Arista Networks

Corporate brand

A networking technology company supplying programmable Ethernet, routing, cloud, AI, campus, security, observability, and software-defined networking solutions.

Last updated August 21, 2026

AI crawler reads

No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.

Overview

Arista Networks is a United States-based networking technology company focused on client-to-cloud connectivity for data centers, artificial-intelligence infrastructure, enterprise campuses, routing environments, and service-provider networks. The company designs and sells high-performance Ethernet switches, routers, network operating systems, management software, wireless products, security and observability tools, and software-defined wide-area networking capabilities. Its principal software platform is Arista EOS, an extensible network operating system designed to run across much of the company’s hardware portfolio and in virtualized or containerized forms. The company’s origins trace to Arastra, a networking venture established in 2004. Arista Networks was incorporated in 2008 and developed a market position around programmable, cloud-scale switching rather than traditional proprietary network architectures. Its products have been particularly associated with hyperscale data centers, cloud-service providers, financial-trading networks, high-performance computing, and large enterprise environments. The company’s architecture emphasizes automation, open interfaces, streaming telemetry, modular software processes, and operational consistency across physical and virtual infrastructure. Arista became a public company in June 2014, listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ANET. It later entered the S&P 500 in 2018. Its growth has been supported by the expansion of cloud computing, large-scale data-center construction, high-bandwidth Ethernet, artificial-intelligence clusters, and the shift toward software-managed network operations. Arista has also broadened beyond data-center switching through acquisitions and product development in wireless networking, network detection and response, observability, campus networking, and SD-WAN. EOS is central to the brand’s positioning. It uses a Linux-based architecture and separates system state from individual operating processes through Arista’s state-management design. This is intended to improve fault isolation, restart behavior, programmability, telemetry, and upgrade flexibility. The platform supports tools such as eAPI, the EOS Software Development Kit, OpenConfig-related workflows, and gRPC-based telemetry. CloudVision extends the operating model across networks by providing centralized provisioning, configuration control, analytics, compliance functions, automation, and troubleshooting. Arista’s hardware portfolio spans fixed and modular systems for leaf-and-spine data-center fabrics, universal routing, deep-buffer applications, high-density 400G and 800G Ethernet, AI clusters, campus access and aggregation, and specialized low-latency workloads. The 7130 family, for example, addresses programmable and extremely latency-sensitive environments such as financial markets, while the 7000-, 7200-, 7300-, 7500-, 7700-, and 7800-series families target different combinations of data-center, routing, cloud, and AI requirements. The company also markets Cognitive Campus products, cloud-managed wireless access points, security analytics, and network-wide observability. Arista’s public profile has been shaped by its technical leadership and by litigation with Cisco over alleged intellectual-property infringement. That dispute produced International Trade Commission actions, product changes, appeals, and an eventual 2018 settlement. Arista subsequently continued expanding through acquisitions including Mojo Networks, Metamako, Big Switch Networks, Awake Security, Pluribus Networks, and the VeloCloud SD-WAN portfolio from Broadcom. The company’s current strategic identity is therefore broader than that of a switch vendor: it presents itself as a provider of high-performance, software-driven client-to-cloud and AI networking infrastructure.

History

Arista Networks developed from Arastra, a networking venture established in 2004 by Andy Bechtolsheim and David Cheriton. Arista Networks itself was incorporated in 2008, with Jayshree Ullal joining as president and chief executive officer and helping shape the company’s focus on large-scale, software-driven Ethernet networks. Rather than compete primarily through a broad legacy telecommunications portfolio, Arista concentrated on programmable switching and a consistent operating model for cloud and data-center customers. The company’s central technical product became Arista EOS, an extensible network operating system built on Linux. EOS was designed around separate software processes and a shared state repository, allowing individual agents to restart independently and enabling operators to automate, monitor, and manage network devices through programmatic interfaces. This architecture supported Arista’s pitch to cloud operators and large enterprises seeking scalable networks with less dependence on proprietary, device-by-device administration. Arista completed its initial public offering in June 2014 on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ANET. Later in 2014, Cisco filed lawsuits alleging infringement of Cisco intellectual-property rights. The dispute escalated through proceedings before the United States International Trade Commission. The Commission issued limited exclusion and cease-and-desist orders concerning two patented features and upheld an import restriction affecting infringing products. Arista changed relevant product features, and in 2016 an appeal reversed the ban after two Cisco patents were overturned and Cisco’s claim was dismissed. In August 2018, Arista and Cisco reached a broader settlement. The arrangement included a reported payment of $400 million by Arista, a release covering Cisco infringement claims, dismissal of Arista’s antitrust claims, and a five-year stand-down between the companies. The litigation was a significant episode in Arista’s corporate history because it tested the company’s product architecture and its ability to continue competing with a much larger incumbent. Arista also expanded its addressable market through acquisitions. Mojo Networks, acquired in 2018, added enterprise wireless capabilities. Metamako, also acquired in 2018, contributed programmable, low-latency networking technology that became associated with Arista’s 7130 series. Big Switch Networks, acquired in 2020, strengthened software-defined networking and network-monitoring capabilities, while Awake Security, acquired later that year, added network detection and response. Pluribus Networks, acquired in 2022, broadened Arista’s unified cloud-networking portfolio. Over time, Arista extended EOS and its operating philosophy across fixed and modular Ethernet switches, routing systems, campus platforms, wireless access points, and specialized low-latency equipment. CloudVision became the company’s centralized management and observability layer, supporting provisioning, configuration governance, telemetry, analytics, compliance, and troubleshooting across network domains. Arista also developed security, network observability, cognitive campus, and SD-WAN offerings, moving its positioning from a data-center switch specialist toward a broader client-to-cloud networking provider. The growth of AI infrastructure created a further strategic emphasis on high-bandwidth Ethernet, large-scale spine architectures, deep buffering, low latency, and network automation for GPU clusters. Arista’s 7000-, 7500R-, 7700R-, and 7800R-series platforms address different combinations of cloud, routing, and AI workloads, including 400G and 800G connectivity in newer systems. In 2025, the company expanded AI-oriented campus and branch networking and acquired the VeloCloud SD-WAN portfolio from Broadcom, reinforcing its move into secure edge and distributed enterprise networking. Arista remains an active public company headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

2025
VeloCloud portfolio acquisition
[3]Arista Networks newsarista.com
Arista acquires Broadcom’s VeloCloud SD-WAN portfolio while expanding AI-driven campus and branch networking.
2022
Pluribus Networks acquisition
[1]Arista Networksen.wikipedia.org
Arista acquires Pluribus Networks to expand unified cloud-networking capabilities.
2020
Expansion into network security
[1]Arista Networksen.wikipedia.org
The acquisition of Awake Security adds network detection and response capabilities.
2018
Arista enters the S&P 500
[1]Arista Networksen.wikipedia.org
The company is added to the S&P 500 index.
2018
Cisco litigation settlement
[1]Arista Networksen.wikipedia.org
Arista and Cisco resolve their intellectual-property dispute through a settlement with releases and a stand-down agreement.
2014
Initial public offering
[1]Arista Networksen.wikipedia.org
Arista begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ANET.
2008
Arista Networks is incorporated
[1]Arista Networksen.wikipedia.org
Arista Networks is founded and incorporated as a networking company focused on scalable, programmable infrastructure.
2004
Arastra is established
[1]Arista Networksen.wikipedia.org
The venture that preceded Arista Networks is established, providing the company’s early corporate and technical roots.

Products and positioning

A high-performance, software-driven networking provider for cloud, data-center, AI, enterprise campus, routing, and specialized low-latency environments.

Network operating system
Arista EOS
Arista EOS is the company’s Linux-based, extensible network operating system. It provides a common software platform across data-center, routing, campus, and other Arista hardware, with virtualized and containerized deployment options. Its process-oriented design separates system state from individual agents, supporting fault isolation and stateful restarts. EOS also includes APIs, a software-development kit, automation integrations, streaming telemetry, and support for operational practices that treat network configuration as code.
Network management and observability
Arista CloudVision
CloudVision is Arista’s centralized network operations and management platform. It provides provisioning, configuration management, change control, compliance monitoring, telemetry, analytics, troubleshooting, and network-wide visibility. The platform is intended to give operators a consistent operational layer across data-center, campus, cloud, and WAN infrastructure, while supporting automation and historical analysis of network state.
Data-center Ethernet switches
Arista 7000 Series
The 7000 family includes fixed and modular Ethernet platforms for leaf-and-spine data-center designs, cloud-scale deployments, high-density connectivity, and AI or machine-learning workloads. Different generations support combinations of 10GbE, 25GbE, 100GbE, 400GbE, 800GbE, and higher-speed interfaces. The family is unified by EOS and is positioned around high port density, automation, telemetry, and low-latency packet forwarding.
Modular routing and switching platforms
Arista 7500R and 7800R Series
The 7500R and 7800R families are modular platforms designed for cloud-scale routing, data-center spine architectures, service-provider networks, and demanding AI infrastructures. They emphasize high-density Ethernet, large routing tables, deep buffering or advanced traffic management, resiliency, and high-speed connectivity. Newer systems address 400G and 800G deployments and are intended for networks requiring substantial scale and operational continuity.
Ultra-low-latency networking · 2018
Arista 7130 Series
The 7130 series consists of programmable, ultra-low-latency platforms combining switching, FPGA acceleration, packet capture, and specialized packet-processing capabilities. It serves environments where deterministic performance is important, including financial trading, telecommunications, high-performance computing, and other technical applications. The line incorporates technology associated with Metamako, which Arista acquired in 2018.
Campus networking
Cognitive Campus
Cognitive Campus is Arista’s enterprise campus portfolio, combining wired switching, wireless access, centralized management, telemetry, and network assurance. Products include campus access and aggregation systems with multi-gigabit Ethernet, PoE or PoE++, security features such as MACsec, and integration with cloud-managed wireless operations. The portfolio targets enterprises, schools, healthcare organizations, and distributed workplaces.
Wireless networking
Arista Cognitive Wi-Fi
Arista Cognitive Wi-Fi provides cloud-managed enterprise wireless networking through access points, centralized policy and management, radio-frequency optimization, analytics, location services, and network assurance. The portfolio supports modern Wi-Fi generations and is designed to operate alongside Arista wired campus infrastructure, giving organizations a unified view of users, devices, applications, and wireless performance.
Network security · 2020
Arista security and NDR solutions
Arista’s security portfolio combines network visibility, behavioral analytics, asset discovery, anomaly detection, and network detection and response. It is intended to expose east-west traffic and suspicious behavior across data centers, campuses, and cloud environments. These capabilities complement segmentation, identity-aware policy, encryption, and centralized investigation through Arista’s broader management and observability architecture.
Software-defined networking · 2025
Arista SD-WAN and secure edge
Arista’s SD-WAN and secure-edge offerings provide application-aware path selection, branch connectivity, centralized policy, analytics, multi-cloud access, and integration with broadband, MPLS, and wireless WAN links. The portfolio was expanded through the acquisition of Broadcom’s VeloCloud SD-WAN assets in 2025 and is intended to extend Arista’s client-to-cloud operating model to branches and distributed users.

Controversies

2014
Cisco intellectual-property litigation
Cisco sued Arista over alleged infringement of Cisco patents and other intellectual-property rights. The dispute led to International Trade Commission proceedings, limited exclusion and cease-and-desist orders, appeals, product changes, and a 2018 settlement. The matter is a legal and competitive dispute rather than a finding of general corporate misconduct.
Source

2025
Acquisition of the VeloCloud SD-WAN portfolioM&A
Background
Arista was extending its client-to-cloud model into branch, WAN, and secure-edge networking while increasing its emphasis on AI infrastructure.
Action taken
Arista acquired the VeloCloud SD-WAN portfolio from Broadcom and announced expanded AI-driven campus and branch offerings.
Aftermath
The move strengthened Arista’s position in SD-WAN and distributed enterprise networking, although longer-term commercial results are not specified here.
Source
2022
Acquisition of Pluribus NetworksM&A
Background
Arista aimed to strengthen its unified cloud-networking and software capabilities.
Action taken
Arista acquired Pluribus Networks for an undisclosed amount.
Aftermath
Pluribus technology contributed to Arista’s wider cloud-networking strategy.
Source
2020
Acquisition of Big Switch Networks and Awake SecurityM&A
Background
Arista sought to expand from switching into software-defined operations, network monitoring, and security analytics.
Action taken
Arista acquired Big Switch Networks and Awake Security.
Aftermath
The transactions broadened Arista’s software, observability, and network-detection offerings.
Source
2018
Acquisition of Mojo NetworksM&A
Background
Arista wanted to broaden its data-center-centered business into enterprise wireless and campus networking.
Action taken
Arista acquired Mojo Networks.
Aftermath
Wireless and campus capabilities became part of Arista’s broader cognitive campus portfolio.
Source
2018
Acquisition of MetamakoM&A
Background
Arista sought stronger capabilities in programmable, ultra-low-latency networking.
Action taken
Arista acquired Metamako and integrated its technology into the 7130 product line.
Aftermath
The acquisition strengthened Arista’s offering for financial-trading and other latency-sensitive customers.
Source
2018
Settlement with CiscoOther
Background
The companies had been engaged in patent and related litigation since Cisco’s 2014 complaints.
Action taken
Arista and Cisco settled the dispute, including releases of infringement claims, dismissal of Arista’s antitrust claims, and a five-year stand-down.
Aftermath
The settlement ended the principal litigation while allowing Arista to continue competing after modifying affected products.
Settlement payment. US$400 million (2018)
Source
2014
Public listing on the New York Stock ExchangeOther
Background
Arista sought public-market access as its cloud and data-center networking business expanded.
Action taken
The company completed its initial public offering and began trading under ANET.
Aftermath
Arista continued as a publicly traded networking company and was later added to the S&P 500.
Source

Recent events

Unconfirmed
Arista Networks reports third-quarter results[6]Arista Networks 公布第三季度业绩net.zhiding.cn
Arista Networks reported third-quarter results, including revenue of $605.4 million and adjusted earnings of $2.42 per share, both above analyst expectations cited in the article.
Unconfirmed
Arista Networks agrees to acquire Awake Security[7]Arista Networks达成收购Awake Security协议net.zhiding.cn
Arista Networks said it had reached an agreement to acquire network threat-detection startup Awake Security; the purchase price was not disclosed.
2020-08-18
Arista announces CloudVision as-a-Service[8]Arista宣布推出CloudVision as-a-Servicefinanznachrichten.de
Reported: 2020-08-18
Arista announced CloudVision as-a-Service, a managed software service for enterprise network automation. The service was in production for limited customers and was planned for general availability in Q3 2020.
Unconfirmed
Arista announces acquisition of Big Switch Networks[9]Arista宣布收购Big Switch Networksnet.zhiding.cn
Arista Networks announced that it had acquired software-defined networking company Big Switch Networks; the article says the deal terms had not been publicly disclosed.
2020-02-13
Arista acquires Big Switch Networks[10]Arista收购Big Switch Networkszdnet.com
Reported: 2020-02-14
Arista Networks announced that it had acquired Big Switch Networks. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Sources13 sources

Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/arista-networks · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled