Allied Telesis AT-SBX81GS24A – 24-Port SFP Gigabit Line Card

Product Overview

The Allied Telesis SwitchBlade x8100 24-port SFP gigabit line card (AT-SBX81GS24A) is a hot-swappable service module purpose-built for the SBx8100 modular chassis platform. Delivering 24 independent 100/1000X SFP slots, it enables data center and enterprise core architects to scale optical and copper connectivity without chassis replacement. Mixed short-haul and long-haul SFP optics on a single card maximize deployment flexibility across local, campus, and metro-area distances. Available at Creation Networks, this line card is the foundation of a scalable, chassis-based switching strategy.

Product Description

The AT-SBX81GS24A is not a standalone switch — it is a dedicated line card that slots into the Allied Telesis SwitchBlade x8100 series chassis, enabling modular port expansion at the chassis level. Each SBx8100 chassis can accept multiple line cards, allowing network architects to incrementally build out port capacity without purchasing an entirely new platform. The 24 SFP slots support both 100BASE-X and 1000BASE-X optics, giving engineers complete control over fiber type, wavelength, and reach on a per-port basis. The hot-swappable form factor ensures that line cards can be inserted or removed without powering down the chassis, supporting maintenance windows that require continuous network availability. This is a critical capability in data center environments and campus distribution layers where any unplanned downtime has direct operational impact. The SBx8100 chassis architecture, combined with AlliedWare Plus as the operating system, supports centralized management of all installed line cards as a unified switching fabric. Allied Telesis Autonomous Management Framework (AMF) integration allows the entire chassis-based deployment to participate in automated network management, zero-touch provisioning, and centralized configuration backup. The ability to mix connectivity types — short-reach multimode, long-reach single-mode, and BiDi optics — on a single AT-SBX81GS24A card is particularly valuable for multi-building campus topologies where access switches at varying distances must all terminate at a common chassis. For organizations standardizing on the SBx8100 as a core or aggregation platform, the AT-SBX81GS24A represents a cost-effective path to adding 24 additional gigabit fiber ports. Contact Creation Networks for configuration guidance and volume pricing.

Key Features

• 24 x SFP (100/1000X) slots — Full flexibility to mix multimode and single-mode optics on a single line card for varied fiber runs.
• Hot-swappable form factor — Insert or remove the line card while the SBx8100 chassis remains fully operational, eliminating maintenance downtime.
• SBx8100 chassis compatibility — Designed exclusively for the Allied Telesis SwitchBlade x8100 series; multiple cards per chassis enable incremental capacity growth.
• 100BASE-X and 1000BASE-X support — Backward-compatible with 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet SFP optics, protecting existing transceiver investments.
• Modular chassis scalability — Expand switching capacity by adding line cards rather than deploying additional standalone switches, reducing management overhead.
• AlliedWare Plus operating system — Enterprise-grade OS with consistent CLI, advanced routing, and security features across all SBx8100 line cards.
• AMF management integration — Participates in Allied Telesis Autonomous Management Framework for centralized, automated network operations.
• Mixed SFP optic support — Short-haul, long-haul, and BiDi transceivers supported simultaneously, enabling flexible campus and metro topologies.

Typical Applications

• Data center core and aggregation layers requiring high-density fiber uplinks from a centralized SBx8100 chassis
• Multi-building enterprise campus deployments aggregating remote access switches over single-mode fiber
• Service provider point-of-presence (PoP) nodes using the SBx8100 chassis as a modular aggregation platform
• Campus distribution layers requiring mixed short-haul and long-haul optical connectivity on a single line card
• Network modernization projects adding gigabit fiber capacity to an existing SBx8100 chassis investment

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does the AT-SBX81GS24A work as a standalone switch?

No. The AT-SBX81GS24A is a line card that requires installation inside an Allied Telesis SwitchBlade x8100 series chassis. It does not operate independently.

Q: How many AT-SBX81GS24A line cards can a single SBx8100 chassis accommodate?

The SBx8100 chassis supports multiple line card slots, allowing you to populate the chassis with several AT-SBX81GS24A cards for high port-density deployments. Consult the SBx8100 chassis datasheet for the exact slot count per chassis model.

Q: What SFP optics are compatible with the AT-SBX81GS24A?

The card accepts any Allied Telesis-qualified SFP transceiver supporting 100BASE-X or 1000BASE-X, including multimode short-reach, single-mode long-reach, and BiDi optics. Allied Telesis provides a qualified transceiver list for the SBx8100 platform.

Q: Can the line card be replaced without shutting down the chassis?

Yes. The AT-SBX81GS24A is hot-swappable, meaning it can be removed and reinserted while the SBx8100 chassis and other installed line cards remain fully operational.

Q: Is this line card managed through AlliedWare Plus?

Yes. All line cards in the SBx8100 chassis are managed through the AlliedWare Plus operating system, providing a unified CLI and management plane across the entire chassis.

Q: Does the AT-SBX81GS24A support AMF (Autonomous Management Framework)?

Yes. When installed in an SBx8100 chassis running AlliedWare Plus, the line card participates in AMF-based network automation, centralized configuration management, and zero-touch recovery.

Q: Where can I purchase the AT-SBX81GS24A?

The AT-SBX81GS24A is available through Creation Networks at creationnetworks.net. Contact us for pricing, availability, and configuration advice.