What port configuration and scalability does HPE C8R44A offer?

The HPE StoreFabric SN6500B C8R44A supports 96/48 ports at 16Gb/s FC with Ports on Demand (PoD) licensing for activation from 48 to 96 ports incrementally. This allows pay-as-you-grow scaling without downtime or new hardware, ideal for expanding SAN fabrics dynamically.

What form factor and density benefits does this switch provide?

It features an optimized 2U chassis housing up to 96 ports, delivering twice the density of previous generations. This reduces rack space by 50% compared to 1U 48-port switches, lowering power/cooling costs in dense datacenter environments.

How does the power pack+ configuration enhance reliability?

Power pack+ includes dual hot-swappable power supplies with integrated fans, providing N+1 redundancy. Automatic failover ensures zero downtime during power failures, critical for 24/7 mission-critical SAN operations supporting HPE 3PAR arrays.

What are typical use cases for the SN6500B in enterprise SAN?

Deploy as core/director switches in large fabrics for host-to-storage connectivity, edge switches in access layer, or Access Gateway for FCoE/NPV integration. Supports virtualization with NPIV, replication, and multi-protocol fabrics up to 3.2Tbps aggregate throughput.

Is the C8R44A compatible with HPE 3PAR StoreServ systems?

Yes, explicitly listed as supported FC switch for HPE 3PAR StoreServ 7000/10000. Provides certified 16Gb connectivity for high-performance block storage, with zoning and LUN masking via Fabric OS for secure multi-tenant access.

What management and diagnostic features are included?

Runs Brocade Fabric OS with MAPS analytics, Fabric Watch monitoring, and RASLog for predictive failure detection. Web Tools, CLI, and DCFM enable fabric-wide configuration, performance trending, and bottleneck analysis across 96 ports.

C8R44A - HPE SN6500B 16Gb 96/48 power pack+ FC switch Switch

Name: C8R44A - HPE SN6500B 16Gb 96/48 power pack+ FC switch Switch
Brand: HPE
SKU: C8R44A
Price: 4560 USD
Availability: InStock

C8R44A - HPE SN6500B 16Gb 96/48 power pack+ FC switch Switch | US IT Hardware

Product overview

The HPE StoreFabric SN6500B Fibre Channel Switch (C8R44A) provides enterprise-grade 16 Gbps performance in an ultra-dense 2U form factor, supporting up to 96 Fibre Channel ports for high-bandwidth storage connectivity. Equipped with Ports on Demand (PoD) licensing, it enables scalable deployment from 48 to 96 ports without hardware changes, optimizing CAPEX. The power pack+ configuration includes redundant power supplies for high availability in mission-critical environments. Designed for datacenter SAN fabrics, it offers low-latency, non-blocking switching with advanced diagnostics via Fabric OS. Ideal for consolidating storage traffic in virtualization, cloud, and big data deployments, it integrates seamlessly with HPE 3PAR StoreServ systems. Features include Access Gateway mode for Brocade interoperability, robust security with fabric-wide services, and energy-efficient design reducing TCO.

16 Gbps Fibre Channel performance across up to 96 ports.
Ultra-dense 2U form factor optimizes rack space usage.
Ports on Demand enables scalable 48-96 port deployment.
Power pack+ provides redundant power for high availability.
Non-blocking architecture ensures wire-speed forwarding.
Advanced Fabric OS diagnostics for proactive fabric management.

Expedited and overnight shipping options are available at checkout, priced by destination and service.
Purchase orders accepted from qualified institutions.
Refunds within 14 days and replacements within 30 days of delivery with an RMA (25% restocking fee on customer-initiated returns), and every part carries our Standard 30-Day Warranty - see our return policy or contact US IT Hardware.

Featuring

Manufacturer part #	C8R44A
Brand	HPE
Condition	Refurbished
Model	SN6500B 16Gb 96/48 power pack+ FC switch
Firmware	Brocade Fabric OS 7.4+
Management	Web Tools, CLI, DCFM, MAPS
Reliability	RAS features, hot-swap components
Scalability	Ports on Demand (PoD) 48-96 ports
Product Line	StoreFabric SN6500B B-series
Product Type	Fibre Channel Director Switch

Network & Communication

Compatible systems

Native integration with HPE 3PAR StoreServ via 16Gb FC; Brocade Fabric OS ensures broad SAN interoperability.

HPE 3PAR StoreServ
Model: 7000
Form factor: All-Flash
Generation: Gen5
Officially supported FC switch
HPE 3PAR StoreServ
Model: 10000
Form factor: All-Flash
Generation: Gen5
Officially supported FC switch

Best for

Datacenter SAN Spine
Core switching for large-scale Fibre Channel fabrics connecting thousands of hosts to storage arrays.
Storage Consolidation
High-port-density consolidation of legacy 8Gb fabrics into efficient 16Gb infrastructure.
Virtualization Environments
Low-latency connectivity for VMware/Hyper-V clusters with NPIV multi-tenancy support.
Private Cloud Infrastructure
Scalable PoD expansion for growing cloud storage workloads with fabric-wide management.
Big Data Analytics
High-throughput FC links for Hadoop/Spark clusters accessing parallel file systems.

Details

Shipping, warranty & returns

Customer reviews

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Latency	<1µs port-to-port
Performance	16 Gbps line-rate, 3.2Tbps aggregate

Cooling	Integrated redundant fans
Environmental	80PLUS Platinum efficient PSUs

Ports	96/48 x 16Gb/s FC (PoD scalable)
Connectivity	16Gb/s Shortwave/LW SFP+ optics

HPE SN6500B 16Gb 96/48 power pack+ FC switch Switch

Product overview

Featuring

Network & Communication

Compatible systems

Best for

Details

Shipping, warranty & returns

Customer reviews

Security

Power Consumption

Physical Characteristics

Environmental

Interface/Ports

Frequently asked questions