Aruba CX 6200M — Stackable access with hot-swap power & 60W PoE

What it is: Aruba’s Layer-3 access switch family with modular, hot-swappable PSUs and fans for extra resiliency. It runs AOS-CX like the rest of the CX lineup and stacks up to 8 with VSF, so day-to-day operations feel simple and familiar. Models push up to 1440W of PoE and support 30–60W per port (Class 4 & Class 6), ideal for dense APs, cameras, and IoT.

Why buyers pick 6200M (in plain English)

• Built for uptime at the edge: dual, hot-swappable power supplies & fans; keep serving while you service.

• Serious PoE headroom: chassis options up to 1440W total PoE with 30–60W/port depending on model.

• Simple to scale: VSF stacks (up to 8) via the built-in SFP+ uplinks; long-range optics let stacks span closets.

• Unified operations: same AOS-CX OS, Network Analytics Engine, Switch Multi-Edit, and Aruba Central management.

60-second spec box (6200M only)

Access ports

• 24 or 48 × 1G RJ-45 (model-dependent).

• One special model adds 12 Smart Rate RJ-45 (1/2.5/5G) for multi-gig APs.

Uplinks (built-in)

• 4 × SFP+ (1/10G); used for data and front-plane stacking.

Power over Ethernet

• Class 4 (30W/port) on PoE+ models; Class 6 (up to 60W/port) on the SR5 model.

• System PoE budget up to 1440W (model/PSU-dependent).

Stacking / HA

• VSF (Virtual Switching Framework): up to 8 members; stacking over SFP+ with support for long-range transceivers.

OS & management

• AOS-CX, Network Analytics Engine, Switch Multi-Edit, web UI/CLI, Aruba Central (cloud or on-prem).

Performance (series typicals)

• Switching capacity up to 176 Gbps, throughput up to 130.9 Mpps (varies by SKU).

Physical (1U fixed-depth chassis)

• Approx. 44.2 W × 38.5 D × 4.4 H cm; weight ~5.4–6.3 kg depending on model.

Model guide (what to order)

Standard access (1G downlinks):

• R8Q67A — 24G, no PoE; 4× SFP+ uplinks

• R8Q68A — 24G PoE+, 4× SFP+; hot-swap PSUs/fans

• R8Q69A — 48G, no PoE; 4× SFP+

• R8Q70A — 48G PoE+, 4× SFP+

Multi-gig access (AP-heavy floors):

• R8Q71A — 36× 1G + 12× Smart Rate (1/2.5/5G), Class 6 PoE, 4× SFP+ uplinks

(TAA variants: R8V08A / R8V09A / R8V10A / R8V11A / R8V12A.)

Supported power supplies (hot-swap):

• JL085A (X371) 250W (non-PoE models)

• JL086A (X372) 680W; JL087A (X372) 1050W (PoE models)
  Use one or two PSUs per chassis to meet your PoE budget and redundancy target.

Where it fits (and when to step up/down)

• Perfect for: campus/branch access where you want stacking + hot-swap serviceability and robust PoE for APs/cameras.

• Pick 6200F instead if you don’t need hot-swap PSUs/fans or 60W/port and want the most economical fixed chassis.

• Pick 6300 if you need broader mGig (incl. 10G copper on certain SKUs) or higher-speed uplinks at the edge. (6200M tops out at 1/2.5/5G on the SR5 model and 10G on SFP+ uplinks.)

Fine print (that still matters)

• Smart Rate (“SR5”) model details: R8Q71A provides 12× 1/2.5/5G copper ports with Class 6 PoE for high-draw APs. Verify MACsec/feature specifics per SKU in the official datasheet/QuickSpecs.

• Dimensions, weights & environment vary slightly by model; see the Start-Here/Install PDF for the full table.

TL;DR

6200M is the “stack it, swap it, power anything” access switch: keep the closet live while you replace a PSU/fan, run real L3 at the edge, and power modern APs with up to 60W/port and big total PoE—all managed the same way as the rest of your CX network.