Wired Intelligent Edge

I cannot find any information about the how the Aruba 3800 is similar or different than the HP e3800.  The chat guy tells me that the only difference is the name.  Is this true?  Can I:

1. tftp a config from a J9575 (HP e3800) onto a JL071A (Aruba 3810), and will this work?
2. Can I use the same firmware for two switch stacks one stack of J9575s and one stack of JL071As?
3. Are the stacking cables and modules the same?  Can I swap them in and out at will?

I have standardized 8 sites on stacks of J9575s and this Aruba transition has me confused.  Please help me with this, as I have more deployments coming and the HP website is not helpful in this regard.   Hopefully someone here can help.

These are not the same models. The Aruba 3810 (JL071A) is a new model with several new features, for example support for Smart Rate. I'm not sure about your questions, so reach out to your HP/Aruba supplier and they should be able to get answers for you.

The J9575A - here actual QuickSpecs - is now called (branded) Aruba 3800 24G 2SFP+.

Before the Aruba acquisition by HP the J9575A was called HP 3800 24G 2SFP+, since HPE was created it then became HPE 3800 24G 2SFP+, now it's Aruba.

The JL071A - here actual QuickSpecs - as yet written above, is a completely new Switch called Aruba 3810M 24G 1-slot.

They both uses ProVision software (now called/renamed ArubaOS-Switch) but the J9575A uses the KA branch while the JL071A uses the KB branch which is the same Software branch used by the 5400R zl2 Switch Series.

This somewhat answers to your second question.

About Hardware, for sure there are differences: as example, the JL071A supports 40G links on QSFP+ Transceivers and, if I'm not wrong, I've also read that at Aruba there is a plan to support VSF (Virtual Switching Framework) on Aruba 3810 Switch Series during 2017 (read here).

It seems that Stacking Modules use different product codes (see QuickSpecs):

• Aruba 3800 4-port Stacking Module (J9577A)
• Aruba 3810M 4-port Stacking Module (JL084A)

They look comsetically different but who really knows if this is the only difference. Maybe they share the same Hardware and there are only cosmetic differences.

I don't know if the Switch Software (KA/KB), once deployed in its Switch model, is able to lock modules down by doing a sort of Hardware blacklisting or just doing the contrary enabling them by doing a sort of Hardware whitelisting (The match, if any, can be done against hardcoded Modules P/N list, for any type of Switch series)...but, about that, I'm just speculating.

Stacking Cables look exactly the same (notice the name with reference to Aruba 3800/3810 series) so they are interoperables:

• Aruba 3800/3810M 0.5m Stacking Cable (J9578A)
• Aruba 3800/3810M 1m Stacking Cable (J9665A)
• Aruba 3800/3810M 3m Stacking Cable (J9579A)

That is exactly the answer I was hoping for.  As it is I don't have any time to debate it, and I am ordering my first stack today.  I think I will leave this thread open so I can post my impressions here and do a direct comparison.  This whole HP to HPE to Aruba thing is very confusing.  I have been a fan of HP switching since Procurve, and in my opinion that was the best name.  I've been to Aruba, and it is nothing to brag about.  A desolate desert Island where every drop of water has to be brought by ship.  Anyway I digress.

Well, there are a lot of interesting discussions about the HP acquisition of Aruba and consequent portfolio segmentation (HPE Comware, which is still under "direct" HPE control versus HPE ProVision, now ArubaOS-Switch, managed by Aruba+HPE); AFAIK what was ProVision based is now ArubaOS-Switch based and there is (and there will be) a sort of features merging (and development) of some Aruba (MAS) features to some HPE Switch Series (e.g. 5400R zl2, 2920, 2930F, 3810...) so I will keep eyes open on those series.

An interesting presentation was this one ([ATM16] Take a Walk On The Wired Side), at least you will learn how things are going to be developed by Aruba+HPE for some of ProVision-based products (those mentioned above).

Probably the product's family to go - actually - is the Aruba 3810 Switch Series if you're used to HPE 3800 Switch Series family.

Just for reference, I would to add this very recent AirHeads Community Article about the Aruba 3810.

Well my first two Aruba 3810s arrived, but without power supplies.  Make a note that you will need to specify the power supply when you order.  And HP is very proud of this hunk of copper:  $340 each.  Another source of pride is the stacking cable: $177.

Gosh, my 1 meter HiFi stereo cable costs less! ;-)

OK.  So far so good.  I've got these switches updated to the latest OS build KB.16.02.0009 and stacked.  I ran into a little problem setting up client ip ssh keys, as this version requires a comment and single quotes around each key, or it will complain that the key is invalid.  This is of course bull**bleep** and a bug, but I can work with it.  The e3800 had no such bug. 

To answer my own 3 questions:

1. no

2. no

3. maybe as the part numbers match, but I am not going to bother with trying it now.

Yep, I think the (1) No is a direct consequence of the (2) No...which, in turn, is a direct consequence [*] of the fact that those two ProVision based models (J9575A versus JL071A) are based on slightly different Hardware (and ProVision Software branches too).

[*] The ProVision Stacking way looks more sensitive to the exact pairing of its units - in terms of both Software and Hardware - than the Comware IRF way....given that Backplane Stacking or VSF Frontplane Stacking implemented in ProVision - now ArubaOS-Switch - isn't exactly - as Apples to Apples - IRF and vice-versa.