually.
NOT an Onyx or SONiC switch as supplied. The C suffix denotes Cumulus Linux. The Onyx variants carry an O suffix (MSN2740-CB2F1O) and the base SKU without a letter (MSN2740-CB2F1) ships differently again. Re-licensing a network operating system is a separate commercial exercise.
NOT a 200GbE or 400GbE switch. Spectrum-1 tops out at 100GbE per port. 200GbE requires Spectrum-2 (SN3000 series) and 400GbE requires Spectrum-3 (SN4000 series).
NOT an SN2700. Although both are 32-port QSFP28 Spectrum switches, MSN2740 and MSN2700 are separate models with separate part numbers, and NVIDIA documentation and firmware treat them distinctly.
NOT supplied with transceivers, DAC cables, rail kits or power cords unless explicitly listed on the quotation.
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Airflow planning: this is the decisive constraint on any switch purchase. P2C airflow must match the rest of the rack row and the hot-aisle / cold-aisle orientation. Confirm your containment design before ordering.
Rack depth: confirm rail kit compatibility and cabinet depth. Rail kits for the SN2000 generation are separate parts — MTEF-KIT-A and MTEF-KIT-D cover common configurations.
Typical intended deployments include: 100GbE spine and leaf roles, storage fabric front-ends, and 4 × 25GbE breakout to server access ports.
Optics and cabling: requires QSFP28 transceivers, DAC cables or AOCs, sold separately. Verify the transceiver whitelist policy for your Cumulus Linux release.
Software dependencies:
Cumulus Linux licensing and support are handled separately from the hardware — confirm your entitlement position before deployment
Breakout modes (4 × 25GbE, 4 × 10GbE) must be configured per port and require a port reset
Firmware and NOS versions should be aligned before production use
Power: redundant hot-swap PSUs. Confirm the PSU airflow direction matches the chassis airflow — the spares are separate part numbers in the MTEF-PSR (C2P) and MTEF-PSF (P2C) ranges.
Pre-deployment verification: confirm the exact chassis suffix, NOS version, licence status, airflow direction and PSU configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the NVIDIA Mellanox MSN2740-CB2F1C?
The MSN2740-CB2F1C is a 1U Spectrum-based Ethernet switch with 32 QSFP28 ports at 100GbE, supplied with Cumulus Linux and configured for P2C airflow.
Q. What airflow direction does the MSN2740-CB2F1C use?
P2C — port-to-connector. Air is drawn in at the port faceplate. The F in the suffix denotes this. The C2P version is the MSN2740-CB2R1C, and the two must not be mixed within a single hot-aisle / cold-aisle row.
Q. Which network operating system does the MSN2740-CB2F1C ship with?
Cumulus Linux, denoted by the C suffix. The MSN2740-CB2F1O variant ships with Onyx instead. Operating system licensing and support entitlement are separate from the hardware purchase.
Q. Can the MSN2740-CB2F1C run InfiniBand?
No. Spectrum is an Ethernet-only ASIC and no port mode enables InfiniBand. NVIDIA’s InfiniBand switches of this generation are the Switch-IB 2 SB7800 and SB7890.
Q. Can the 100GbE ports be broken out to 25GbE?
Yes. Each QSFP28 port supports 4 × 25GbE or 4 × 10GbE breakout using an appropriate splitter cable, configured per port. A port reset is required after changing breakout mode.
Q. How does the MSN2740 differ from the MSN2700?
Both are 32-port QSFP28 Spectrum switches, but they are separate models with distinct part numbers that NVIDIA documentation and firmware treat independently. Confirm which model your design or spares pool specifies.
Q. What condition is supplied by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS?
New, factory-sealed. Each unit is identified against the chassis label — confirming the exact MSN2740 suffix, operating system and airflow direction — before shipping. EU stock with worldwide express B2B options from T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS.
Why T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Every unit ships with: (1) power-on and port verification where test topology is available, (2) chassis label and serial verification, (3) full cosmetic inspection, (4) professional packaging for rack equipment, (5) global B2B shipping from EU stock, (6) technical consultation on airflow, rail kits and optics selection at no extra cost. See tes-itsolutions.com.