HPE JL704C#ABA 48-Port 25GbE/100GbE L3 Aggregation Switch

Overview

The HPE Aruba CX 8360-48Y6C V2, sold as JL704C#ABA in U.S. English localization, is a 1U rack-mountable L3 core/aggregation switch built around 48 SFP28 ports running 25GBase-X and 6 QSFP28 uplinks at 100GBase-X. If your data center or large campus needs a non-blocking spine or distribution layer that can terminate high-density server leaf connections while maintaining 100G uplinks to the core without compromising on port density, this is a purpose-built platform for exactly that job. Explore the broader HPE networking catalog for complementary infrastructure components.

Key Features

• 48 x 25GBase-X SFP28 Downlinks: Each server or top-of-rack leaf connects at 25Gbps — four times the throughput of a 10GbE port in the same SFP form factor. For HPC clusters, NVMe-oF storage fabrics, or virtualization hosts with high east-west traffic, this directly reduces congestion without requiring larger optics or cabling changes. Browse network switches to compare density options across the portfolio.
• 6 x 100GBase-X QSFP28 Uplinks: Six 100G uplinks provide 600Gbps of aggregate spine capacity. A spine-leaf fabric with dual uplinks per switch still leaves four ports free for inter-pod or WAN hand-offs — meaningful headroom in a growing fabric where over-subscription ratios need room to breathe.
• Layer 3 Routing: Full L3 support means you can terminate VLANs, run routing protocols, and segment traffic natively on the switch rather than hairpinning through a dedicated router. For security and surveillance network designs this enables cleaner VLAN separation between camera, access control, and management planes without additional infrastructure.
• 54 Total Expansion Slots (SFP28 + QSFP28): All 54 ports are modular expansion slots — optical fiber only, no copper RJ-45. Plan your cabling accordingly: this is an all-optical platform, which is the right call for inter-rack runs over 10 meters but requires SFP28/QSFP28 transceivers or DAC/AOC cables for every connection. Pair with a compatible fiber transceiver to complete the link.
• 725W Power Consumption: At full port load, plan for 725W per chassis at the PDU. With dual power supply support, you can deploy redundant AC feeds — if one PSU fails mid-shift in a 24/7 operations center, the switch keeps running without intervention. Factor 725W per unit into your rack power budget and cooling load calculations.
• Dual Power Supply Support: The chassis accepts two power supplies simultaneously for N+1 redundancy. In critical environments — trading floors, hospital networks, or always-on video surveillance backbones — this eliminates the PSU as a single point of failure with no configuration required beyond installing the second unit.
• 1U Rack-Mountable, 22-Inch Depth: At 1.7 in tall and 22 in deep, the 8360-48Y6C V2 fits standard 19-inch racks. The 22-inch depth is within the envelope of most data center and IDF racks, but verify your rear clearance before racking — cable management arms and patch panels behind the switch can tighten that margin. See our rack mounting accessories for compatible cable management.
• Front-to-Back Airflow (FB), 50/60 Hz: Front-to-back airflow matches the hot-aisle/cold-aisle convention in modern data centers. The 50/60 Hz dual-frequency AC input handles both U.S. and international facility power without adapter hardware — useful if the same switch model is deployed across domestic and international sites.

Integration and Compatibility

The JL704C#ABA is part of the HPE Aruba CX 8360 series, designed for AOS-CX network operating system. It integrates with HPE Aruba Central for cloud-managed operations and supports standard L3 routing protocols appropriate for enterprise aggregation and data center spine roles. The all-optical port complement — SFP28 and QSFP28 — is compatible with standard 25G and 100G transceivers and passive/active DAC and AOC cables from multiple vendors. Review your fiber infrastructure to ensure compatibility with the connector types and reach requirements of your specific deployment. Country of origin is Singapore; the U.S. English localization (ABA suffix) is configured for domestic commercial deployment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does the JL704C#ABA support copper RJ-45 connections?

A: No. All 54 ports (48 SFP28 + 6 QSFP28) are optical fiber expansion slots. There are no built-in copper RJ-45 ports. Plan for SFP28/QSFP28 transceivers or DAC/AOC cables for every connection.

Q: How many power supplies does the JL704C#ABA support, and are they redundant?

A: The chassis supports 2 power supplies simultaneously, enabling N+1 redundancy. Installing a second PSU eliminates the power supply as a single point of failure with no additional configuration required.

Q: What is the power draw of the JL704C#ABA at full load?

A: Maximum power consumption is 725W. Factor this into your rack PDU capacity and cooling load planning, particularly when deploying multiple units in a high-density rack.

Q: What airflow direction does the JL704C#ABA use?

A: The switch uses front-to-back (FB) airflow, matching the standard hot-aisle/cold-aisle data center convention. Verify your rack airflow design matches before deploying.

Q: What rack space does the JL704C#ABA require?

A: It occupies 1U (1.7 in height) in a standard 19-inch rack. The chassis is 17.4 in wide and 22 in deep — verify rear clearance for cable management before installation.

Q: Is the JL704C#ABA a Layer 2 or Layer 3 switch?

A: It is a Layer 3 switch, supporting full L3 routing natively on the platform — enabling VLAN routing, routing protocol participation, and traffic segmentation without a separate router.

James Everett

When I spec the JL704C#ABA for a client, the number I lead with is 600Gbps of aggregate uplink capacity across those six QSFP28 ports — that is the headroom that separates a switch you grow into from one you replace in 18 months. This is a platform I recommend when the server team is deploying 25G NICs in quantity and the network team needs a non-blocking aggregation tier that won't become the bottleneck the first time storage traffic spikes.

Technical Highlights:

• 48 x 25GBase-X SFP28: Four times the bandwidth of a 10G port in the same footprint — the right density for hypervisor hosts, NVMe-oF nodes, or any workload where east-west traffic dominates and you need headroom per port, not just aggregate.
• 6 x 100GBase-X QSFP28 Uplinks: 600Gbps spine capacity in 1U. In a dual-uplink spine-leaf design, you still have four ports for inter-pod or WAN hand-offs without touching the downlink count.
• Dual PSU / 725W: N+1 power redundancy at 725W total draw. In a 24/7 operations center or a surveillance backbone that cannot tolerate unplanned downtime, the second PSU is insurance that costs almost nothing relative to the downtime it prevents.

Deployment Considerations:

• All 54 ports are optical fiber only — no copper. Budget for SFP28 and QSFP28 transceivers or DAC/AOC cables on every single connection before the switch ships; arriving without optics means zero ports lit on day one.
• At 22 inches deep with front-to-back airflow, confirm rear cable management clearance in your rack before ordering. In densely cabled IDFs, this depth combined with structured cabling arms can eat your rear breathing room faster than the spec sheet suggests.

The JL704C#ABA belongs in a modern spine-leaf data center fabric where server teams have standardized on 25G NICs and the network needs a 1U aggregation tier that can absorb that density today and still offer 100G uplink expansion for the next refresh cycle — not in a campus wiring closet where PoE and copper access matter more than raw fiber throughput.