Aruba 2530 vs 2540 vs 2920 vs 2930F vs 2930M vs 3810M: Which Access Switch?
Six Aruba access switch lines compared on routing, stacking and uplinks: which to buy new, which stacks with what, and how HP and Aruba part numbers map.
Short answer: Choose the 2530 for basic Layer 2 edge access, the 2540 when you need 10G uplinks without stacking, the 2930F for routing and stacking over front ports, and the 2930M or 3810M when you need dedicated backplane stacking. Keep existing 2920 stacks where they are working: series cannot be mixed in one stack.
Quick Comparison
| Series | Routing | Stacking | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2530 | Layer 2 | None | Edge access and budget PoE closets |
| 2540 | Layer 2 plus static and RIP | None | Access closets that need 4x SFP+ uplinks |
| 2920 | RIP and Access OSPF | Backplane, with a stacking module | Extending stacks you already run |
| 2930F | Static, RIP and Access OSPF, no license | VSF over front ports, up to 8 members | Most new access closets |
| 2930M | Layer 3 | Backplane, up to 10 members (JL325A module) | Closets that need a modular uplink slot |
| 3810M | Full Layer 3 | Backplane, up to 10 members (JL084A module) | Aggregation and the most demanding closets |
Stacking Is the Real Decision
The 2930F stacks with VSF over its regular 10G front ports, so no stacking module is needed. The 2920, 2930M and 3810M use dedicated stacking modules and cables instead.
Series cannot be mixed in one stack. A 2930F will not stack with a 2930M, a 2930M will not join a 3810M stack, and a 2920 will not stack with a 2930M. Buy the same series as the stack you already have.
The 2530 and 2540 do not stack. Link them with standard uplinks.
Check the Exact Part Number
Uplinks vary inside a series. A 2930F 24G 4SFP+ has four 1/10GbE SFP+ uplinks, while a 2930F 24G 4SFP has 1GbE uplinks. Check the SKU before you assume 10G.
PoE budget also varies by model. The 2540 family lists up to 370W on its PoE+ models.
Check support dates too. An end-of-life tracker lists the 2540 PoE+ JL356A with end of service life on 2026-11-01, and other 2540 models later. Confirm the date for your exact model with HPE before you plan around it.
HP, HPE, ProCurve and Aruba Part Numbers
These lines were sold under HP, HPE and Aruba names over the years, so one switch can appear with an A or R order number (JL321A, JL321AR) and a -61001 or -60001 service number. Match the model, such as 2930M 48G, then the exact part your project needs.
Where to Buy
Browse the full ranges: Aruba 2530, Aruba 2930F, Aruba 3810 and all Aruba switches. Current pricing is on each product page:
2530
- J9774-61001: Aruba 2530-8G-PoE+ 8 x Ports 10/100/1000Base-T + 2 x SFP Combo Layer-2
- J9778A-ABB: Aruba 2530-48-PoE+ 48 x Ports 10/100/1000Base-T + 2 x SFP Layer-2 Managed
- J9776-60101: Aruba 2530 Series 2530-24G 24xRJ-45 Ports 10/100/1000Base-T + 4xSFP P
- J9777-61001: Aruba 2530-8G 8 x Ports 10/100/1000Base-T + 2 x SFP Combo Layer-2 Managed
2540
- JL357-61001: Aruba 2540 24G 4SFP+ 48-Port 48 x 10/100/1000 (PoE+) + 4 x 10 Gigabit
- JL357-61101: Aruba 2540-48G-PoE+-4SFP+ 48-Ports PoE+ 1GBase-T 4x SFP+ 10GbE Layer 2
- JL357A#ABA: HPE 2540 48G 48-Ports PoE+ 10/100/1000Base-T 4x SFP+ Layer 2 Managed
- JL357A-ABB: Aruba 2540 24G-PoE+ 48 x Ports 10/100/1000Base-T + 4 x SFP+ Layer-2 Managed
2920
- J9836AS-ABA: Aruba 2920-48G-PoE+ 48 x Ports 10/100/1000Base-T + 4 x SFP Combo Layer-3
- J9726A-ACD: Aruba 2920-24G 24 x Ports 10/100/1000Base-T + 4 x SFP Layer-3 Managed
- J9727-80099: Aruba 2920-24G PoE+ 20 x RJ-45 Ports PoE+ 10/100/1000Base-T + 4 x RJ
- J9726AR-ABA: Aruba 2920-24G 24-Ports 10/100/1000Base-T with 4x SFP Managed Stackable
2930F
- JL259-61001: Aruba 2930f 24G 4sfp - Switch 24-Ports Managed Rack-Mountable
- JL258-60101: Aruba 2930F Series 2930F-8G-PoE+-2SFP+ 8 x Ports PoE+ 10/100/1000Base
- JL258AR-ABB: Aruba 2930F 8G PoE+ 8 x Ports 10/100/1000Base-T + 2 x SFP+ Layer-3 Managed
- JL258-61001: Aruba 2930F 8x RJ-45 Ports PoE+ 10/100/1000Base-T 2x SFP+ Ports Layer3
2930M
- JL321-61001: Aruba 2930M 48G 44 x Ports 10/100/1000Base-T + 4 x SFP Combo Layer-3 Managed
- R0M67A: Aruba 2930M 40G 8 HPE Smart Rate PoE+ 1-Slot Switch - Switch 36 Ports Managed
- R0M67A#ABA: Aruba 2930M-40G 36x Ports Class6 PoE 1GBase-T 4x Ports Class6 PoE Dual
- JL321A-0D1: Aruba 2930M 48G 1-Slot 48-Port 44 x 10/100/1000 + 4 x combo SFP Gigabit
3810M
- JL076AR: Aruba 3810M 40G PoE+ 40 x Ports 10/100/1000Base-T + 8 x Multi-Gigabit + 4
- JL076-61101: Aruba 3810M-40G-8SR-PoE+ 40-Ports PoE+ 1GBase-T 8-Ports 1GbE RJ-45 MACSec
- JL428-61001: Aruba 3810M 48G+PoE+ 4SFP+ 48-Port 48 X 10/100/1000 (Poe+) Gigabit Ethernet
- JL428A-AC3: Aruba 3810M 48G+PoE+4sfp 48-Port 48 X 10/100/1000 (Poe+) Gigabit Ethernet
For vendor-level choices, see Cisco vs Aruba vs Juniper vs Arista.