Building Smarter Networks with Arista Campus Solutions and EOS
Discover how Arista campus solutions, powered by Arista EOS and high-performance switches like the 7050X4 and 7358X4, deliver simple, scalable, and secure connectivity across the modern cognitive campus.
Why modern campuses need a new network approach
Campuses today support more than laptops and phones. They host Wi-Fi 6/6E access points, cameras, sensors, collaboration systems, and an ever-growing fleet of IoT devices. All of this has to be connected, powered, and secured without overloading IT teams.
Traditional campus architectures often rely on multiple management tools, complex VLAN designs, and manual configuration. As the environment scales, troubleshooting becomes slower and change control becomes harder. Arista campus solutions are built to simplify this picture by using a common operating system, unified visibility, and a modern leaf–spine design across the cognitive campus. Catalyst x Arista partnership can help help you design and operate a new network approach!
- Consistent experience for users and devices across buildings
- Simple growth path as bandwidth and device counts increase
- Better telemetry and automation so IT teams can do more with less
What is Arista Cognitive Campus?
Arista’s Cognitive Campus architecture extends the company’s data center DNA into the campus. The same automation, streaming telemetry, and open APIs that power large-scale cloud networks now support classrooms, offices, and research buildings.
At a high level, the cognitive campus brings together three ideas:
- Simplicity – fewer protocols, simpler topologies, and consistent EOS everywhere
- Scalability – leaf–spine designs and high-density uplinks that grow with demand
- Security – segmentation, policy, and visibility integrated end-to-end
Cognitive Campus at a glance
- Shared EOS software image from campus to data center
- CloudVision for monitoring, automation, and compliance
- Support for EVPN/VXLAN in campus designs
- Telemetry-driven insights into user and device experience
The EOS foundation & CloudVision
Arista EOS is a modern, modular network operating system that runs across Arista switches— from campus access to data center leaf and spine. Using the same OS everywhere reduces operational risk and makes it far easier to roll out new features, security policies, or automation workflows.
CloudVision builds on EOS by providing a centralized view of the entire estate. It collects streaming telemetry, validates configuration against intent, and offers a timeline of changes and events to speed up troubleshooting.
- Single EOS image simplifies upgrades and standardization
- API-first design enables integration with IT operations tools
- CloudVision provides end-to-end visibility across wired and wireless
Campus access: CCS-720XP & CCS-710XP
At the edge of the network, Arista’s CCS-720XP and CCS-710XP switches provide PoE-powered access for Wi-Fi, phones, cameras, and IoT devices. They’re designed for quiet operation, compact installations, and fast turn-up with zero-touch provisioning.
Powering today’s connected campus
Both platforms deliver reliable PoE/PoE++ for modern endpoints, supporting Wi-Fi 6/6E access points and high-draw devices without separate power bricks. Flexible uplinks connect them cleanly into a leaf or collapsed core design.
Zero-touch onboarding and operational simplicity
Switches can be onboarded automatically via CloudVision or DHCP-based workflows, reducing on-site configuration work. This is especially helpful when rolling out new areas of a campus or modernizing older buildings in phases.
Campus leaf/distribution: 7050X4 & 7358X4
As user counts and bandwidth requirements grow, the distribution or leaf layer becomes critical. The Arista 7050X4 and 7358X4 families provide high-performance switching for building aggregation and campus backbones.
High-speed connectivity for busy buildings
7050X4 switches deliver dense 100G and 400G ports, making it easy to connect multiple access closets and support high-density users, labs, or collaboration spaces. The 7358X4 adds modular flexibility for sites that need to scale over time.
Ready for EVPN/VXLAN campus designs
These platforms support modern EVPN/VXLAN architectures, enabling consistent segmentation and simpler L2/L3 designs across the campus. That means you can grow or reorganize buildings without continually re-plumbing VLANs and spanning tree.
Integration, security & automation across the campus
A cognitive campus isn’t only about faster switches—it’s about how the network behaves day-to-day. With EOS and CloudVision, Arista focuses on telemetry, policy, and automation so operators can design once and enforce everywhere.
- Streaming telemetry from switches for real-time health and performance
- Role-based and identity-aware policies that follow users and devices
- Automation workflows to standardize provisioning, changes, and rollback
These capabilities help reduce tickets, shorten mean time to resolution, and keep campus networks aligned with security and compliance requirements.
Real-world use cases & case studies
Arista campus solutions are used by universities, research institutions, enterprises, and healthcare organizations that need predictable performance and streamlined operations. Common patterns include:
- Education & research – supporting high-density lecture halls, labs, and e-learning platforms
- Enterprise campuses – enabling secure, segmented access for employees, guests, and IoT
- Healthcare – connecting clinical systems, wireless devices, and building automation safely
Arista campus solutions vs. legacy designs
Many legacy campus networks rely on hierarchical designs with complex spanning-tree topologies, siloed management tools, and manual configuration. As these environments grow, every change carries more risk and troubleshooting takes longer.
Arista’s approach replaces this with a simpler, more predictable model:
- Leaf–spine or routed access designs instead of fragile L2 trees
- Single OS (EOS) across platforms instead of multiple code trains
- CloudVision analytics and change timelines instead of guesswork
The result is a campus that looks and behaves more like a modern data center—easier to grow, easier to secure, and easier to operate over the long term.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main benefit of Arista EOS in the campus?
EOS provides a single, programmable operating system across campus and data center. That consistency simplifies upgrades, policy management, and automation, reducing operational risk as the environment grows.
Do I need CloudVision to use Arista campus switches?
You can run Arista switches without CloudVision, but CloudVision adds powerful telemetry, automation, configuration compliance, and a centralized view of the entire campus, making day-to-day operations much easier.
Can Arista campus switches work with non-Arista gear?
Yes. Arista solutions are based on open standards and interoperate with existing routing, switching, and security platforms, allowing gradual migrations instead of big-bang cutovers.
Where do CCS-720XP and CCS-710XP typically deploy?
They’re ideal at the access layer—wiring closets, conference rooms, classrooms, and edge spaces where you need PoE/PoE++ for APs, phones, cameras, and IoT devices.
What role do 7050X4 and 7358X4 play in the campus?
These switches provide high-performance aggregation and backbone connectivity, often acting as campus leaf or core nodes with EVPN/VXLAN support and high-speed uplinks.
Can Catalyst help us design an Arista campus architecture?
Yes. Catalyst works with your team to map requirements, recommend the right Arista platforms, and design a cognitive campus architecture tailored to your environment.
Design your Arista-powered campus
From PoE access switches to high-performance campus backbones, we help you design and validate Arista campus solutions that fit your users, buildings, and long-term growth plans.
Talk with our Arista campus team