HPE StoreFabric SN6500B 16Gb 96/48 FC Switch - C8R45B

The HPE C8R45B is an enterprise-class switch purpose-built for high-performance storage networking in demanding enterprise data centers. Supporting advanced data transfer requirements, its scalable architecture adapts to businesses’ ever-growing workloads by offering flexible port expansion options in 24-port increments (up to 96 ports total via Ports on Demand licenses). Designed around 16Gb Fibre Channel ports, the C8R45B achieves aggregate bandwidth of 1,536 Gb/s, autonomously adjusting port speeds between 4, 8, and 16 Gb/s to optimize throughput and resource allocation. This makes it ideal for environments where consistent, high-speed data delivery across massive deployments is critical. Architecture scalability is at the core of the C8R45B, enabling seamless integration of new hardware as data centers grow, and its robust interoperability assures compatibility with a wide range of industry-leading SAN devices and directors. Sophisticated features such as exchange-based load balancing, low local fabric latency (as low as 700 ns), and hot-pluggable media types provide both reliability and flexibility for network expansions and upgrades. Engineered with dual, hot-swappable, redundant power supplies, and equipped with advanced diagnostic port types, the HPE C8R45B empowers organizations to maintain continuous operations, minimize downtime, and sustain peak efficiency in mission-critical data environments. Its multi-class service capability guarantees reliable delivery for a variety of data traffic types, making it a strategic investment for enterprises seeking resilient, high-capacity, and future-proof storage switch solutions.

Product Features Comparison

Model	C8R45B	AQ233B	C1-WS3650-48PS/K9	R8R47A
Port Configuration	Switch mode (default): 48-, 72-, and 96-port configurations (24-port increments via Ports on Demand licenses)	8 x 8Gb Fibre Channel SFP+	48 × 10/100/1000BASE-T, 4 × 1G SFP uplinks	16x 1 Gigabit Ethernet RJ45
Switching Capacity	1,536 Gb/s	n/a	176 Gbps	32 Gbps
Forwarding Rate	n/a	n/a	77.37 Mpps	23.80 Mpps
PoE Budget	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Stacking Capability	n/a	n/a	StackWise-160 (up to 9 units)	n/a