Brocade 6500 Series 6510
The Brocade 6510 is a 48-port Gen 5 16Gb Fibre Channel SAN switch providing reliable, high-density block storage connectivity for enterprise storage networks. It features non-blocking 16Gb/s performance with backward compatibility to 8Gb, 4Gb, and 2Gb FC devices, making it a widely adopted switch in secondary enterprise markets.
Specifications
| Brand | Brocade |
|---|---|
| Family | Brocade 6500 Series |
| Form factor | 1U |
| Released | Sep 2011 |
| End of sale | Feb 2019 |
| End of support | Feb 2024 |
| Form factor | 1U rackmount |
| Ports | 48x 16Gb FC SFP+ (24, 36, or 48 ports active) |
| Switching capacity | 768 Gb/s full duplex |
| Latency | < 700 ns |
Generations
- Next generation: Brocade G-Series G620
Compatible parts
Transceivers
57-1000262-01 Brocade 16Gb Shortwave SFP+ Optical Transceiver
Works together
How the Brocade 6500 Series 6510 connects to servers, storage and the network: 1 way, with the parts and products on each path.
Fibre Channel SAN
Match the speed: 16Gb and 32Gb FC HBAs, switches and array ports work together, and each generation also runs one or two speeds below its own (a 32Gb port runs at 16Gb and 8Gb).
Servers
Dell PowerEdge R430 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R530 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R630 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R730 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R730xd 2U rack
HPE ProLiant DL120 Gen9 1U rack
Adapters for the server
540-BCMT Dell QLogic 2772 Dual Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
540-BBUU Dell Emulex LPe31002 Dual Port 16Gb Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter
540-BBUV Dell QLogic 2692 Dual Port 16Gb Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter
540-BCMS Dell QLogic 2770 Single Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
Storage
HPE MSA 2060 2U rack
HPE MSA 2040 2U rack enterprise SAN
HPE StoreEver MSL2024 Tape Library 2U rack tape library
Dell PowerStore 7000T 2U rack
HPE MSA 1040 2U rack entry SAN
Dell Unity XT Unity 300 2U rack
Optics
- 57-1000262-01 Brocade 16Gb Shortwave SFP+ Optical Transceiver
DS-SFP-FC16G-SW Cisco 16Gbps Fibre Channel Shortwave SFP+ Transceiver
407-BBOG Dell 16Gb Short Wave SFP+ Fibre Channel Optical Transceiver
Plan and size it
- Draw this setup in the topology planner mrplanb.com
- Add up rack power and space rack-density.com
- Virtualization storage Ledger: scored storage platforms mrplanb.com
- SAN transport and NVMe over FC for backup mrplanb.com
Check compatibility with Brocade
Before you buy, confirm the exact configuration against the vendor's own lists: firmware levels, operating systems, adapters and optics that Brocade has tested with the Brocade 6500 Series 6510.
- Compatibility Brocade interoperability page for the Brocade 6500 Series 6510
- Compatibility Brocade Fibre Channel support and compatibility documents (Broadcom)
- Support Broadcom Support Portal
Equivalent models from other brands
FAQ
What port configurations were available for the Brocade 6510?
The Brocade 6510 was available in 24, 36, or 48 enabled port configurations via 12-port PoD upgrade licenses.
Is the Brocade 6510 end of life?
Yes, the Brocade 6510 reached end-of-sale in February 2019 and end-of-support in February 2024, widely traded on the secondary market.
Buying or selling 6510?
New, refurbished or used. Tell us the quantity and condition and we connect you with a vetted reseller in your region, usually within one working day.
Sources
- Brocade 6510 Hardware Reference Manual, checked 2026-10-27