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C8S46A
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Brocade 16Gb/28c Embedded SAN Switch
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Name:
C8S46A
- Description:
- Brocade 16Gb/28c Embedded SAN Switch
- Rating:
Added to cart 28 times recently
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2 In stock - Ready to Ship
- Brand:
- Hpe
- Condition:
Certified Refurbished
Professionally inspected, bench-tested, and firmware-verified, with configurations wiped. Restored to full working order and backed by our warranty.
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C8S46A Overview
C8S46A is an enterprise-grade network switch built on a modular architecture that ensures high performance and flexibility. It is designed for optimal data processing with support for both AC and redundant power supply options and features a comprehensive mix of Ethernet ports and uplink configurations.
C8S46A offers scalable stacking capabilities and advanced Layer 2/Layer 3 routing, delivering robust switching capacity suited for demanding environments. Its versatile interface options, integrated POE+ support, and compact rack-mount form factor make it ideal for campus networks, data centers, and mission-critical deployments.
C8S46A price is is available on request. Get immediate quote.
Request bulk order quote for C8S46A for additional pricing. Browse the full Hpe Storage Network Switches series or explore all Hpe products.
C8S46A Specifications
- Product Type
- Switch
- Brand
- Hpe
- Power Source
- Redundant Power Supply / AC Power Supply
- Layer Supported
- Layer 2 / Layer 3
- Form Factor
- Rack-mount
- Power Consumption
- 150 W
- Number of Ethernet Ports
- 24–48 Ports
- Number of Downlink Ports
- 24 Ports
- Manageable
- Managed
- Ethernet Technology
- 10/100/1000
- Media Type Supported
- Combo
- Redundant Power Supply Supported
- Yes
- Manufacturer Part Number
- C8S46A
- Uplink Configuration
- 10G
- IOS
- IP Services
- POE Support
- POE+
- SFP Ports
- 4 SFP Ports
- Memory
- 256 MB
- Rack Units
- 1 RU
- Interface Ports
- 10/100/1000
- Port/Expansion Slot Details
- 24 Gigabit Ethernet ports with 4 dedicated 10G SFP uplink slots
- Flash Memory
- 64 MB
- Switching Capacity
- 128 Gbps
- Switching Capacity with Stacking
- 256 Gbps
- Product Name
- C8S46A Enterprise Managed Switch
- Height
- 1.75 inches
- Width
- 17.5 inches
- Depth
- 11 inches
- Weight
- 15 lbs
C8S46A Use Case
Enterprise Virtualization Infrastructure Acceleration
In a global financial services data center consolidating 200+ VMware ESXi hosts across 12 racks, the C8S46A-Brocade 16Gb/28c Embedded SAN Switch delivers low-latency 16Gb Fibre Channel connectivity and 28 front-plane ports to support high-density vMotion traffic. Benefit: Achieves 40% reduction in I/O latency, sustains 99.99% VM availability, accelerates provisioning by 50%, and lowers operational expenses through simplified SAN management.
Multi-Site Disaster Recovery with Synchronous Replication
In a manufacturing enterprise with twin data centers 50 km apart, the C8S46A-Brocade switch underpins synchronous block-level replication between primary NetApp FAS arrays and secondary DR arrays. Its 16Gb FC performance and hardware-assisted traffic isolation ensure zero packet loss on critical failover paths. Benefit: Guarantees RPO=0, slashes RTO by 60%, and delivers continuous business operations under stringent SLAs.
HPC Cluster High-Throughput Parallel I/O for Simulation Workloads
At a research institute running CFD and molecular dynamics jobs on a 512-node HPC cluster, the C8S46A-Brocade 16Gb/28c switch interconnects compute nodes with multiple shared storage arrays over high-speed SAN fabric. Its 28-port fabric zoning and dynamic buffer credit allocation maximize parallel I/O bandwidth. Benefit: Accelerates data staging by 3×, reduces simulation turnaround by 45%, and centralizes SAN control to simplify large-scale workload management.
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Product Comparison Table 
| C8S46A |  C8R42A |  834976-B22 |  C8S45A |  QK714D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depth | 11 inches | 11 inches | 12 inches | 11 inches | 10 inches |
| Ethernet Technology | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 |
| Flash Memory | 64 MB | 64 MB | 256 MB | 64 MB | 32 MB |
| Form Factor | Rack-mount | Rack-mount | Rack-mount | Rack-mount | Rack-mount |
| Height | 1.75 inches | 1 inch | 1.75 inches | 1 inches | 1.75 inches |
| IOS | IP Services | IP Services | IP Services | IP Services | IP Services |
| Interface Ports | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 |
| Layer Supported | Layer 2 / Layer 3 | Layer 2 | Layer 3 | Layer 2 / Layer 3 | Layer 2 / Layer 3 |
| Manageable | Managed | Managed | Managed | Managed | Managed |
| Manufacturer Part Number | C8S46A | C8R42A | 834976-B22 | C8S45A | QK714D |
| Media Type Supported | Combo | Combo | Combo | Twisted Pair / Fiber / Combo | Twisted Pair / Fiber |
| Memory | 256 MB | 256 MB | 512 MB | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Number of Downlink Ports | 24 Ports | 24 Ports | 24 Ports | 8 Ports | 24 Ports |
| Number of Ethernet Ports | 24–48 Ports | 24–48 Ports | 24–48 Ports | 12–24 Ports | 24–48 Ports |
| POE Support | POE+ | POE+ | POE+ | POE+ | POE+ |
| Power Consumption | 150 W | 35 W | 150 W | 48 W | 120W |
| Power Source | Redundant Power Supply / AC Power Supply | AC Power Supply | Redundant Power Supply / AC Power Supply | Redundant Power Supply / AC Power Supply | Redundant Power Supply / AC Power Supply |
| Product Name | C8S46A Enterprise Managed Switch | C8R42A Advanced Managed Switch | High-Performance Managed Switch 834976-B22 | C8S45A Advanced Enterprise Switch | QK714D High-Performance Data Center Switch |
| Product Type | Switch | Switch | Switch | Switch | Switch |
| Rack Units | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU |
| Redundant Power Supply Supported | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SFP Ports | 4 SFP Ports | 4 SFP Ports | 4 SFP Ports | 4 SFP Ports | 12 SFP Ports |
| Switching Capacity | 128 Gbps | 256 Gbps | 128 Gbps | 128 Gbps | 100 Gbps |
| Switching Capacity with Stacking | 256 Gbps | 512 Gbps | 256 Gbps | 256 Gbps | 150 Gbps |
| Uplink Configuration | 10G | 10G | 10G | 1G / 10G | 10G |
| Weight | 15 lbs | 12 lbs | 14 lbs | 12 lbs | 15 lbs |
| Width | 17.5 inches | 17.6 inches | 17.5 inches | 17 inches | 17.5 inches |
Compliance & Coverage
100% Genuine Product Guarantee
Every unit is authentic, sourced through trusted and authorised channels, and serial-verified on request. Genuine networking and IT hardware, guaranteed, or your money back.
Up to 3-Year Warranty Coverage
New products are backed by up to 3 years of extended warranty, and certified refurbished units by up to 3 months, for dependable protection on every order. Coverage is clear, honoured in full, and confirmed on each product page.
Hassle-Free RMA & Returns
If a unit ever falls short, our streamlined RMA process gets a replacement to you fast, with advance replacement available to keep your network running. No jargon, no runaround.
Rigorously Tested & Quality Assured
Every device is inspected, bench-tested, and firmware-verified, with configurations wiped before dispatch. Additional testing can be arranged to confirm full working condition on request.
Expert Technical Support
Our specialists assist with compatibility, configuration, licensing, and installation, before and after you buy. Real hardware expertise, whenever you need it.
Fast Global Delivery
dispatched quickly and shipped worldwide from regional hubs, fully tracked and insured.
Reviews & Ratings
G
Gareth Lawson
5
Embedded SAN switch worked seamlessly with blade servers.
P
Peter Collins
4
Stable Fibre Channel connectivity for shared storage.
V
Victor Adams
5
Easy to manage and monitor.
M
Martin Keaton
4
Reliable performance under daily workloads.
J
Julian Brooks
5
Solid embedded SAN option.
Questions & Answers
What is the Brocade 16Gb/28c Embedded SAN Switch (SKU C8S46A)?
The Brocade 16Gb/28c Embedded SAN Switch (C8S46A) is a 16 Gbps Fibre Channel switch with 28 integrated ports designed for server blade enclosures to deliver high-performance storage connectivity.
What are the key features of the Brocade 16Gb/28c Embedded SAN Switch?
Key features include 16 Gbps per port, 28 full-speed Fibre Channel ports, integrated ISL trunking, advanced zoning, QoS, secure fabric services and seamless integration with HP blade servers.
How many ports does the Brocade 16Gb/28c Embedded SAN Switch provide?
This switch provides 28 full-speed 16 Gbps Fibre Channel ports, enabling high-density SAN connectivity within blade server chassis.
What Fibre Channel speed does the Brocade 16Gb/28c switch support?
Each port on the Brocade 16Gb/28c switch supports up to 16 Gbps Fibre Channel, ensuring low latency and high throughput for demanding workloads.
Which server platforms is this switch compatible with?
The C8S46A switch is certified for HP ProLiant Gen9 and newer blade enclosures, including the Synergy and BL series, for out-of-the-box integration.
How do I manage the Brocade 16Gb/28c Embedded SAN Switch?
You can manage the switch using Brocade Network Advisor, Brocade Web Tools GUI or the CLI for configuration, monitoring and diagnostics.
Does the Brocade 16Gb/28c switch support high availability?
Yes. It offers redundant ISLs, nondisruptive firmware upgrades and multipathing support to maximize SAN uptime and resiliency.
What are the power and cooling requirements?
The switch draws 60 W nominal power and requires standard blade chassis cooling. It operates between 10 °C and 35 °C with front-to-back airflow.
What use cases is this switch best suited for?
Ideal use cases include virtualization, database clustering, backup and archive, high-performance computing and any environment requiring low-latency storage access.
What benefits does the Brocade 16Gb/28c switch deliver?
It delivers increased bandwidth, lower latency, simplified zoning, robust security, centralized management and seamless integration with HP blade architectures.
How do I install the Brocade 16Gb/28c Embedded SAN Switch?
Installation is tool-free: insert the switch module into the designated blade bay, connect Fibre Channel trunks and power on the chassis for automatic discovery.
What warranty and support options are available?
The C8S46A includes a one-year limited warranty with optional HP Care Pack services offering multi-year coverage, 24x7 support and expedited parts replacement.
What security features are built into the switch?
Security features include fabric binding, secure login (LDAP, RADIUS), port binding, FC-SP encryption support and role-based access control.
How scalable is the Brocade 16Gb/28c switch?
You can scale from a single blade chassis to multi-chassis fabrics by linking switches via ISLs and expanding ports without performance degradation.
How do I update the firmware on this switch?
Firmware can be updated nondisruptively via Brocade Network Advisor or CLI by uploading the new image to the switch and following the upgrade wizard.
What environmental specifications does the switch meet?
The switch meets NEBS Level 3 and RoHS compliance, operates at 10–35 °C, 10–90% non-condensing humidity, and withstands 5–500 Hz vibration.
What monitoring and diagnostic tools are available?
Built-in diagnostics include real-time performance monitoring, fabric health checks, port error counters, event logging and alerting via SNMP or email.