Allied Telesis AT-X950-28XSQ-B01 – 24-Port 100G QSFP28 Layer 3 Switch Base Bundle

Product Overview

The Allied Telesis x950-28XSQ-B01 is a high-capacity Layer 3+ stackable switch built for enterprise network cores that require dense 10G SFP+ access ports combined with 100G uplink flexibility. As the definitive Allied Telesis x950-28XSQ 100G QSFP28 Layer 3 switch, it features 24 ports of 1G/10G SFP/SFP+ connectivity, 4 built-in QSFP+/QSFP28 ports supporting 40G or 100G, a dedicated XEM expansion bay for future capacity additions, and an integrated 1x SFP+ management or additional connectivity slot. The -B01 suffix denotes the base bundle, which includes the chassis and dual hot-swappable PSU and fan bays. With a 1.92 Tbps non-blocking switching fabric, this switch serves as an ideal enterprise SFP+ core switch with 100G uplink and XEM expansion for data center aggregation, campus distribution, and demanding multi-service convergence environments.

Product Description

The AT-X950-28XSQ-B01 delivers 24 front-panel SFP/SFP+ ports supporting 1G or 10G optics, giving network engineers maximum flexibility in fiber transceiver selection for access, inter-switch, or server connections. Four integrated QSFP+/QSFP28 uplink ports can be configured with 40G QSFP+ or 100G QSFP28 transceivers, or broken out to 4x10G using optional cables — providing up to 16 additional 10G ports per uplink. The XEM expansion bay (unique to 28-port x950 models) accepts a broad range of expansion modules including 12x multi-gig copper (XEM2-12XTm), 12x SFP+ (XEM2-12XS v2), 4x 40G QSFP+ (XEM2-4QS), or 1x 100G QSFP28 (XEM2-1CQ), enabling the switch to grow with the network without chassis replacement. The 1.92 Tbps switching fabric and 1,190 Mpps forwarding rate ensure the platform operates without congestion even under full-load multi-service traffic. AlliedWare Plus powers the full routing stack including OSPFv2/v3, BGP4/BGP4+, RIP, PIM multicast, VRF-Lite, VXLAN, and OpenFlow v1.3 — with table sizes extendable via the Premium license to support large-scale Smart City and IoT routing requirements. VCStack allows up to 8 units to be combined into a single logical stack locally or across campus over long-distance fiber (VCStack-LD), delivering both resilience and simplified management. Dual hot-swappable load-sharing PSUs — ordered separately per the base bundle configuration — support both AC and DC power inputs, with an optional reverse-airflow configuration for hot-aisle/cold-aisle data center environments. The AMF Plus management framework automates zero-touch provisioning, rolling firmware updates, and configuration backup across the entire network. FIPS 140-2 certification and JITC listing make this switch suitable for U.S. government and DoD network procurement. Contact Creation Networks for PSU bundle configuration and NetCover support options.

Key Features

• 24x 1G/10G SFP/SFP+ Ports — Support a full range of Allied Telesis and MSA-compliant SFP/SFP+ transceivers for flexible fiber connectivity.
• 4x QSFP+/QSFP28 Uplinks (40G/100G) — Each port breakout-capable to 4x10G via optional cables; mix 40G and 100G in the same switch.
• XEM Expansion Bay — Add up to 12x multi-gig copper, 12x SFP+, 4x 40G, or 1x 100G capacity without chassis replacement.
• 1.92 Tbps Switching Fabric — 1,190 Mpps forwarding rate; non-blocking architecture for all-active multi-service loads.
• VCStack up to 8 Units — Local or VCStack-LD long-distance stacking; near-hitless online reconfiguration for maintenance without downtime.
• AlliedWare Plus Routing — OSPFv2/v3, BGP4/BGP4+, PIM, RIP, VRF-Lite, VXLAN, OpenFlow v1.3.
• Dual Hot-Swap PSUs — AC or DC power; load-sharing redundancy; reverse airflow option for flexible data center cooling.
• FIPS 140-2 and JITC Certified — Approved for U.S. Federal and DoD network deployments.
• AMF Plus Network Automation — Single-pane management for wired and wireless; zero-touch provisioning; automated backup.
• EPSRing and G.8032 — Fast-failover ring protection for resilient campus distribution topologies.
• Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) — Automatically reduces port power consumption when no traffic is present.
• TAA Compliant — Eligible for U.S. government procurement (B01 variant).

Typical Applications

• Enterprise campus core or distribution layer with all-fiber 10G access and 100G backbone
• Data center aggregation switch with expandable 100G uplink density
• Smart City and IoT network core requiring large routing tables and multi-service convergence
• Federal and government networks requiring FIPS 140-2, JITC, and TAA compliance
• Distributed enterprise and campus environments using long-distance VCStack-LD
• High-availability network cores with redundant PSU and fan modules

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does the -B01 suffix mean for this product?

The B01 suffix indicates the base bundle configuration, which includes 1 year of Allied Telesis NetCover support. The chassis ships without PSUs — power supplies (AT-PWR600 for AC or AT-PWR600-80 for DC) must be ordered separately. Fans are included.

Q: What expansion modules are compatible with the XEM bay?

The x950-28XSQ-B01 accepts all XEM2 series modules: XEM2-12XTm (12x multi-gig copper), XEM2-12XS v2 (12x SFP+), XEM2-4QS (4x 40G QSFP+), XEM2-8XSTm (4x multi-gig copper + 4x SFP+), and XEM2-1CQ (1x 100G QSFP28).

Q: Is this switch compatible with third-party SFP/SFP+ transceivers?

Allied Telesis recommends using Allied Telesis branded or Allied Telesis-qualified transceivers to ensure full compatibility, warranty coverage, and DDM (Digital Diagnostics Monitoring) support. MSA-compliant third-party transceivers may function but are not officially supported.

Q: How does VCStack handle a unit failure in the stack?

VCStack supports near-hitless online reconfiguration. If a stack member fails, the remaining units continue forwarding traffic with minimal disruption. Link aggregation across stack members ensures no single physical link failure takes down the stack.

Q: Can the x950-28XSQ-B01 act as an AMF Plus Master?

Yes. With an AMF Plus Master license (AT-SW-APM10), this switch can manage up to 10 AMF network nodes per license (cumulative up to 180 nodes), automating provisioning and management across all wired and wireless devices in the network.

Q: Does this switch support OpenFlow for SDN deployments?

Yes. OpenFlow v1.3 is supported via an optional license (AT-FL-x950-OF13). Note that OpenFlow is not supported when the switch is operating as a stack member — it requires standalone operation.

Q: Where can I purchase the AT-X950-28XSQ-B01 with PSU bundles?

The AT-X950-28XSQ-B01 and compatible PSUs, XEM modules, and NetCover support bundles are available through Creation Networks. Contact us to configure a complete solution tailored to your deployment requirements.