Data Centers 3 min read

Nokia Debuts 102.4T Data Center Switches Ready for 1.6T Interfaces, Ultra Ethernet

Nokia expanded its data center networking portfolio today with a new family of 7220 IXR-H6 switches and an upgraded Event-Driven Automation (EDA) platform designed to support rapidly scaling AI workloads. The switches reach 102.4 Tbps of capacity with 800 GE and 1.6 TE interfaces—doubling throughput within the same footprint—and align with Ultra Ethernet Consortium (UEC) specifications for congestion control in large AI fabrics. Nokia is also embedding agentic AI into its AIOps workflow engine, aiming to improve operational visibility and dramatically shorten time-to-remediation in high-performance environments.

The introduction of 1.6 TE interfaces signals accelerating demand for next-generation east-west networking inside AI factories, where clusters may scale to a million XPUs. Nokia’s 7220 IXR-H6 line supports both air- and liquid-cooled designs and offers a choice between SR Linux and Community SONiC for operators seeking open-networking options. The company says the platform’s flexibility positions it for deployments ranging from hyperscale AI training clusters to cloud provider front-end fabrics.

Nokia also advanced its EDA automation tools with agentic AI-enabled workflows. The system combines natural-language queries, reasoning engines, digital twins, dry-run capabilities, and real-time telemetry to deliver faster incident detection and resolution. A Bell Labs Consulting and Futurum study cited by Nokia points to a 96% reduction in network downtime when using EDA across the operations lifecycle.

“We are pleased to announce our new family of high-performance 7220 IXR-H6 switches along with advances in our EDA platform, which now leverages the sophistication of agentic AI to drive highly reliable network operations at the speed required to keep up with the pace of change,” said Vach Kompella, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Nokia’s IP Networks business.

SpecDetails
ModelNokia 7220 IXR-H6 (new AI-focused switch family)
Total Switching Capacity102.4 Tbps
Interface Speeds800 GE and 1.6 TE ports (doubles throughput vs prior gen)
AI Fabric ScaleDesigned for fabrics up to 1M+ XPUs
UEC ComplianceSupports Ultra Ethernet Consortium (UEC) congestion management and flow optimization
Cooling OptionsAir-cooled and liquid-cooled variants
Rack CompatibilityCompatible with multiple data center rack configurations
Operating System OptionsSR Linux or open-source Community SONiC (Nokia is only vendor supporting both on same hardware)
EDA AIOps IntegrationSupports agentic AI workflows, digital twins, telemetry-driven automation
AvailabilitySwitches in 1Q26; EDA AIOps available by end of 2025
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