HPE Nimble Storage AF-Series (AF20Q / AF20 / AF40 / AF60 / AF80) support dates
| Milestone | Date | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| End of Life Announcement (AF80, AF60, AF40, AF20, AF20Q and dHCI equivalents) | 30 January 2023 | Vendor-publishedThe notice covers SKUs Q8H73A (AF20Q), Q8H74A (AF20), Q8H41A (AF40), Q8H42A (AF60), Q8H43A (AF80) and the dHCI SKUs R4S87A-R4S91A. Read from HPE's document API; the same document is HPE Support Center docId nmsceol-0007en_us. | HPE: End of Life Notice for Gen5 HPE Nimble Storage Flash Arrays - All Flash Arrays (AFx0) and Adaptive Flash Arrays (HFx0), v2, 25 Aug 2026 |
| Discontinuance | 30 June 2023 | Vendor-publishedOrders after this date were filled from inventory. | HPE End of Life Notice for Gen5 HPE Nimble Storage Flash Arrays (nmsceol-0007, v2) |
| Obsolescence (last day to purchase base arrays) | 31 July 2023 | Vendor-publishedSKUs removed from HPE price list, quoting and ordering systems. | HPE End of Life Notice for Gen5 HPE Nimble Storage Flash Arrays (nmsceol-0007, v2) |
| End of sale date for Hardware Upgrades (controllers, shelves, etc.) | 31 July 2026 | Vendor-publishedThis date has passed. HPE notes it may EOL specific components earlier because of supply-chain constraints. | HPE End of Life Notice for Gen5 HPE Nimble Storage Flash Arrays (nmsceol-0007, v2) |
| End of Engineering Support | 31 July 2028 | Vendor-publishedHPE wording: 'Last date of engineering support availability for components and associated versions of Nimble OS'. | HPE End of Life Notice for Gen5 HPE Nimble Storage Flash Arrays (nmsceol-0007, v2) |
| End of Service/Support Life (EOSL) | 31 July 2028 | Vendor-publishedHPE wording: 'HPE Storage Support will support Nimble Storage HW and SW until the end of engineering support'. | HPE End of Life Notice for Gen5 HPE Nimble Storage Flash Arrays (nmsceol-0007, v2) |
Where the HPE Nimble Storage AF-Series (AF20Q / AF20 / AF40 / AF60 / AF80) stands today
HPE announced end of life for its Gen5 All Flash Arrays on 30 January 2023 and issued version 2 of the notice on 25 August 2026. Discontinuance came on 30 June 2023, with any later orders served from existing inventory, and obsolescence on 31 July 2023, when Q8H73A (AF20Q), Q8H74A (AF20), Q8H41A (AF40), Q8H42A (AF60) and Q8H43A (AF80) were removed from HPE's price list, quoting and ordering systems. The dHCI versions, R4S87A to R4S91A, keep the same dates. Hardware upgrades such as controllers and shelves remained purchasable for three further years, to 31 July 2026, though HPE noted it might end sales of specific components earlier because of supply-chain constraints.
The two support milestones coincide. End of Engineering Support, which HPE describes as the last date of engineering support for 'components and associated versions of Nimble OS', falls on 31 July 2028, and so does End of Service/Support Life; HPE says HPE Storage Support will support Nimble hardware and software until the end of engineering support. The dates are model-wide, so an AF20Q and an AF80 need no separate lookup. What differs between arrays is the HPE contract end date, which is separate and set by each support agreement.
HPE publishes these dates model-wide in notice nmsceol-0007 (EOSL 31 Jul 2028 for every AF20Q/AF20/AF40/AF60/AF80 and its dHCI equivalent): https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/api/document/nmsceol-0007en_us. Your contract end date is separate and is set by your HPE support agreement.
What still works after HPE support ends
Until July 2028, NimbleOS reaches these arrays through the support contract. HPE states in the AF QuickSpecs that every Nimble array requires support, which bundles InfoSight access with software updates; the base warranty on its own is one year parts-only for hardware and 90 days of software updates for defects. HPE ties NimbleOS support to End of Engineering Support, so 31 July 2028 is the cut-off for the software as well as the hardware. The QuickSpecs name HPE Tech Care as the support service; for independent hardware cover, see an alternative to HPE Tech Care.
For the period after 2028, the nearest guide found is the generation before. When the AFx000, CSx000 and SFx00 arrays reached end of support on 31 October 2024, HPE said it would release no further software, that InfoSight and case automation would stop working, that it would supply no replacement parts, and that 'Groups with any EOS products will not be able to update'. A search of HPE's public Nimble announcements turned up no equivalent for the Gen5 AF-Series, though it was not exhaustive, so the 2024 terms are precedent rather than HPE's stated plan for these arrays.
- HPE ties NimbleOS support to End of Engineering Support. 31 Jul 2028 is the last date of engineering support for 'components and associated versions of Nimble OS'. (support.hpe.com)
- Software updates come with the support contract. The base warranty is 1 year parts-only for hardware plus 90 days of software updates for defects. HPE says support is required for all Nimble arrays and includes HPE InfoSight access and software updates. (support.hpe.com)
- Precedent from the previous generation (AFx000/CSx000/SFx00, EOS 31 Oct 2024). At EOS, HPE said it would release no further software, InfoSight and case automation would stop working, no replacement parts would be supplied, and 'Groups with any EOS products will not be able to update'. No equivalent EOS announcement for the Gen5 AF-Series was found in this pass; the check of HPE's public Nimble announcements was not exhaustive. (support.hpe.com)
Vendor support you can still buy
- HPE Storage Support for Gen5 Nimble AF arrays (hardware and NimbleOS) until 31 Jul 2028 — The EOL notice says support will be offered until the end of engineering support (31 Jul 2028). The QuickSpecs name HPE Tech Care as the support service. (support.hpe.com)
What a maintenance contract needs to cover on the HPE Nimble Storage AF-Series (AF20Q / AF20 / AF40 / AF60 / AF80)
Every AF-Series model is a 4U chassis whose 24 bays all hold Dual Flash Carriers with SFF SSDs, so the drive schedule is entirely flash. The chassis also holds two controllers with fans and NVDIMM, and two power supplies. Controller memory rises with the model: 32 GB per controller on the AF20Q and AF20, 64 GB on the AF40, 160 GB on the AF60 and 320 GB on the AF80. On the host side, the built-in pair of 10GBASE-T ports on each controller handles iSCSI or management, and adapter options run from 1GBASE-T up to 25GbE SFP28 and 32Gb (16Gb) FC; HPE's port tallies include the standby controller, so only half are active.
Shelf expansion is capped at one AFS3 all-flash shelf on the AF20Q, AF20 and AF40 and two on the AF60 and AF80, giving raw capacity from 6 TB on a minimal AF20Q to 1,106 TB on a fully expanded AF80, all under Triple+ Parity RAID. The array can be fitted with 1200 W or 3000 W AC supplies or a 3000 W DC option at -48/-72 VDC, and the AF80 is not supported on 100-120 V, so the PSU type belongs on the contract. Record the configuration as it stands, model, shelf count, host adapters and PSU type, and request a price through the maintenance coverage builder.
| Specification | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | 4U chassis. All 24 bays hold Dual Flash Carriers with SFF SSDs. Two controllers with fans and NVDIMM, and two power supplies. | support.hpe.com |
| Controllers and memory | Dual controllers. HPE notes that the array port counts include both active and standby controllers, so active ports are half the value shown. Platform RAM per controller: 32 GB (AF20Q/AF20), 64 GB (AF40), 160 GB (AF60), 320 GB (AF80). | support.hpe.com |
| Host connectivity | 2x 10GBASE-T built into each controller for iSCSI or management. Optional 1GBASE-T, 10GBASE-T, 10GbE SFP+, 25GbE SFP28, 16Gb (8Gb) FC and 32Gb (16Gb) FC adapters. | support.hpe.com |
| Raw capacity | AF20Q 6-46 TB, AF20 11-46 TB, AF40 11-184 TB, AF60 11-553 TB, AF80 23-1,106 TB, all including expansion. RAID: Triple+ Parity. | support.hpe.com |
| Expansion | Up to 1 AFS3 all-flash expansion shelf (AF20Q/AF20/AF40) or 2 (AF60/AF80). Scale-out is up to 4x AF80 arrays. | support.hpe.com |
| Power | Power supply options: 1200 W AC (C14) or 3000 W AC (C20), both 80 PLUS Platinum, or a 3000 W DC option (-48/-72 VDC). The AF80 is not supported on 100-120 V. Max draw: 600 W (AF20Q), 650 W (AF20), 800 W (AF40), 850 W (AF60), 1,200 W (AF80). | support.hpe.com |
Extend or refresh the HPE Nimble Storage AF-Series (AF20Q / AF20 / AF40 / AF60 / AF80)?
HPE support remains available to an AF-Series array until 31 July 2028, so for stable workloads the near-term question is whether HPE cover or third-party cover costs less, and what replaces HPE support after that date. One configuration needs attention now. If an AF array shares a NimbleOS group with an older AFx000, CSx000 or SFx00 array that reached end of support on 31 October 2024, HPE's group rule means the AF array cannot take NimbleOS updates while that member remains.
The refresh argument strengthens as 2028 approaches. Of the two replacement families HPE lists, Alletra 6000 and Alletra 5000, only the latter gained cross-family upgrade SKUs in version 2 of the notice, and those are for the HF models only; no equivalent field upgrade is listed for the AF-Series. HPE has retired the AF QuickSpecs (a00008273enw, last version 31, 13 November 2023), which list the AF20, AF20Q, AF40 and AF60 as NEBS Level 3 certified, so any site that requires NEBS should confirm it for a replacement.
- Older AFx000/CSx000/SFx00 arrays reached EOS on 31 Oct 2024, and HPE states that 'Groups with any EOS products will not be able to update'. If a Gen5 AF array shares a NimbleOS group with one of them, it cannot take NimbleOS updates while the EOS array remains in the group. (support.hpe.com)
- The EOL notice covers the dHCI versions of these arrays (R4S87A-R4S91A) on the same dates. (support.hpe.com)
- Version 2 of the EOL notice (25 Aug 2026) added cross-family upgrade SKUs to Alletra 5000 for the HF models only and lists no equivalent field upgrade for the AF-Series. The notice names Alletra 6000 and Alletra 5000 as the replacement families. (support.hpe.com)
- HPE's last day to sell hardware upgrades (controllers, shelves, etc.) for these arrays was 31 Jul 2026, so further capacity or controller upgrades are no longer available from HPE. (support.hpe.com)
- Per the QuickSpecs, the AF20, AF20Q, AF40 and AF60 are NEBS Level 3 certified. HPE has retired the AF QuickSpecs (a00008273enw, last version 31, 13 Nov 2023). (support.hpe.com)
Keep your HPE Nimble Storage AF-Series (AF20Q / AF20 / AF40 / AF60 / AF80) covered
Tell us how many you run and when your current cover ends, and we will come back with a like-for-like maintenance quote for that estate. Your model and its support status are attached to the enquiry automatically, so there is nothing to re-type.
Related models
The AF-Series shares HPE notice nmsceol-0007 with the Adaptive Flash HF-Series. HPE introduced the two in May 2018, and its 4 September 2018 update for the older generation named them as the replacement family for the AFx000, CSx000 and SFx00 arrays. The all-flash predecessors were the AF1000, AF3000, AF5000, AF7000 and AF9000; the hybrid CS-Series arrays from that older generation have their own page, HPE Nimble Storage CS-Series (hybrid) end of life. For second-user units, see refurbished HPE Nimble arrays; a Gen5 AF array bought that way carries the same model-wide 31 July 2028 HPE date.
- HPE MSA 2040 end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- HPE MSA 2050 end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
- HPE Nimble Storage CS-Series (hybrid) end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
- HPE 3PAR StoreServ 8000 end of lifeNo model-wide date published — check your unit
- HPE MSA 1050 end of lifeEnd-of-life announced — vendor support still available
- HPE 3PAR StoreServ 7000 (7200 / 7400 / 7450 / 7200c / 7400c / 7440c / 7450c) end of lifePast the vendor’s last date of support
Look up another model in the storage end-of-life checker, or read what third-party maintenance covers.
Questions people ask about the HPE Nimble Storage AF-Series (AF20Q / AF20 / AF40 / AF60 / AF80)
Is the HPE Nimble AF40 end of life?
Yes. The AF20Q, AF20, AF40, AF60 and AF80 have been under HPE's end-of-life notice since 30 January 2023, and the AF40 base array (Q8H41A) became obsolete on 31 July 2023. HPE hardware and NimbleOS support remain available until 31 July 2028.
When does HPE stop supporting the Nimble AF-Series?
On 31 July 2028, the date notice nmsceol-0007 gives every AF model and dHCI equivalent for both engineering support and End of Service/Support Life. HPE Storage Support covers Nimble hardware and software until then.
Will NimbleOS updates continue on AF-Series arrays?
Under an HPE support contract, until 31 July 2028, which HPE gives as the last date of engineering support for the associated NimbleOS versions. Without a contract, the base warranty includes only 90 days of software updates for defects. An AF array grouped with an end-of-support AFx000, CSx000 or SFx00 array cannot update while that array remains in the group.
What replaces the Nimble AF-Series?
HPE's notice names the Alletra 6000 and Alletra 5000 families. Version 2 of the notice added cross-family field upgrades to Alletra 5000 for HF models only and lists none for the AF-Series, so the notice gives an AF owner no HPE field-upgrade route.
Can I get third-party maintenance for a Nimble AF array?
A third-party contract normally includes diagnosis, parts and engineer visits, and it can start before or after HPE's 31 July 2028 date. For a quote, list the model, the number of AFS3 shelves, the host adapters and the power-supply type.
Sources
Every date, rule and specification above was checked against these on 8 October 2026 by an independent verification pass. Vendors revise lifecycle notices; this page is re-checked by 8 January 2027.
- HPE: End of Life Notice for Gen5 HPE Nimble Storage Flash Arrays - All Flash Arrays (AFx0) and Adaptive Flash Arrays (HFx0), v2, 25 Aug 2026 — support.hpe.com
- HPE Nimble Storage AF-Series (AF20Q / AF20 / AF40 / AF60 / AF80) release — support.hpe.com
- support.hpe.com — support.hpe.com
- support.hpe.com — support.hpe.com
Last reviewed 7 October 2026. Lifecycle dates for the HPE Nimble Storage AF-Series (AF20Q / AF20 / AF40 / AF60 / AF80) are re-verified against HPE's own notices at each review; a date a vendor has not published is never filled in.