Specifications

Executive summary

HP ProCurve Networking has an extensive line of networking products built around the concept of the ProCurve

Adaptive Network vision that provides the security, mobility, and convergence capabilities businesses demand

while giving technology administrators the ability to adapt to the changing needs of their organizations and

control their infrastructure centrally.

This guide describes the HP ProCurve 6600 Switch Series and how it builds upon the HP ProCurve Switch

8200zl, 5400zl, 6200yl, and 3500yl Series and the principles of the Adaptive Network by providing a

platform for delivering intelligence, performance, and affordability to the edge of the enterprise compute

network. Specifically, the HP ProCurve 6600 Switch Series enhances server edge connectivity in the data

center by delivering advanced Layer 2/3/4 capabilities that embody the Adaptive Network architecture, where

intelligence and decisions are made at the edge of the compute network and effective visibility, provisioning,

and automation is provided remotely. With Gigabit and 10-GbE SFP+ options, front-to-back (reversible)

airflow, redundant hot-swappable power supplies, and a hot-swappable fan tray, the 6600 switches offer high

availability, flexibility, and scalability for a highly virtualized server edge. The HP ProCurve 6600 Switch Series

is the industry’s first data center edge switch with a lifetime warranty and free software updates.

Introduction

HP ProCurve 6600 Switch Series

The HP ProCurve 6600 Switch Series enhances data center top-of-rack server connectivity and end-of-row

aggregation by offering Layer 2/3/4 functionality in 1-GbE copper and 10-GbE SFP+ options.

Audience

This guide is written primarily for technical evaluators and product reviewers of networking equipment and

solutions.

Scope

This guide provides detailed information about and specifications for the ProCurve 6600 Switch Series, with

the assumption that details about networking protocols can be referenced externally by those familiar with

general networking. Technologies that are relatively new will be covered in more detail than more familiar and

established technologies.

References to the ProCurve Switch 8200zl, 5400zl, 3500yl, and 6200yl Series are used as they relate to the

architecture and positioning of the 6600 switch series.

For more information regarding the complete line of ProCurve products, please visit www.procurve.com.

Product positioning

Overview

The intelligence, throughput, scalability, and physical connectivity options of the 6600 series make them

suitable for applications at the server edge or aggregation/distribution layer of a compute network. The 6600

switch series leverages the same ProVision ASIC and software found in the widely deployed 8200zl, 5400zl,

6200yl, and 3500zl products. Enhanced for the data center, the 6600 series provides front-to-back (reversible)

airflow, redundant hot-swappable power supplies, hot-swappable fan trays, and expanded 10-Gb port

buffering for demanding high-availability applications.

The foundation for all of these switches is the purpose-built, programmable ProVision ASIC that allows the most

demanding networking features to be implemented in a scalable yet granular fashion. The 6600, 8200zl,

5400zl, 6200yl, and 3500yl series switches have been designed as a continuum of products that utilize a