Cisco G300: optics and switching scale together for AI data centres
Archive focus: February 2026 · Prepared 17 October 2026 · XConnect FZE
Retrospective: This article was prepared on 17 October 2026 for our February 2026 archive. It reviews the announcement and its infrastructure planning implications; product plans described at the time may have changed.
The development
On 10 February 2026, Cisco announced Silicon One G300 alongside systems and optics intended for larger AI networks. The announcement described 102.4 Tbps switching silicon and planned product availability during 2026. These are platform-level capabilities; they do not mean an existing fibre channel will support every new optical interface without assessment.
Practical implications
The following is XConnect’s planning interpretation.
A switch refresh should trigger a channel review before a purchase order is finalised. The planner needs a complete picture of installed fibre, connections and test records. Some components may remain suitable while others require replacement. Reviewing the physical layer early makes it easier to compare reuse against a staged migration instead of discovering incompatibilities during installation.
What to review
- Inventory fibre type, connector arrangements and test records for candidate links.
- Validate the proposed optics against channel length and loss requirements.
- Plan a reversible migration with spare components and clear acceptance criteria.
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Source: Original announcement — newsroom.cisco.com. Reviewed 17 October 2026.