J9987A - Aruba 24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T MACsec v3 zl2 Module

HPE J9987A — Aruba 24-Port 10/100/1000BASE-T MACsec v3 zl2 Module

What it is

J9987A is an HPE Aruba zl2 expansion module for Aruba modular switches (such as the Aruba 5400R Series with zl2 chassis).
It provides 24 × 10/100/1000BASE-T downlink ports with MACsec v3 support for enhanced data-in-transit security and traffic protection in enterprise networks.

Why buyers pick J9987A (plain English)

24 Gigabit copper ports
Adds a full set of RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet ports to a modular switch chassis for access or aggregation use.

MACsec v3 security built in
Supports hardware MACsec v3 encryption and decryption on all ports, protecting traffic at line rate between network hops.

Modular flexibility
Installs into Aruba zl2 slots, allowing incremental growth and port density expansion without replacing the entire switch.

Enterprise performance
Ideal for access aggregation, secure uplinks, and environments where security and performance matter.

Aruba OS-CX / AOS support
Works with Aruba switching platforms that support zl2 modules and MACsec features.

60-second spec box (J9987A)

Module type
zl2 expansion module

Downlink ports
24 × 10/100/1000BASE-T (RJ-45)

Security
MACsec v3 hardware support

Form factor
Aruba zl2 module

Management
Aruba OS-CX / AOS

Use case
Secure access aggregation, enterprise edge switching, MACsec-enabled deployments.

Where it fits (and when to choose something else)

Perfect for:

• Modular Aruba zl2 chassis (e.g., Aruba 5400R Series with zl2)

• Secure enterprise access layer connectivity

• Environments requiring line-rate MACsec encryption

• Network designs needing flexible port density expansion

Choose something else if:

• You don’t need MACsec → standard zl2 modules

• You need fiber ports → SFP/SFP+ zl2 modules

• You need higher speed → 10Gb/25Gb zl2 modules

TL;DR

J9987A is Aruba’s 24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T MACsec v3 zl2 module:
a secure, high-density Ethernet expansion card for modular Aruba switches supporting hardware MACsec encryption.