Quick Answer
R8N85A and R8N85B are identical Aruba CX 6000 switches.
R8N85B is the current Canadian SKU replacing the legacy R8N85A.
👉 For new purchases, choose R8N85B.
R8N85B replaces R8N85A — no hardware changes.
Why This Matters
Procurement teams often see both SKUs and assume a difference.
There isn’t one.
What You Should Do
- Replace A with B on all BOMs
- Order B for new deployments
TL;DR
Same switch, new SKU.
For a full description on the possible reasons why Aruba has transitioned the CX 6000 series in Canada from “A” SKUs to “B” SKUs click here.