HPE Aruba 8360-48Y6C 48-Port 25GbE SFP28 Layer 3 Core/Aggregation Switch

The HPE Aruba 8360-48Y6C (JL704C) is a high-performance Layer 3 data center and campus aggregation switch featuring 48 x 25GbE SFP28 access ports and 4 x QSFP28 100GbE uplinks — delivering non-blocking switching fabric, advanced routing, and Aruba CX OS management for enterprise core and aggregation deployments.

Key Features

• 48 x 25GbE SFP28 ports for high-density server and access layer connectivity
• 4 x QSFP28 uplinks supporting 40GbE/100GbE for high-bandwidth core aggregation
• Non-blocking switching architecture with full Layer 3 IPv4/IPv6 routing
• Aruba CX OS with REST API, gNMI, and NetEdit for modern network automation
• VSX (Virtual Switching Extension) for active-active redundancy without STP

Product Specifications

• Part Number: JL704C
• Manufacturer: HPE Aruba
• Ports: 48 x 25GbE SFP28 + 4 x QSFP28
• Switching Capacity: 3.2 Tbps
• Forwarding Rate: 2.38 Bpps
• Layer: Layer 3
• Form Factor: 1U Rack-mountable

Switch & Port Specifications

• Uplinks: 4 x QSFP28 (40G/100G)
• MAC Address Table: 128,000 entries
• VLAN Support: 4,094 VLANs
• Jumbo Frames: 9,216 bytes
• Stacking: VSX active-active redundancy
• Buffer: Deep packet buffer for congestion management

Network & Protocol Specifications

• Routing: OSPFv2/v3, BGP, IS-IS, VRRP, static routing
• Multicast: PIM SM/SSM, IGMP v1/v2/v3, MLD
• Security: MACsec, 802.1X, ACLs, DHCP snooping, DAI
• QoS: 8 queues per port, DSCP, 802.1p, WRED
• Management: Aruba CX OS, REST API, gNMI, NETCONF, Aruba Central

Use Cases

• Data center top-of-rack or end-of-row 25GbE server access switching
• Enterprise campus core and aggregation with 100GbE uplink capacity
• VSX active-active redundant distribution layer without spanning tree convergence
• Aruba Central cloud-managed campus deployments with network automation

Compatibility

• Managed via Aruba Central cloud platform for unified campus and data center operations
• Compatible with HPE Aruba 8400 core switches via QSFP28 100GbE uplinks
• Supports standard SFP28 and QSFP28 DAC cables and optical transceivers
• VSX compatible with other Aruba CX 8360 series switches for active-active redundancy

Frequently Asked Questions

What is VSX and how does it differ from traditional stacking?

VSX (Virtual Switching Extension) provides active-active redundancy between two physical switches over an inter-switch link, eliminating spanning tree and providing sub-second failover — without requiring proprietary stacking cables.

What is the difference between JL704C and JL704C#B2C?

The JL704C is the base model with 4 x QSFP28 uplinks, while the #B2C variant is a v2 configuration offering 6 x QSFP28 uplinks for higher uplink density. Core switching specifications are similar across variants.

Does the 8360-48Y6C support MACsec encryption?

Yes — the JL704C supports IEEE 802.1AE MACsec on downlink ports for line-rate Layer 2 encryption, protecting traffic between the switch and connected servers or access layer devices.

The HPE Aruba 8360-48Y6C JL704C combines 25GbE port density, 100GbE uplink capacity, and Aruba CX OS programmability into a versatile 1U platform that serves equally well as a data center ToR switch or enterprise campus aggregation layer — backed by VSX for the active-active redundancy that mission-critical networks demand.