Managed Switch HPE Aruba Networking CX 5420 6-Slot L3 960 Gbit/s

The HPE Aruba Networking CX 5420 Switch Series is a modular, managed Layer 3 chassis switch designed for small and medium enterprise campus and branch networks. The 4U chassis supports up to six half-width line cards and delivers up to 960 Gbit/s switching capacity with a Gen7 ASIC architecture, built-in MACsec hardware capability, analytics and automation through the AOS-CX operating system and the Network Analytics Engine (NAE). The platform supports IEEE 802.3bt PoE (HPE Smart Rate up to 90W Class-8), redundant management modules and power supplies, and advanced routing and high-availability features including BGP, OSPF, VSX and VSX Live Upgrade.

Advantages

The CX 5420 provides high-performance, low-latency switching with up to 714 Mpps forwarding and a switching capacity of 960 Gbit/s in a condensed 4U form factor. Its modular design with six half-width slots enables incremental growth and port diversity while maintaining redundant management and power for availability. AOS-CX unifies operations across the CX portfolio and simplifies configuration and automation, while NAE offers built-in monitoring, troubleshooting and visibility. Hardware MACsec, Always-On PoE and extensive Layer 3 features (BGP, OSPF, PIM) support enterprise-security and advanced routing requirements.

Suitable for

• Campus access and aggregation in small and medium enterprise networks
• Branch office core or aggregation deployments
• Environments requiring high PoE power delivery for devices (IEEE 802.3bt)
• Networks that need modular growth and high availability

Key specifications

• Switch type: Managed Layer 3 chassis
• Switching capacity: 960 Gbit/s
• Forwarding performance: up to 714 Mpps
• Form factor: 4U rack-mount chassis with 6 half-width line card slots
• PoE support: IEEE 802.3bt (HPE Smart Rate up to 90W Class-8)
• High-availability: VSX, VSX Live Upgrade, redundant MM and PSU
• Routing protocols: BGP, OSPF, PIM
• Operating system: HPE Aruba AOS-CX with Network Analytics Engine (NAE)
• MPN: S0U59A, EAN: 0190017650579

How to use

Install the CX 5420 chassis in a standard 19-inch rack (4U) and populate it with supported half-width line cards according to your port and performance requirements. Connect redundant management modules and power supplies as required for availability. Configure the device using the AOS-CX CLI, web GUI, or HPE Aruba Central for centralized management. Use AOS-CX and NAE to define role-based policies, dynamic segmentation for users and IoT devices, and monitoring workflows. Enable routing protocols (BGP/OSPF) and VSX as needed for your network design, and configure PoE budgets per line card to support connected powered devices.

Recommendations

Deploy the CX 5420 as an access or aggregation switch in campus or branch environments where modular capacity, high PoE power and Layer 3 routing are required. Plan line card population and PoE power budgets based on device density, and use redundant management modules and PSUs to meet availability targets. Use HPE Aruba Central and NAE for simplified operations and proactive monitoring.