R8Q71A HPE Aruba 6200m Poe 4sfp+ 48-Ports Manageable Rack-mountable Switch.

48-Port Power over Ethernet (PoE) Capability

Designed to power IP phones, wireless access points, surveillance cameras, and IoT devices, the switch’s PoE ports support IEEE 802.3af/at standards. These ports can deliver consistent and reliable power directly to connected devices without the need for additional power supplies. With intelligent power allocation, the switch dynamically manages the power budget to ensure optimal energy usage while maintaining full performance.

Energy-Efficient Design

The Aruba 6200M PoE switch incorporates Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) standards that help reduce operational costs by lowering energy consumption during periods of low data activity. Its smart fans, thermal sensors, and power-saving features contribute to lower total cost of ownership, making it an environmentally responsible solution.

Advanced Networking with 4 SFP+ Uplinks

Equipped with four 10GbE SFP+ uplink ports, the HPE R8Q71A ensures high-speed connectivity to core networks or aggregation switches. These uplinks offer seamless bandwidth scalability, facilitating aggregation of multiple access switches or direct connection to distribution or core layers. This makes the 6200M suitable for enterprise campus cores or high-density wiring closets.

High Availability and Redundancy

The uplinks support link aggregation and redundant connections, helping maintain network availability even in the event of link or port failure. With intelligent failover mechanisms, traffic is automatically rerouted, ensuring consistent connectivity and minimizing downtime.

Aruba AOS-CX Operating System and Intelligent Management

The switch runs on Aruba’s modern AOS-CX network operating system, which features a distributed architecture for fault isolation and resilience. With an intuitive web GUI, REST APIs, and CLI support, IT administrators gain flexible management options and real-time visibility into the network’s health.

Aruba Network Analytics Engine (NAE)

The integrated Network Analytics Engine (NAE) provides real-time monitoring and advanced analytics. By leveraging telemetry and automated event correlation, NAE helps rapidly identify and resolve issues before they impact business operations. The switch also supports dynamic and automated configuration through RESTful APIs and Python scripting.

Configuration and Monitoring

Administrators can manage configurations with cloud-based Aruba Central or locally via Command-Line Interface (CLI) and Web GUI. The switch supports SNMP, sFlow, NetFlow, and port mirroring for robust monitoring and traffic analysis.

Layer 3 Switching and Routing Performance

The HPE Aruba 6200M delivers enterprise-grade Layer 3 capabilities, including OSPF, static routing, policy-based routing, VRRP, and dynamic segmentation. These features enable the switch to operate efficiently in both large-scale LANs and distributed edge environments.

Routing Protocol Support

The switch includes support for RIP, OSPF, and static routing, enabling the creation of scalable and redundant routing paths. VRRP (Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol) adds failover capabilities by ensuring gateway availability.

Security with Dynamic Segmentation

Aruba’s Dynamic Segmentation technology allows IT teams to apply role-based access controls across wired and wireless networks. It automates traffic segmentation and security policies, ensuring appropriate access for users, devices, and applications regardless of their connection point.

Robust Security Features

The HPE R8Q71A switch enhances network security through 802.1X authentication, DHCP snooping, IP Source Guard, and dynamic ARP inspection. These features protect against spoofing and man-in-the-middle attacks. MACsec (IEEE 802.1AE) encryption provides layer 2 traffic security without compromising performance.

Access Control and Threat Protection

Integrated Access Control Lists (ACLs) and user-role policies help filter and restrict traffic based on security posture, ensuring that only authorized devices communicate across the network. Combined with Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager, IT teams can implement identity-based security measures.

Secure Management Interfaces

Secure access protocols such as SSH, HTTPS, and SNMPv3 ensure that management traffic is encrypted and authenticated. This prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to the switch configuration and data.

Scalability and Stackable Architecture

The Aruba 6200M supports Virtual Switching Extension (VSX), enabling high availability and simplified scalability through switch stacking. This architecture allows multiple switches to operate as a single virtual switch, offering ease of management and enhanced resilience.

Redundancy Through Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation (MC-LAG)

By enabling MC-LAG, the 6200M supports dual-homed topologies that provide seamless failover and link redundancy. This is critical in high-availability environments such as data centers and enterprise backbones.

Modular Power Supply and Fans

The switch’s modular design with hot-swappable power supplies and fans offers additional resilience. This allows for maintenance and hardware replacements without network downtime.

Flexible Deployment Options

Thanks to its 1U rack-mountable form factor, the Aruba 6200M fits seamlessly into standard server racks and network closets. It’s ideal for a wide range of deployments, including:

• Enterprise campus access layers
• Wiring closets in medium to large businesses
• Branch office infrastructure
• IoT and smart building implementations

Silent Operation and Reduced Noise Levels

Despite its high port density and PoE capabilities, the switch is optimized for quiet operation, making it suitable for sound-sensitive environments such as schools, retail locations, or open offices.

Warranty and Support Services

The Aruba 6200M series comes with limited lifetime warranty and optional support services including HPE Foundation Care and Proactive Care. These services offer software updates, expert-level technical support, and hardware replacement to ensure uptime and business continuity.

Firmware and Software Updates

Continuous innovation from Aruba ensures that firmware and OS updates are regularly released. Customers receive ongoing access to new features and bug fixes, helping them maintain peak performance and network security over time.

Ideal Use Cases for HPE R8Q71A Aruba 6200M Switches

The HPE R8Q71A Aruba 6200M switch is tailored for enterprise networks requiring scalable performance, superior PoE capabilities, and simplified management. It excels in:

• High-density access deployments in campuses and headquarters
• Branch office consolidation with simplified network management
• IoT convergence with integrated security and traffic segmentation
• Unified wired and wireless networks leveraging Aruba Central

Integration with Aruba’s Ecosystem

This switch integrates seamlessly with Aruba wireless access points, security gateways, and ClearPass Policy Manager. The end result is a unified wired and wireless solution with automated device onboarding, policy enforcement, and traffic visibility.

IoT and Edge Readiness

Built to support massive device density, the 6200M is future-proof for IoT scalability, device authentication, and automation. It helps enterprises move toward smart building solutions with secure and efficient infrastructure.