HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series

Server-to-server traffic increases as applications are distributed, placing pressure on switching at the network edge and aggregation layers. Limited visibility and manual configuration add operational overhead. The HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series addresses this with high-performance fixed switching and automation, designed for data centre access and campus aggregation roles.

They are deployed where servers, storage, and services connect into the network. These switches improve application performance, reduce manual management time, and support predictable traffic handling.

HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series Quick Specs & Key Features

Data Centre Top-of-Rack Switching: Designed for server connectivity in data centre racks, providing high-speed Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching for east-west traffic.
High-Speed 25/100GbE Connectivity: Supports high-bandwidth interfaces to connect servers and aggregation layers with consistent low-latency forwarding.
Cloud-Native Operating System: Uses a database-driven switching architecture to maintain consistent state and simplify network operations and troubleshooting.

Virtual Switching Framework: Combines multiple switches into a single logical system to simplify management and provide link and node redundancy.
Network Analytics Engine: Monitors events and telemetry in real time to support faster fault detection and operational visibility.
EVPN-VXLAN Support: Enables scalable network virtualisation to extend Layer 2 networks across Layer 3 infrastructure.

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Find your ideal HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series

Full technical specifications are available on each product page.

Model	Popularity	Deployment	Target Organisation Size	Primary Use Case	Access Ports	Port Configuration	Maximum Port Speed	PoE Budget (W)	Maximum Switching Capacity (Gbps)	Stackable	Operating System / Management Platform
HPE Aruba CX 8100 24-Port 10GBASE-T Switch	★ ★ ★	Data Centre	Enterprise	Leaf	24	24×RJ45 10G + 4×SFP+ + 4×QSFP28	100G	None	1360	Not supported	AOS-CX	View
HPE Aruba CX 8100 24-Port SFP+ Switch	★ ★ ★	Data Centre	Enterprise	Leaf	24	24×SFP+ + 4×QSFP28	100G	None	1280	Not supported	AOS-CX	View
HPE Aruba CX 8100 48-Port SFP+ Switch	★ ★ ★	Data Centre	Enterprise	Leaf	48	48×SFP+ + 4×QSFP28	100G	None	1760	Not supported	AOS-CX	View

HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series Deployment Scenarios and Industries

Data Centres & Top-of-Rack Switching

Data centre teams connect servers, storage, and application platforms where east-west traffic and throughput are critical. HPE Aruba CX 8100 supports these environments as a top-of-rack platform, providing high-speed connectivity and consistent performance across virtualised and containerised workloads.

Software Development & Platform Environments

Development teams run build pipelines, container platforms, and internal services where traffic between systems can scale rapidly. Aruba CX 8100 supports these environments with switching designed for high-density workloads and consistent data movement across development infrastructure.

Media & Production Networks

Media teams move large files between editing, storage, and rendering systems where throughput affects production timelines. Aruba CX 8100 supports these workflows with high-capacity switching that maintains consistent data flow across production networks.

Finance & Transaction Systems

Finance organisations operate transaction and analytics systems where latency and reliability affect operations. Aruba CX 8100 supports these environments with predictable performance and switching suited to high-demand application infrastructure.

Enterprise & Campus Aggregation

Enterprise teams connect access and core layers across campus networks where scalability and consistent performance are required. Aruba CX 8100 supports these deployments as an aggregation platform, maintaining reliable connectivity between users, applications, and central systems.

HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series Management and Licensing Options

Aruba Central

Manage your entire switching, wireless, and WAN estate from a single cloud-native dashboard. Aruba Central delivers AI-powered network insights, automated configuration and firmware management, and real-time anomaly detection across all sites — reducing operational overhead and giving your team full visibility without being on-site.

Ask us about Aruba Central

Aruba ClearPass

Enforce consistent, policy-driven access control across wired and wireless networks regardless of device type or user role. ClearPass authenticates every endpoint before granting access, segments traffic dynamically, and provides full visibility into who and what is connected across your environment — reducing your attack surface and simplifying compliance reporting.

Ask us about Aruba ClearPass

As an authorised HPE partner, we’re here to help your organisation select, configure, and manage the right combination of platforms and services to efficiently scale and support your new solution long-term. Contact our HPE specialists for guidance today.

Shop All HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series Models

Browse our full range below, or contact our team for tailored configuration advice.

HPE Aruba CX 8100 24-Port 10GBASE-T Switch
Price range: £13,222.98 through £17,434.00 Ex. VAT
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View models This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
HPE Aruba CX 8100 24-Port SFP+ Switch
Price range: £6,400.00 through £15,920.00 Ex. VAT
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View models This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
HPE Aruba CX 8100 48-Port SFP+ Switch
Price range: £9,000.00 through £19,659.00 Ex. VAT
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View models This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

Designing & Supporting HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series Solutions

Backed by decades of expertise in the IT sector, our specialists support every stage of your deployment — from initial selection through to long-term lifecycle management.

Tailored Switch Selection: Our specialists evaluate your network environment from the ground up — port density, uplink requirements, PoE budgets, VLAN complexity, and throughput demands all considered before a recommendation is made. Whether you’re refreshing an office access layer, connecting a factory floor, or building out a data centre fabric, you get the right switch for your environment, not an over-engineered or underpowered compromise.
Deployment & Integration: Our engineers manage end-to-end switch installation and network integration — cabling infrastructure, stack configuration, inter-VLAN routing, and integration with existing firewalls, wireless controllers, and management platforms — fully configured and tested so your team inherits a working network from day one.
Network Visibility & Security: Choosing the right management software and licensing is critical to getting full value from your switching infrastructure. Our specialists help you identify the right vendor platform for your needs — covering network-wide visibility, switch management, security monitoring, and analytics and reporting.

Industrial & Harsh Environments: Our team has hands-on experience deploying managed switches in demanding conditions — production facilities, outdoor enclosures, transportation infrastructure, and sites with extreme temperature, vibration, or dust exposure. We specify and commission ruggedised switching hardware built to perform where standard office-grade equipment would not.
Data Centre & High-Density Switching: Our consultants provide specialist guidance on spine-leaf architectures, 25/100GbE deployments, low-latency fabrics, and ToR switching configurations — helping your team build scalable, resilient data centre networks without starting the design process from scratch.
Lifecycle Support & Management: We provide proactive switch monitoring, firmware management, and support packages built around your network infrastructure — with remote diagnostic capability and response times matched to the criticality of each environment, from a branch office to a production data centre.
Strategy & Roadmapping: Our consultants run structured sessions to assess your current network architecture, identify bottlenecks and risk, and produce a clear switching roadmap — whether you’re consolidating a multi-site estate, planning a data centre refresh, or introducing managed switching to an industrial environment for the first time.

HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series FAQ

What is the difference between the CX8100-24, CX8100-24-Base-T, and CX8100-48 within the HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series?

All three are fixed 1U switches with the same 40/100GbE uplinks, full Layer 3 routing, and the same software feature set. The CX8100-24 uses 24 fibre SFP+ ports for server connections. The CX8100-24-Base-T uses 24 copper RJ-45 ports, which connect directly to servers without optical transceivers. The CX8100-48 provides 48 fibre SFP+ ports for environments with higher server density.

Does the HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series require cloud management to operate?

No. The HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series is fully manageable on-premises via CLI, web interface, and REST API. HPE Aruba Networking Central is optional and adds broader visibility across the wider network. Organisations that cannot send network management data outside their own environment can operate the CX 8100 Series without any cloud dependency.

What airflow and uplink options are available on the HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series?

Each HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series model is sold in bundles that support two airflow directions — front-to-back and back-to-front. Front-to-back suits hot-aisle/cold-aisle data centre rack layouts, where cool air enters from the port side and exits at the rear. The 40/100GbE uplink ports can also be split into four 10GbE or four 25GbE connections each using breakout cables, giving more flexibility in how the switch connects upward.

How does the HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series compare to higher-capacity switches in the same environment?

The HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series provides up to 1.76 Tbps of switching capacity and suits environments where that throughput is sufficient — campus aggregation or data centre top-of-rack where 10GbE server connections are the primary requirement. The CX 8360 supports up to 4.8 Tbps and a wider range of port speeds. The CX 8100 is the right fit where the workload does not require that additional headroom.

How is security handled on the HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series?

Each switch includes a hardware-based Trusted Platform Module (TPM), which checks at boot that the device has not been tampered with. The operating system uses FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography, meeting a standard required in many government and regulated sector environments. Access control is enforced through 802.1X port authentication and Dynamic Segmentation, which applies policy based on the identity of the connecting user or device rather than their physical port.

Does the HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series support storage traffic alongside standard network traffic?

Yes. The HPE Aruba CX 8100 Series supports RoCE v2, NVMe over Fabrics, and iSCSI — protocols used to carry high-speed storage traffic across standard network cabling. This allows server-to-storage and server-to-server traffic to share the same switch, avoiding the need for a separate dedicated storage network. Appropriate QoS and lossless configuration are required to support these protocols correctly.

Need a different solution?

If these options aren’t the right fit for your environment, we provide a wide portfolio of product series and solutions that may better suit your infrastructure. Explore below, or speak to our team and we’ll help you find the right match.

Ready to discuss your requirements?

Whether you know exactly what you need or you’re still evaluating options, our team is available for a no-obligation conversation.