Skip to main content

Facebook 6-Pack

Facebook 6-Pack is a modular, open hardware Top-of-Rack (TOR) network switch platform designed by Facebook for high-density data center deployments (data center networking hardware).

  • Top-of-Rack Switch (ToR) platform for Facebook data centers (data center networking hardware).
  • Implements a modular design with line-card style “6-pack” fabric elements for port and bandwidth scalability (network hardware architecture).
  • Supports high-density 40G/100G Ethernet connectivity to server racks and aggregation layers (data center networking hardware).
  • Designed for integration into Facebook’s disaggregated networking stack and white-box switching strategy (network disaggregation).
  • Released as an open hardware design through the Open Compute Project for broader ecosystem use (open hardware / open networking).

More About Facebook 6-Pack

Facebook 6-Pack is a modular ToR architecture developed by Facebook for use in hyperscale data centers, with the design shared publicly through the Open Compute Project (OCP) as open hardware (data center networking hardware).

The platform addresses the need for scalable, high-throughput Ethernet switching at the rack level, where large numbers of servers require non-blocking connectivity to the rest of the data center fabric (data center networking architecture).

6-Pack is built as a fabric of smaller switch elements arranged in a modular “6-pack” configuration, where multiple identical switching modules are interconnected through an internal fabric layer (switch fabric architecture).

This modular topology allows Facebook to scale port counts and aggregate bandwidth by adding or configuring modules, rather than relying on a single monolithic chassis, and aligns with a white-box approach where commodity hardware is paired with disaggregated network operating systems (open networking).

The hardware design supports high-density 40G and 100G Ethernet ports toward servers and uplinks, enabling spine-leaf or Clos-style topologies commonly used in hyperscale environments (data center Ethernet switching).

Enterprises and operators that adopt OCP designs can use Facebook 6-Pack as a reference or as a basis for procuring compatible white-box switches from OCP vendors, integrating them with their own choice of network operating systems and routing protocols (open hardware ecosystem).

From an architectural perspective, 6-Pack fits into a disaggregated networking stack where control plane software, network Operating System (OS), and monitoring tools are decoupled from the underlying hardware, supporting automation, programmable control, and independent hardware and software lifecycles (network disaggregation and automation).

In enterprise or institutional deployments, Facebook 6-Pack-class platforms are positioned as high-density TOR or aggregation switches in large data centers, supporting workloads such as web applications, storage clusters, and distributed compute environments that depend on predictable east-west bandwidth (data center infrastructure).

Within a technical directory, Facebook 6-Pack is categorized as an open hardware, modular TOR data center switch platform originating from Facebook and released via the Open Compute Project, relevant to teams focused on network architecture, open networking, and hyperscale-style infrastructure design (data center networking / open hardware).