HPE Q2S18B 

SN6650B 32 Gb Fibre Channel Switch– 48‑Port Managed (Options Enabled)

The HPE Q2S18B (SN6650B) is a rack-mounted Fibre Channel Switch offering 48 active 32 Gb/s SFP+ ports, plusoptional activation of up to 96 ports via Ports‑on‑Demand (PoD). It is designed for enterprise SAN and NVMe-over-FC storage fabrics, delivering 32 Gb/s FC auto-sensing compatibility with legacy 16/8/4 Gb systems. With up to 4 Tb/s aggregate bandwidth, ultra‑low latency (< 780 ns), and frame throughput up to 566 million frames/sec (~100 M IOPS), it caters to high-performance data center workloads like flash/NVMe storage, backup, and cloud applications. Software support includes HPE Power Pack+ SAN management tools for automation, analytics, and REST API access. ([turn0search0], [turn0search2], [turn0search8])

Features

This 2U managed switch features 48 short-wave SFP+ ports onboard (via SKU Q9V95C), with optional Port-On-Demand kits allowing activation of up to 96 active ports including QSFP+ (4×32 Gb breakout) connections for increased fabric density ([turn0search0], [turn0search4]). The system provides 4 Tb/s switching capacity, delivered through cut-through hardware for predictable sub-microsecond latency across storage workloads. It thoroughly supports NVMe/FC fabrics and provides analytics with VM-level granularity, I/O insight, and in-flight encryption/compression up to 384 Gbps/192 Gbps. ([turn0search0], [turn0search2]) Advanced RAS features like frame-level diagnostics, redundant power/fan designs, and fabric resiliency mechanisms improve uptime in mission-critical environments. HPE Power Pack+ software adds automation via Ansible, REST APIs, and support for I/O Insight and VM Insight—delivering deep visibility and orchestration for modern SAN deployments. ([turn0search0], [turn0search8])

Advanced Options

Backward compatibility across Fibre Channel standards (32/16/10/8/4 Gb) ensures seamless fabric upgrades. The switch integrates with common storage arrays like HPE3PAR, Nimble, and MSA, supporting zoning, WWN management, and fabric fabric features. CLI and GUI management options include SSH, SNMP v3, and integration with HPE SANnav or third-party orchestration platforms.The SN6650B distinguishes itself with ultra‑low latency (< 780 ns) and high throughput, well-suited for latency-sensitive flash and NVMe storage fabrics. Despite heavy traffic, frame loss is minimized via cut-through switching, and I/O insight features enable real-time health monitoring and analytics. ([turn0search0])