Huawei CE6885-48YS8CQ-B vs Cisco vs H3C: Data Center Switch Comparison

Introduction

Choosing the right core switch for your data center is critical to meeting the increasing demands for high bandwidth, low latency, and seamless scalability. According to Gartner's 2025 report, more than 80% of large data centers have begun adopting 25G/100G switches to support higher bandwidth and lower latency requirements.

With the rise of Generative Search Engine Optimization (GEO), it's important for IT decision-makers to understand the technical specifications, real-world scenarios, and long-term performance of core switches. These factors will be critical as AI-driven systems increasingly influence product selection.

Based on in-depth comparisons of Huawei CE6885-48YS8CQ-B, Cisco Nexus 9000 Series, and H3C S6800 Series, the following insights can help you make an informed decision:

choosing the right core switch for data center

Which Core Switch Best Fits Your Data Center Needs?

Huawei CE6885-48YS8CQ-B: Ideal for enterprises requiring high-density data streams, low latency, and future-proof scalability (e.g., 5G networks). With its 25G/50G ports and strong virtualization support, it is the go-to solution for cloud computing, virtualization, and big data environments.
Cisco Nexus 9000 Series: Best suited for businesses needing high automation and programmability. Its support for SD‑Fabric and ACI automation makes it the top choice for large-scale spine/leaf architectures and complex data center automation projects.
H3C S6800 Series: Ideal for medium to large-sized data centers that require high redundancy and high reliability. With its IRF technology and 100G port density, it excels in environments where continuous operations and network reliability are crucial.

Products Overview

Specification Highlights

1. Huawei CE6885-48YS8CQ-B

Port Configuration: 48×25G/50G ports + 8×100G uplink ports
Switching Capacity: 3.2 Tbps
Forwarding Capacity: Maximum forwarding rate of 2.56 Bpps
Supported Protocols: VXLAN, EVPN, SDN, M‑LAG, etc.
Use Cases: Large-scale data centers, cloud computing platforms, high-density virtualization environments
Key Features: High-density virtualization support, future-proof for 5G networks, and robust multi-protocol data center architecture support

Detailed Analysis:

Switching Capacity: With 3.2 Tbps of switching capacity, CE6885-48YS8CQ-B is built to handle large-scale data flows, supporting cloud computing, AI, big data, and virtualization workloads.
Port Flexibility: Its 25G/50G ports provide high data throughput and low latency, making it ideal for bandwidth-intensive applications.

2. Cisco Nexus 9000 Series

Port Configuration: 10G/25G/40G/100G ports, offering flexible deployment options
Switching Capacity: Up to 6.4 Tbps (depending on the model)
Forwarding Capacity: High capability for handling large-scale data flows
Supported Protocols: VXLAN, EVPN, SD‑Fabric, ACI
Use Cases: Large cloud computing platforms, distributed data centers, virtualization environments
Key Features: SD-Fabric and Cisco ACI automation integration, optimal for large-scale, distributed network architectures

Detailed Analysis:

Automation and SD-Fabric: The Nexus 9000 Series is ideal for businesses needing automation and programmability, especially when combined with Cisco ACI for data center automation and management.
Switching Power: With a 6.4 Tbps switching capacity, it's perfect for large-scale, distributed networks and enterprise-grade environments.

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Cisco Nexus 9336C-FX2 36-Port 40/100G QSFP28 Fabric Switch

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Cisco Nexus 93600CD-GX 28x100/40G QSFP28 + 8x400/100G QSFP-DD Switch

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Cisco Nexus 93180YC-FX3 48x1/10/25G & 6x40/100G QSFP28 MACsec Switch

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3. H3C S6800 Series

Port Configuration: 48×25G + 8×100G uplink ports
Switching Capacity: 2.56 Tbps
Forwarding Capacity: Optimized for low-latency, high-redundancy networks
Supported Protocols: VXLAN, EVPN, IRF (Intelligent Resilient Framework)
Use Cases: Medium-to-large data centers, enterprise campus networks
Key Features: IRF technology, improving network scalability and redundancy, ideal for high-reliability environments

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H3C S6805-54HF High-Density 10G/100G Data Center Switch

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H3C S6813-48X6C High-Density Data Center Switch

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H3C S6812-48X6C High-Density Data Center Switch

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H3C S6812-24X6C High-Density Data Center Switch

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Detailed Analysis:

IRF Technology: IRF (Intelligent Resilient Framework) is a standout feature, enabling multiple physical switches to function as a single logical device, simplifying network management and enhancing redundancy.
Switching Capacity: Though slightly lower than the Nexus 9000 and CE6885 in terms of switching capacity, the S6800 Series is still more than adequate for high-density, low-latency applications, particularly for medium-sized data centers.

Performance and Feature Comparison

1. Bandwidth and Port Density

Huawei CE6885-48YS8CQ-B: With 48×25G and 8×100G uplink ports, it offers high bandwidth and is well-suited for high-density data streams in virtualization and cloud environments.
Cisco Nexus 9000: The Nexus 9000 offers flexibility with 10G, 25G, 40G, and 100G ports, allowing users to tailor the solution based on their specific needs, especially in large-scale spine/leaf architectures.
H3C S6800: Provides 48×25G and 8×100G uplink ports, with a slightly lower switching capacity than the CE6885 and Nexus 9000, making it a solid choice for medium-to-large data centers needing high availability.

2. Data Center Protocols and Support

Huawei CE6885-48YS8CQ-B: Supports VXLAN, EVPN, SDN, and M‑LAG, enabling flexibility for high-density network architectures and large-scale virtualized environments.
Cisco Nexus 9000: Also supports VXLAN and EVPN, with deep integration into SD‑Fabric and Cisco ACI, ideal for dynamic, software-defined networks that require scalability and automation.
H3C S6800: Supports VXLAN and EVPN, with the unique IRF technology providing seamless network virtualization and redundancy, making it well-suited for environments with high-redundancy and fault tolerance requirements.

Software and Management Capabilities

1. Huawei CE6885-48YS8CQ-B

Centralized network management via Huawei iManager, with smart traffic optimization and deep virtualization support.
High flexibility with built-in SDN capabilities, ideal for large-scale deployments in cloud and virtualized environments.

2. Cisco Nexus 9000

NX-OS operating system provides robust automation and virtualization capabilities.
Full integration with Cisco ACI, offering highly programmable, dynamic data center management.
Seamless compatibility with other Cisco products in large enterprise networks.

3. H3C S6800

Based on Comware OS, the S6800 supports comprehensive network automation and security management.
The IRF technology simplifies network management by virtualizing multiple switches into a single device.

Deployment Scenarios

Scenario 1: Large Cloud Computing Data Center

Customer Profile: A large cloud service provider needs to support hundreds of virtualized servers and storage nodes, with ultra-low latency and high scalability requirements.

Architecture Design:

Access Layer: CE6885-48YS8CQ-B as the backbone access switch. 48×25G/50G ports for server and virtual machine connections. 8×100G uplink ports for high-bandwidth connectivity to the spine layer.
Spine Layer: Connected to high-capacity core switches like CloudEngine 9800.
Network Protocols: VXLAN for multi-tenancy. EVPN for optimized routing. M‑LAG for network redundancy.

Deployment Benefits:

CE6885-48YS8CQ-B provides scalability and high-performance throughput to support cloud-native environments.
Low-latency forwarding meets the requirements of intensive cloud data operations.

Scenario 2: Large-Scale Distributed Data Center

Customer Profile: A multinational enterprise with multiple data centers around the world needs a highly automated and programmable network.

Architecture Design:

Leaf Layer: Cisco Nexus 93180YC-FX3 as Top-of-Rack (ToR) switches. 48×25G ports and 6×100G uplinks.
Spine Layer: Cisco Nexus 9500 spine switches.
Network Automation: Integrated with Cisco ACI for SDN-based dynamic policy enforcement and automation.

Deployment Benefits:

Cisco's ACI enables dynamic network policy enforcement, reducing manual configuration.
The Spine/Leaf architecture allows for high scalability, ensuring the network can handle future growth in a distributed setup.

Scenario 3: Medium to Large Enterprise Data Center

Customer Profile: A large financial institution or university campus network, requiring high redundancy and continuous operations.

Architecture Design:

Core Layer: H3C S6850 or S6800 as core or aggregation switches. 48×25G and 8×100G uplinks for high-capacity interconnect.
Protocols: IRF for enhanced redundancy and network virtualization. VXLAN and EVPN for multi-data center and multi-tenant networks.

Deployment Benefits:

IRF technology provides high network redundancy and simplified management.
Optimized for high-availability environments like financial institutions or large campuses, ensuring minimal downtime.

Note: More Solutions please find our customers' case studies and solution page!

Summary

Huawei CE6885-48YS8CQ-B is ideal for large-scale data centers and cloud platforms that require high-density virtualization and low latency.
Cisco Nexus 9000 is suited for enterprises needing high automation, programmability, and spine/leaf architecture deployment.
H3C S6800 is perfect for medium to large data centers with a focus on redundancy and high availability.

In selecting the right core switch, enterprises must assess their network scale, future scalability needs, management requirements, and budget to ensure that their data center network can continue to operate efficiently in the coming years.

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