What is the switching capacity and port configuration of HPE C8R42B?

The HPE SN6500B C8R42B provides 3072 Gb/s aggregate bandwidth with 96 active SFP+ ports supporting 16/8/4 Gb/s Fibre Channel speeds. It features non-blocking architecture, enabling wire-speed forwarding across all ports for high-density core/edge deployments in enterprise SANs.

What software features are included in the Power Pack+ bundle?

Power Pack+ on C8R42B includes Fabric Vision for flow monitoring/health dashboards, ISL Trunking up to 128 Gb/s, Extended Fabric, Fabric Watch alerts, and Advanced Performance Monitoring. These enable proactive diagnostics, load balancing, and scalability without additional licensing.

How does the SN6500B support high availability in production SANs?

It offers dual redundant hot-swappable 450W PSUs, three cooling fans, non-disruptive Ports on Demand/hot code load upgrades, and parity protection on all paths. D_Ports provide optics/cable testing for rapid fault isolation, ensuring 99.999% fabric uptime.

What management options are available for the C8R42B switch?

Supports CLI, Web GUI (HTTP/HTTPS), SNMPv1/v3, SSHv2, SMI-S, RADIUS/TACACS+, RBAC, and SAN Network Advisor integration. Point-and-click interface simplifies zoning, monitoring, and diagnostics across B-series fabrics.

Is the C8R42B suitable for long-distance SAN replication?

Yes, with in-flight encryption/compression, Extended Fabric license, and 16 Gb/s ISLs. Frame-based trunking and DPS optimize WAN links, reducing latency while supporting distances beyond standard FC limits.

What airflow design does the C8R42B feature?

Unique port-side intake airflow pulls cooling from port side to rear exhaust in 2U chassis. Includes three hot-swap fans and redundant PSUs for efficient thermal management in dense rack environments.

C8R42B - HPE SN6500B 16Gb 96/96 Power Pack+ Switch

Name: C8R42B - HPE SN6500B 16Gb 96/96 Power Pack+ Switch
Brand: HPE
SKU: C8R42B
Price: 8550 USD
Availability: InStock

C8R42B - HPE SN6500B 16Gb 96/96 Power Pack+ Switch | US IT Hardware

Product overview

The HPE SN6500B 16Gb 96/96 Power Pack+ FC Switch (C8R42B) is a high-performance B-series Fibre Channel switch designed for hyper-scale private cloud and highly virtualized storage environments. It delivers market-leading 16 Gb/s technology with 96 configurable ports supporting 4, 8, or 16 Gb/s speeds in an efficient 2U form factor. Key features include 3072 Gb/s aggregate switch bandwidth, optimized 16 Gb/s ISLs for double performance over prior generations, and pay-as-you-grow Ports on Demand scalability from 48 to 96 ports without downtime. Power Pack+ software bundle provides Fabric Vision for proactive monitoring, ISL Trunking up to 128 Gb/s via eight-port aggregation, Extended Fabric, Fabric Watch, and Advanced Performance Monitoring. Diagnostic Ports (D_Ports) simplify optics and cable fault isolation, while Exchange-based Dynamic Path Selection (DPS) ensures load-balanced fabric-wide performance. Redundant hot-swappable power supplies and fans, plus non-disruptive hot code load upgrades, enable high availability. Ideal for data center core/edge switching, it reduces cabling, power (0.33W/Gb/s), and costs while supporting multi-tenancy and non-stop operations in enterprise SANs.

3072 Gb/s aggregate switch bandwidth supports high-volume SAN traffic.
96 active 16 Gb/s FC ports with 4/8/16 Gb/s auto-negotiation.
Power Pack+ includes Fabric Vision, ISL trunking, and performance monitoring.
128 Gb/s ISL trunking via eight-port aggregation doubles link efficiency.
2U form factor with redundant hot-swap PSUs and fans for reliability.
Ports on Demand scales from 48 to 96 ports without fabric disruption.

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 #	C8R42B
Brand	HPE
Condition	Refurbished
Model	SN6500B 16Gb 96/96 Power Pack+
Encryption	In-flight encryption
Management	CLI/HTTPS/SNMPv3/SSHv2/SMI-S/RADIUS/TACACS+/RBAC
Port Speed	16/8/4 Gb/s Fibre Channel
Scalability	48/72/96 ports PoD
Product Line	B-series
Product Type	Fibre Channel SAN Switch
High Availability	Hot code load, Ports on Demand no downtime, Non-blocking

Compatible systems

Native integration with HPE B-series SAN ecosystem, HPE racks, and standard 16Gb FC infrastructure.

HPE 10000 G2 Series Racks
Form factor: 22U/36U/42U
Cabinet support for rack mounting
HPE Intelligent Series Racks
Form factor: Rack
Standard rack compatibility
HPE 11000 Series Racks
Form factor: 14U/22U/36U/42U/47U
Full rack integration

Best for

Data Center Core Switching
Serves as high-density core switch aggregating traffic from edge devices with 96 non-blocking 16Gb ports and 128Gb ISL trunking.
Private Cloud Storage
Supports multi-tenant virtualized SANs with Fabric Vision monitoring and DPS load balancing for optimized cloud performance.
Hyper-Scale Environments
Scales to 3072Gbps bandwidth in 2U, reducing cabling/power needs for massive storage arrays and replication.
Highly Virtualized Data Centers

Details

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Fans	3 x Hot-swap redundant
Form Factor	2U Rackmount, Port-side intake airflow R2F

HPE SN6500B 16Gb 96/96 Power Pack+ Switch

Product overview

Featuring

Compatible systems

Best for

Details

Shipping, warranty & returns

Customer reviews

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Power Consumption

Physical Characteristics

Interface/Ports

Frequently asked questions