Detailed Specifications
HPE C8S46B Brocade 16 Gb/28C SAN Switch for BladeSystem c-Class
Overview
The HPE C8S46B is an embedded Fibre Channel switch module designed for the HPE BladeSystem c-Class enclosure, aimed at storage and SAN infrastructure engineers who require high-density fabric connectivity inside blade-server chassis. The module supports up to 16 Gbps per port, enabling high-throughput SAN connectivity within the blade enclosure. It actively addresses the need to reduce external cabling and switching layers by embedding SAN switching directly inside the blade system. It fits into the designated switch bay of the c-Class enclosure, leveraging shared power, cooling and backplane, making it well-suited for blade server farms, virtualised compute clusters and high-performance storage environments. The device integrates with existing SAN fabric management and zoning toolsets, and provides trunking and autosensing features to align with evolving port-speed and capacity needs.
Key Features
Up to 28 Fibre Channel ports with support for internal and external connectivity
Supports Fibre Channel port speeds of 16 Gbps with backward compatibility for 8 Gb and 4 Gb devices
Embedded blade-module design for HPE BladeSystem c-Class enclosures (zero-footprint external switch)
Non-blocking architecture with up to 896 Gbps full-duplex aggregate bandwidth
Trunking support (up to 8-port trunk groups) for high-bandwidth ISL links
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|
| Brand | HPE |
| Part Number | C8S46B |
| Product Type | Fibre Channel Switch Module - Embedded (BladeSystem c-Class) |
| Port Speed | 16 Gbps (User-ports) |
| Port Count | Up to 28 ports |
| Architecture Bandwidth | Up to 896 Gbps full-duplex aggregate |
| Trunking Capability | Up to eight ports combined into one trunk (≈ 128 Gbps balanced) |
| Compatible Enclosure | HPE BladeSystem c-Class Switch Bay |
| Internal Ports | Auto-sensing 8, 16 Gbps for blade-mezzanine links |
| External Ports | External SFP+ ports (auto-sensing) |
| Backward Port Speed Support | 8 Gbps, 4 Gbps Fibre Channel |
| Use Case | Internal blade-server SAN fabrics, high-density virtualised storage |
| Mounting Style | Slot-module in blade chassis backplane |
