Allied Telesis AT-X550-18XTQ-90 – 10GBase-T Layer 3 Stackable Switch QSFP+ TAA Standard

Product Overview

The Allied Telesis AT-X550-18XTQ-90 is the standard TAA-compliant variant of the x550-18XTQ Layer 3 stackable switch, delivering 16 x 1G/10GBase-T copper ports and 2 x QSFP+ 40G uplink ports in a compact 1U rack-mount chassis. This Allied Telesis x550 10GBase-T Layer 3 switch QSFP+ TAA standard model is distinct from the AT-X550-18XTQ-J90 (JITC variant) — the -90 suffix designates the standard TAA-compliant configuration suitable for commercial enterprise and federal procurement requirements that do not mandate Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) certification. Organizations seeking high-density 10GBase-T switching with 40G fabric uplinks and full AMF support will find this switch an ideal network core or distribution layer platform. Available from Creation Networks, the X550-18XTQ-90 delivers enterprise-grade Layer 3 intelligence with Allied Telesis VCStack stacking technology.

Product Description

The AT-X550-18XTQ-90 belongs to the Allied Telesis x550 Series of stackable 10 Gigabit Layer 3 switches designed for demanding network core and distribution applications. Its 16 x 1G/10GBase-T ports use standard RJ-45 copper cabling, enabling 10GbE connectivity without the cost of SFP+ optics or the installation overhead of new fiber runs — a critical advantage for organizations upgrading from 1G access layers. The two QSFP+ ports provide 40G uplinks for northbound fabric connectivity or stacking via VCStack technology. VCStack allows up to four x550 units to be combined into a single logical switch at any port speed, eliminating spanning tree complexity and providing link aggregation across physical units for both resiliency and bandwidth scalability. This Allied Telesis x550 10GBase-T Layer 3 switch QSFP+ TAA standard configuration ships with a single fixed internal PSU (128 W rated power consumption) in a 1U chassis measuring 1.7 x 8.3 x 13.6 inches and weighing 6.83 lb. Layer 3 features include static routing, RIP, OSPF, and BGP depending on software license level, with full VLAN, QoS, and ACL support throughout. The switch is a native AMF member device and can also be licensed as an AMF Master or Controller, integrating directly into Autonomous Management Framework topologies managed by the SBX908 GEN2 or Vista Manager EX. OpenFlow v1.3 support enables software-defined networking overlays in environments adopting SDN architectures. EPSR (Ethernet Protection Switched Ring) and G.8032 Ethernet Ring Protection deliver sub-50ms fault recovery for ring topologies. The -90 suffix is important for procurement classification: this is the standard TAA variant, not the JITC-certified AT-X550-18XTQ-J90 which carries additional DoD interoperability certification. Both are TAA compliant, but only the J90 carries JITC certification. Purchase the AT-X550-18XTQ-90 from Creation Networks for standard federal and commercial enterprise deployments.

Key Features

• 16 x 1G/10GBase-T Copper Ports — Full 10GbE density over standard Cat6A RJ-45 cabling, eliminating SFP+ optics costs for server and access layer connections.
• 2 x QSFP+ 40G Uplinks — Provides 40G northbound fabric connectivity or VCStack inter-chassis stacking links for multi-unit logical switch configurations.
• VCStack Stacking (up to 4 units) — Combines up to four x550 switches into a single logical device with no single point of failure, supporting all port speeds and long-distance stacking (VCStack-LD) over fiber.
• Layer 3 Switching — Full L3 routing support including static routes, RIP, OSPF, and BGP (license-dependent), with hardware-based forwarding for line-rate performance.
• TAA Compliant — Standard Variant (-90) — Meets Trade Agreements Act procurement requirements for federal and GSA schedule purchasing; differentiated from the JITC-certified J90 variant.
• AMF Master and Member Support — Native Autonomous Management Framework member with optional AMF Master licensing for zero-touch provisioning and centralized network management.
• OpenFlow v1.3 — Supports software-defined networking overlays for environments adopting SDN control plane architectures.
• EPSR and G.8032 Ring Protection — Delivers sub-50ms failover for Ethernet ring topologies, ensuring high availability in distribution and access aggregation designs.
• Single Fixed PSU, 128 W — Non-PoE model with a compact power footprint; 1U rack-mount form factor for standard 19-inch data center and wiring closet installations.
• 4 x 10G Breakout Support — QSFP+ ports support 4x10G breakout cables, providing cost-effective 10G port density expansion from 40G uplink slots.

Typical Applications

• Enterprise network core and distribution layers requiring high-density 10GBase-T copper switching with 40G uplinks to spine or WAN aggregation devices.
• Data center top-of-rack (ToR) switching for server farm connectivity where existing Cat6A cabling supports 10GbE without fiber installation costs.
• Federal and government enterprise networks under TAA procurement requirements where the standard (non-JITC) TAA variant satisfies compliance criteria.
• VCStack-based campus distribution designs where multiple x550 units are logically combined to eliminate spanning tree and maximize resiliency.
• High-speed wireless aggregation backhaul, where 10GBase-T ports connect multi-gigabit access points without optical SFP infrastructure.

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between the AT-X550-18XTQ-90 and the AT-X550-18XTQ-J90?

Both are TAA-compliant variants of the x550-18XTQ. The -90 is the standard TAA variant for general enterprise and federal procurement. The -J90 (JITC variant) carries Joint Interoperability Test Command certification required for certain DoD network environments. If your procurement requires JITC certification, specify the J90 SKU. For standard commercial or TAA-only requirements, the -90 is the correct choice.

Q: Does the AT-X550-18XTQ-90 support PoE?

No. The x550-18XTQ-90 does not provide Power over Ethernet. For PoE switching in the x550 series or x530 series, separate PoE-capable models are available from Allied Telesis.

Q: How many units can be stacked with VCStack?

Up to four x550 Series units can be combined into a single VCStack logical switch. VCStack-LD supports long-distance stacking over fiber links, enabling stack members to be distributed across buildings or floors.

Q: Can the AT-X550-18XTQ-90 serve as an AMF Master?

The x550-18XTQ is an AMF-capable device that participates as an AMF member by default. AMF Master functionality requires a separate AMF Master license. Contact Creation Networks for AMF licensing options.

Q: What uplink options does the QSFP+ port support?

The two QSFP+ ports support 40G direct connections via QSFP+ optical or DAC modules, and also support 4x10G breakout cables that split a single QSFP+ port into four independent 10G SFP+ connections, increasing southbound port density.

Q: Is the AT-X550-18XTQ-90 suitable for federal procurement?

Yes. The AT-X550-18XTQ-90 is TAA compliant, making it eligible for GSA Schedule and other federal procurement vehicles that require Trade Agreements Act compliance. It does not carry JITC certification; for JITC-required deployments, the J90 variant is required.

Q: Where can I purchase the AT-X550-18XTQ-90?

The AT-X550-18XTQ-90 is available from Creation Networks, an authorized Allied Telesis reseller offering competitive pricing, pre-sales engineering support, and post-sale service.