Description
HPE CX 10000-48Y6C Distributed Services Back-to-Front 6 Fans 2 PSU Switch Bdl
The HPE Aruba CX 10000 Switch Series, enhanced with Pensando’s P4 hardware-accelerated programmable processor, is a breakthrough in data center networking. This CX 10000-48Y6C model delivers high-performance, stateful software-defined networking built on Aruba’s trusted L2/L3 switching intelligence, now accelerated by Pensando. Designed for modern data centers, it blends programmable security, deep telemetry, and flexible policy-driven networking with reliable, enterprise-grade hardware. The result is a switch that not only moves data at line speed but also enables dynamic service insertion, advanced analytics, and micro-segmentation to simplify complex multi-tenant environments. With back-to-front cooling, six front-mounted fans, and dual power supplies, the CX 10000 is engineered for resilience in demanding deployments—from core-to-edge leaf-spine fabrics to high-density racks in cloud-scale infrastructures. If you’re seeking a scalable, programmable, and secure switching fabric, the CX 10000-48Y6C stands out as a best-in-class option that grows with your business while offering unified management, straightforward operability, and a future-ready architecture.
- Hardware-accelerated programmability: Integrates Pensando P4, a dedicated programmable processor that accelerates security, telemetry, and service insertion at line rate. This hardware acceleration enables flexible, software-defined networking that adapts to evolving data-center workloads without compromising performance. IT teams can deploy custom services, micro-segmentation, and advanced traffic engineering with reduced latency and predictable throughput, all underpinned by Aruba’s proven L2/L3 switching foundation.
- Stateful, software-defined capabilities: The CX 10000 blends Aruba’s robust L2/L3 features with stateful SDN that maintains context across flows, enabling policy-driven networking, dynamic workload placement, and seamless application delivery. With Pensando, operators gain enhanced visibility and control over east-west traffic, ensuring consistent QoS, security, and performance for microservices and containerized workloads in modern data centers.
- Built for reliability in dense environments: Back-to-front cooling with six front-mounted fans and two hot-swappable power supplies deliver resilient operation in rack-dense deployments. The design reduces hot spots and improves airflow management, while dual PSUs provide redundancy to minimize downtime. This architecture supports mission-critical workloads by keeping temperatures stable and service continuity intact even during component replacement or power fluctuations.
- High-density, scalable port ecosystem: The 48-port CX 10000-48Y6C configuration provides substantial port density for spine-leaf or top-of-rack deployments. The switch supports a variety of data rates and port types typical in data centers, enabling flexible uplinks and downlinks to leaf switches, storage networks, and compute nodes. As workloads scale, the CX 10000’s programmable fabric simplifies policy upgrades and service insertion without forklift upgrades.
- Unified management and analytics: Aruba’s management stack, complemented by Pensando’s telemetry and analytics capabilities, offers rich visibility, granular policy enforcement, and scalable orchestration. Expect proactive health monitoring, anomaly detection, and fast troubleshooting across the fabric. This consolidation reduces the time to diagnose issues, lowers operational costs, and delivers a clearer path to automation and intent-based networking in complex environments.
Technical Details of HPE CX 10000-48Y6C
- Model and purpose: HPE CX 10000-48Y6C Distributed Services Switch, designed for high-density data-center fabrics, combining Aruba CX L2/L3 switching with Pensando P4 acceleration for programmable services.
- Processing architecture: Hardware-accelerated Pensando P4 programmable processor integrated to offload and accelerate security, policy, telemetry, and service insertion workloads.
- Port configuration: 48-port front-facing switch module configured for dense data-center workloads, optimized for spine-leaf and large-scale campus-like deployments within data centers.
- Cooling and power: Back-to-front cooling with six front-mounted fans and dual hot-swappable adjustable power supplies to maximize uptime and maintain stable operating temperatures in dense racks.
- Networking features: Stateful L2/L3 switching with software-defined capabilities, advanced policy control, micro-segmentation support, and integrated telemetry for real-time analytics and rapid troubleshooting.
- Management and automation: Compatible with Aruba Central and on-site management tools, with RESTful APIs and traditional CLI access for automation, orchestration, and seamless integration into existing data-center workflows.
How to install HPE CX 10000-48Y6C
Before you begin, verify that you have the required rack space, power sources, and network connectivity. Power down the device during installation, and follow your data center’s safety procedures. Once installed, use a management workstation to access the switch through its console or management network interface to perform initial configuration and firmware updates. This process secures a stable baseline and ensures the Ced PDO (policy-driven defense) and telemetry features are ready for production workloads.
1) Rack mounting and physical checks: Mount the switch in a compatible rack, secure all mounting hardware, and confirm that the device is properly ventilated with clear airflow paths to the front and rear. Connect the two hot-swappable PSUs to redundant power sources to ensure continuous operation even during maintenance or power fluctuations. Inspect cables for proper routing to prevent interference with cooling and airflow.
2) Initial power-on and IP access: Power on the switch and connect an out-of-band or management network interface to an IT management subnet. Use the console port or a secure management IP to access the CLI or REST API. Set an initial management IP address, subnet mask, and gateway to enable remote management and monitoring.
3) Firmware and baseline configuration: Check for the latest firmware release for the CX 10000-48Y6C and apply updates as needed. Configure basic system settings, including management access control lists, SSH keys for secure access, and initial security policies. Establish baseline QoS, routing protocols (L2/L3), and any required VLANs or VRFs for your network topology.
4) Enable Pensando features and SDN policies: Activate Pensando P4 accelerated features for service insertion, telemetry streaming, and policy enforcement. Define micro-segmentation rules, security groups, and firewall policies that align with your data-center segmentation needs. Validate that telemetry streams and analytics dashboards populate correctly for real-time insight into traffic patterns and workload behavior.
5) Validation and integration: Connect uplinks and downlinks to the intended spine/leaf fabric, verifying path symmetry and routing stability. Run connectivity tests between hosts, storage, and compute nodes. Validate redundancy by simulating PSU or link failures and confirming seamless failover. Schedule a post-deployment health check to ensure the system maintains the expected performance and that all security policies are effectively enforced.
6) Operational best practices: Integrate the CX 10000-48Y6C into your existing network management strategy. Leverage automation scripts, monitoring dashboards, and policy templates to standardize deployments across multiple switches. Maintain a routine for firmware updates, configuration back-ups, and security audits to preserve system resilience and optimal performance over time.
Frequently asked questions
- What makes the HPE CX 10000-48Y6C different from standard CX switches? The CX 10000-48Y6C combines Aruba’s proven L2/L3 switch fabric with Pensando’s hardware-accelerated P4 programmable processor. This pairing enables hardware-assisted security, telemetry, and service insertion, delivering a software-defined approach to data-center networking with high performance and lower latency for modern workloads.
- What is the role of Pensando P4 in this switch? Pensando P4 provides a dedicated programmable processing layer that accelerates advanced services, policy enforcement, micro-segmentation, and real-time telemetry. This hardware-based acceleration offloads many tasks from the main switch CPU, enabling faster, more flexible, and more reliable SDN capabilities.
- How many PSUs and fans does this model have? The CX 10000-48Y6C features two hot-swappable power supplies and six front-to-back cooling fans, designed to maintain optimal temperatures and ensure high availability in dense data-center racks.
- Is this switch suitable for spine-leaf topologies? Yes. The CX 10000-48Y6C is designed to support large-scale spine-leaf deployments, offering high port density and programmable features that simplify policy management across multi-tier fabrics in data centers.
- What management options are available? The switch supports Aruba’s management ecosystem, including on-site CLI/API access and cloud-oriented management through Aruba Central. It provides REST APIs for automation and integrates with standard monitoring protocols for telemetry and health monitoring.
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