PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Aruba (HPE) Aruba CX 6200
Aruba (HPE) Aruba CX 6200
★ 4.2 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Switching Capacity: 128 Gbps (24-port models); 176 Gbps (48-port models)
  • Forwarding Rate: 95.2 Mpps (24-port models); 130.9 Mpps (48-port models)
  • Ports (breakdown): 24x or 48x 10/100/1000BASE-T (PoE+ on PoE SKUs) + 4x SFP/SFP+ uplinks (1GbE/10GbE); 6200M models add 4x SFP+ uplinks
  • PoE Budget: 370W Class 4 (24G and 48G 370W SKUs); 740W Class 4 (48-port 6200F PoE SKU); up to 1440W Class 6 (60W per port) on 6200M PoE SKUs. Varies by SKU
  • Layer: L2/L3 (Layer 3 static routing; dynamic routing depends on software license)
  • Stacking support: Yes, VSF virtual stacking up to 8 members (single logical device); VSX redundancy also supported

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Fixed-port, Layer 2/3 managed access switch in a compact 1U form factor; Wide range of PoE and non-PoE SKUs (370W, 740W, and 1440W class 6 PoE options) for IP phones, cameras, and APs; VSF stacking of up to 8 members simplifies management as one logical device; Full Aruba CX OS features with REST API, network analytics, and automation support via Aruba Central; Solid mid-range pricing compared with enterprise-class core switches; 10GbE SFP+ uplinks support aggregation and campus backbone links
  • ✘ Cons: Model and SKU naming (6200F vs 6200M, 24G vs 48G, PoE vs non-PoE) is confusing and specs differ significantly between variants; Public spec sources conflict on some figures (for example, 6200F throughput and uplink types), so exact datasheet values should be verified per SKU; Dynamic routing and advanced L3 features require additional licensing; Power budget is limited on 370W and 740W SKUs, so high-draw PoE devices may not all be supported at full load; Pricing is in USD only for 6200F SKUs. European 6200M pricing was found only in EUR and GBP, and no official HPE list price was confirmed
  • Est. Price: $4,261 - $8,663

Compare Against

Fortinet FortiSwitch 124G-FPOE
Fortinet FortiSwitch 124G-FPOE
★ 3.9 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Switching Capacity: 240 Gbps (duplex)
  • Forwarding Rate: 355 Mpps (duplex)
  • Ports (breakdown): 24x 2.5G/1G/100M/10M RJ45 (8x 802.3bt 90W PoE, 16x 802.3af/at 30W PoE); 6x 10G/1G SFP+/SFP uplinks; 1x RJ45 serial console
  • PoE Budget: 780 W total PoE output
  • Layer: L2 (FortiLink-managed FortiGate switch controller compatible)
  • Stacking support: Not stated in available sources
  • Form Factor: 1 RU rack mount
  • MAC Address Table: 32K entries
  • Packet Buffer: 2 MB
  • Latency: Under 1 u00b5s

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: 24 multi-gig access ports (2.5G/1G/100M) for wireless and high-speed endpoints; 780 W PoE budget with 8 ports supporting 802.3bt (90W) for high-power devices; 240 Gbps switching capacity with 355 Mpps forwarding and sub-microsecond latency; 6 SFP+ 10G uplinks; managed through FortiGate/FortiLink with port-level security, quarantine and VLAN deployment; 1 RU rack-mountable form factor
  • ✘ Cons: Switching capacity is listed as 128 Gbps by one source but 240 Gbps by most others, so verify against Fortinet's official datasheet; one retailer lists the product as End of Life, so confirm availability before buying; FortiCare support is sold separately and some contracts are renewal-only; prices vary widely across resellers ($1,508.72 to $2,370.00 MSRP) and some listings do not clearly state currency; best value depends on a FortiGate/FortiLink deployment, which may be overkill for simple office use; no independent reviews were found, and stacking support is not confirmed
  • Est. Price: $1,509 - $2,370

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