Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb Ethernet Switch

Introduction

The Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb Ethernet Switch is a high-performance data center switch that combines powerful hardware with advanced networking features to meet the growing demands of enterprise IT environments. Designed for scalability, automation, and virtualization, the Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb delivers flexible connectivity and unmatched reliability in a compact 1U rack-mountable form factor.

Design and Hardware Architecture

The Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb is built with data center efficiency in mind. The compact 1U chassis supports front-to-rear or rear-to-front airflow for optimized cooling. Hot-swappable fans and redundant power supplies make it a resilient choice for mission-critical workloads. Weighing only 6.1 kg, the switch offers dense port configurations without compromising reliability, ensuring it integrates seamlessly into modern server racks.

Port Density and Scalability

One of the strongest advantages of this switch is its port flexibility. It features:

• 48x SFP+ ports supporting 1/10Gb Ethernet

• 6x QSFP+ ports for 40Gb uplinks or 4x10Gb breakout cables

This flexibility allows the Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb to scale up to 72x 10Gb connections, making it a perfect fit for high-density top-of-rack (ToR) deployments or as part of a spine-leaf fabric.

Performance and Capacity

The Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb delivers a switching capacity of 1.44 Tbps, providing wire-speed, non-blocking throughput. It supports jumbo frames up to 9,216 bytes and maintains a MAC address table of over 224,000 entries. This level of performance makes the Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb ideal for data-intensive applications, cloud workloads, and converged infrastructures.

Layer-2 and Layer-3 Networking Features

The Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb is more than just a simple aggregation switch. It supports advanced L2/L3 functionality, including:

• OSPF, BGP, RIP, VRRP for dynamic routing

• VLAN scalability up to 4,095 VLANs

• IGMP v2/v3, PIM-SM/DM for multicast

• Policy-based routing and access control lists (ACLs)

These features enable the switch to operate as both a core routing platform and a flexible edge aggregation device.

Virtualization and Cloud Integration

Modern data centers rely on virtualization, and the Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb is optimized for this environment. With VXLAN gateway support, VM-aware networking, and OpenFlow-based SDN integration, the switch aligns seamlessly with VMware NSX and other virtualization platforms. This allows administrators to automate VLAN provisioning and manage VM mobility with ease.

Operating Systems – ENOS and CNOS

This switch  supports two operating systems:

• ENOS (Enterprise Networking Operating System): a proven, enterprise-ready OS with strong interoperability

• CNOS (Cloud Networking Operating System): a modern, automation-friendly OS with telemetry, Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP), and simplified SDN features

By running CNOS, the Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb becomes an intelligent, cloud-ready switch that integrates seamlessly with orchestration tools.

Energy Efficiency and Cooling

The Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb is designed for low power consumption. It typically consumes around 123 watts, which reduces operational costs in large deployments. Combined with flexible airflow design and redundant fans, its minimizes cooling requirements while maintaining maximum reliability.

Management and Security

From an operational perspective, the Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb offers:

• CLI, SNMP, SSH, and Web-based management

• Integration with RADIUS, TACACS+, and LDAP

• Advanced 802.1X security, CoS, and QoS policies

• Role-based management for secure multi-user environments

These features ensure that the Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb meets enterprise-grade security and compliance requirements.

Use Cases and Applications

The Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb is ideal for:

• Spine-leaf architectures in data centers

• High-density ToR deployments supporting virtualization clusters

• Converged storage and compute fabrics using FCoE or iSCSI

• Enterprise cloud environments requiring VXLAN and OpenFlow support

Organizations looking to future-proof their networking infrastructure can rely on the Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb to handle growing workloads.

Reliability and Warranty

The Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb comes with a 3-year limited warranty and supports next-business-day replacement. Combined with hot-swappable fans and redundant PSUs, the switch provides continuous operation in demanding enterprise environments.

Conclusion

The Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb Ethernet Switch combines high performance, scalability, and virtualization-friendly features into a single, compact 1U chassis. With its robust Layer-2/3 capabilities, energy efficiency, and advanced operating system options, the Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb is a future-proof solution for modern enterprises, cloud providers, and data centers seeking reliability and automation-ready hardware.

By leveraging the Lenovo RackSwitch G8272 10Gb, IT organizations can confidently build scalable, secure, and high-performance network fabrics that meet today’s requirements while preparing for tomorrow’s growth.

Explore full product specifications in the datasheet provided below :