Dell PowerSwitch Z9264F-ON
The Dell PowerSwitch Z9264F-ON is a high-density 2U open networking spine switch engineered for large-scale enterprise data center cores, cloud provider aggregation fabrics, and high-performance computing clusters. Equipped with sixty-four 100GbE QSFP28 ports and two 10GbE SFP+ management ports, it delivers up to 6.4 Tbps of line-rate non-blocking Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching capacity. Operating on Broadcom Tomahawk II silicon, it supports ONIE, Dell SmartFabric OS10, and Enterprise SONiC for automated telemetry and traffic steering. Secondary market buyers should verify the airflow configuration and test redundant power supplies.
Also written as: PowerSwitch Z9264F-ON, Dell Z9264F-ON, Z9264F 100GbE Switch
Specifications
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Family | PowerSwitch |
| Form factor | 2U rack |
| Released | Nov 2019 |
| Ports | 64x 100GbE QSFP28 + 2x 10GbE SFP+ ports |
| Switching capacity | 6.4 Tbps (12.8 Tbps full duplex) |
| Power supply | Dual redundant hot-plug 1600W AC power supplies |
Works together
How the Dell PowerSwitch Z9264F-ON connects to servers, storage and the network: 3 ways, with the parts and products on each path.
iSCSI and NVMe/TCP over Ethernet
Keep the speed the same at all three points: a 25GbE server, a 25GbE switch port and a 25GbE array port. Mixed speeds work but the slowest link sets the pace.
Servers
Dell PowerEdge R760 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge XE8545 4U rack
Dell PowerEdge XE8640 4U rack
Dell PowerEdge XE9640 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge XE9680 6U rack
Dell PowerEdge R6515 1U rack
Adapters for the server
540-BDCP Dell Broadcom 57508 Dual Port 100GbE QSFP56 PCIe Gen4 Adapter
540-BDDO Dell NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-6 Dx Dual Port 100GbE QSFP56 PCIe Adapter
540-BBGN Dell Broadcom 57412 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ PCIe Adapter
540-BBGO Dell Broadcom 57416 Dual Port 10GBASE-T RJ45 PCIe Adapter
Storage
Dell Unity XT 380F 2U rack
Dell Unity XT 380XT 2U rack
Dell Unity XT 480F 2U rack
Dell Unity XT 480XT 2U rack
Dell Unity XT 680F 2U rack
Dell Unity XT 680XT 2U rack
Optics
File storage (NFS and SMB)
Front-end ports face the clients; back-end ports (on scale-out systems) connect the nodes to each other and need their own switch pair.
Servers
- Dell PowerEdge R760 2U rack
- Dell PowerEdge XE8545 4U rack
- Dell PowerEdge XE8640 4U rack
- Dell PowerEdge XE9640 2U rack
- Dell PowerEdge XE9680 6U rack
- Dell PowerEdge R6515 1U rack
Adapters for the server
- 540-BDCP Dell Broadcom 57508 Dual Port 100GbE QSFP56 PCIe Gen4 Adapter
- 540-BDDO Dell NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-6 Dx Dual Port 100GbE QSFP56 PCIe Adapter
- 540-BBGN Dell Broadcom 57412 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ PCIe Adapter
- 540-BBGO Dell Broadcom 57416 Dual Port 10GBASE-T RJ45 PCIe Adapter
Storage
Dell PowerScale F900 2U rack- Dell Unity XT 380F 2U rack
- Dell Unity XT 380XT 2U rack
- Dell Unity XT 480F 2U rack
- Dell Unity XT 480XT 2U rack
- Dell Unity XT 680F 2U rack
Optics
Hyperconverged cluster
Plan at least two 25GbE ports per node to two switches; all-NVMe clusters often move to 100GbE.
HCI nodes
Dell VxRail P Series P570F 2U rack (1 node)
Dell VxRail E Series E560 1U rack (1 node)
HPE SimpliVity 325 Gen10 1U rack
HPE SimpliVity 380 Gen10 G 2U rack
Adapters for the server
- 540-BDCP Dell Broadcom 57508 Dual Port 100GbE QSFP56 PCIe Gen4 Adapter
- 540-BDDO Dell NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-6 Dx Dual Port 100GbE QSFP56 PCIe Adapter
- 540-BBGN Dell Broadcom 57412 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ PCIe Adapter
- 540-BBGO Dell Broadcom 57416 Dual Port 10GBASE-T RJ45 PCIe Adapter
Optics
Plan and size it
- Draw this setup in the topology planner mrplanb.com
- Add up rack power and space rack-density.com
- iSCSI explained mrplanb.com
- Virtualization storage Ledger: scored storage platforms mrplanb.com
- Network monitoring tools compared mrplanb.com
- Dell E-Lab Navigator (Dell interoperability) dell.com
Check compatibility with Dell
Before you buy, confirm the exact configuration against the vendor's own lists: firmware levels, operating systems, adapters and optics that Dell has tested with the Dell PowerSwitch Z9264F-ON.
- Compatibility Dell E-Lab Navigator (storage and SAN interoperability) (free vendor sign-in)
- Support Dell Support: drivers, manuals and service tag lookup
Equivalent models from other brands
Buying a used Z9264F-ON: what to check
Verify airflow direction on hot-swap fan trays and 1600W power supplies. Inspect the 64 QSFP28 optical cages and confirm clear boot and console access.
FAQ
What role does the Z9264F-ON serve in a data center network?
It functions as a high-density 100GbE spine switch in a two-tier leaf-spine topology, connecting multiple 25GbE/100GbE leaf switches.
Can ports on the Z9264F-ON break out to 25GbE?
Yes, each 100GbE QSFP28 port can be broken out into four 25GbE or 10GbE ports, yielding up to 256 connections.
Buying or selling Z9264F-ON?
New, refurbished or used. Tell us the quantity and condition and we connect you with a vetted reseller in your region, usually within one working day.
Sources
- Dell PowerSwitch Z9264F-ON Spec Sheet, checked 2026-10-27