Is the HP C8S46A available refurbished? +
Yes. This page lists the refurbished condition currently available from BuyRouterSwitch. Availability can change, especially for bulk orders.
Can I request bulk pricing for C8S46A? +
Yes. Businesses, resellers, MSPs, government buyers and procurement teams can request custom quantity pricing.
Does BuyRouterSwitch ship C8S46A internationally? +
BuyRouterSwitch ships enterprise IT hardware to customers in the United States and international markets, subject to destination and product restrictions.
What is the primary function of the Brocade 16Gb/28c Embedded SAN Switch C8S46A? +
The C8S46A is a high-performance 16Gb Fibre Channel embedded switch designed to integrate directly into HPE blade enclosures. It provides high-speed connectivity between compute nodes and your storage area network, effectively reducing cable clutter while maintaining enterprise-class data throughput for demanding virtualization and database workloads.
How many ports does the C8S46A provide for storage connectivity? +
This model features 28 ports total, supporting 16Gb/s Fibre Channel performance. These include a mix of internal server-facing ports and external uplink ports, allowing for scalable connectivity to external storage arrays and core fabric switches, making it an ideal choice for high-density blade server environments.
Is the C8S46A compatible with my existing HPE blade server infrastructure? +
The C8S46A is specifically engineered for seamless integration with HPE BladeSystem c-Class enclosures. Before deployment, verify that your specific blade chassis and interconnect bays support the 16Gb Brocade embedded switch form factor to ensure proper physical fit and electrical compatibility with your backplane.
What management features are available for the Brocade 16Gb/28c switch? +
Management is handled through Brocade’s robust administrative interfaces, providing comprehensive fabric visibility. IT administrators can utilize the Command Line Interface (CLI) or Brocade Network Advisor for centralized monitoring, configuration management, and real-time performance analytics across the storage fabric to ensure optimal health and data traffic flow.
How does the 16Gb speed of the C8S46A impact overall SAN performance? +
Upgrading to 16Gb technology significantly reduces latency and increases bandwidth compared to legacy 8Gb or 4Gb modules. This performance boost is critical for modern storage arrays using flash-based media, enabling faster data access, improved application responsiveness, and the ability to consolidate more workloads onto a single fabric.
Can the C8S46A be deployed in a redundant configuration? +
Yes, this switch supports high-availability deployments. By installing a pair of these switches within your blade chassis, you can achieve fabric redundancy. This setup allows for failover paths, ensuring that storage connectivity remains active even if a single switch module experiences a fault, which is essential for mission-critical enterprise applications.
What is the typical deployment scenario for the C8S46A? +
This switch is designed for data centers and private cloud environments that require high-density storage networking within a blade server footprint. It is best suited for environments running heavy virtualization, large-scale database clusters, or high-performance computing (HPC) tasks that require dedicated, low-latency Fibre Channel connectivity between servers and storage.
Are there specific licensing requirements for enabling advanced fabric features on the C8S46A? +
Standard functionality is typically included with the base hardware, but advanced features such as trunking, fabric vision, or extended distance capabilities may require additional Brocade license keys. We recommend reviewing your specific fabric topology needs to determine if your environment necessitates activating these optional software-defined features.
How can I obtain a bulk quote for the C8S46A from BuyRouterSwitch.com? +
If you are planning a large infrastructure rollout and require a competitive quote for multiple C8S46A units, please reach out to our dedicated sales team via the request-a-quote form on our website. We provide aggressive pricing structures for high-volume orders to help you meet your budgetary requirements while maintaining high-performance standards.
Why should I choose BuyRouterSwitch.com for my HPE storage networking hardware? +
BuyRouterSwitch.com specializes in enterprise-grade networking and storage solutions. We pride ourselves on providing verified, authentic hardware and streamlined procurement processes. By sourcing your C8S46A through us, you gain access to a reliable supply chain and professional sales support dedicated to ensuring your equipment arrives ready for deployment in your critical environment.