HPE Aruba Networking has launched a series of major enhancements to its data center and campus networking portfolio, signaling an aggressive move to meet the growing infrastructure demands of AI, IoT, and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. The new offerings are designed to improve scale, performance, and efficiency while driving down cost, particularly for organizations undergoing digital transformation.
Leading the announcements is the Aruba Networking CX 10040, a next-generation distributed services “smart switch” that doubles the performance and scale of the widely adopted CX 10000. Built in collaboration with AMD, the CX 10040 integrates the AMD Pensando DPU, enabling advanced capabilities such as stateful firewalling, in-line encryption, and high-precision telemetry. These features allow for secure, scalable data center services that support modern AI and HPC applications at a fraction of the cost of legacy enterprise networking gear.
Phil Mottram, EVP and General Manager of HPE Aruba Networking, emphasized that today’s digital enterprise requires connectivity solutions that are agile, secure, and cost-effective. “Data-driven AI, IoT, and other high-performance applications are creating unprecedented demands on networks. With innovations that streamline server and data center connectivity at ten times the performance and one-third the cost, HPE is setting a new industry standard.”
HPE’s collaboration with AMD plays a pivotal role in these advancements. “The demand for high-performance, scalable networking is higher than ever,” said Soni Jiandani, SVP and General Manager of AMD’s Networking Technology and Solutions Group. “Together with HPE, we are delivering data center solutions that integrate programmable DPU technology for secure and efficient hyperscale infrastructure.”
Streamlining SLAs, Security, Bandwidth Management
Complementing the CX 10040 are four new switches in the HPE Aruba Networking CX 6300M series. These campus switches would provide greater data throughput, enhanced application control, and compliance features – all within a smaller physical footprint. They include capabilities such as encryption, application recognition and control (ARC), and precision timing, allowing enterprises to meet diverse SLA requirements and better manage security and bandwidth allocation across distributed environments.
HPE also expanded functionality across its existing CX 5420 and CX 6200 switch series. The upgrades bring application-aware networking to the campus level, enabling organizations to apply specific policies that ensure AI, IoT, and other data-intensive workloads are prioritized and handled efficiently across the network.
To unify network operations, the latest version of HPE Aruba Networking Central provides AI-powered visibility, analytics, and management for hybrid environments. The platform supports scalable administration of both data center and campus infrastructure, reducing operational complexity while enhancing compliance and performance tracking.
In addition, HPE has integrated its Morpheus VM Essentials with the CX 10000 Switch Series. This integration supports seamless orchestration of virtualized and physical network and security services – such as distributed firewalls and microsegmentation – across ESXi, KVM, and bare metal environments. The approach allows enterprises to adopt open virtualization models without major infrastructure replacements, accelerating their transition to software-defined, secure data center operations.
With these latest offerings, HPE Aruba Networking is targeting enterprise IT leaders seeking to modernize their infrastructure in response to AI-driven workloads and expanding data demands. By merging AMD’s high-performance DPU capabilities with a robust switching platform and unified management tools, HPE is delivering a competitive edge to businesses aiming for secured, scalable, and efficient network performance in an AI-first era.
