Allied Telesis AT-X950-28XTQM-900 – TAA 24-Port Multi-Gig Layer 3 Switch

Product Overview

The Allied Telesis x950 24-port multi-gigabit Layer 3 switch QSFP28 TAA delivers enterprise network core performance in a 1U rack-mount chassis. The AT-X950-28XTQM-900 features 24 NBASE-T copper ports supporting auto-negotiated speeds of 100M, 1G, 2.5G, 5G, and 10G, paired with four built-in 40G/100G QSFP28 uplink slots for high-speed spine or data center interconnects. TAA compliance qualifies this switch for U.S. federal procurement, and the 1.92 Terabit switch fabric ensures line-rate forwarding across all ports simultaneously. Organizations seeking a high-density multi-gigabit aggregation switch with 100G backbone uplinks and government-compliant hardware will find the x950-28XTQm the definitive platform for converged enterprise and federal network architectures.

Product Description

The Allied Telesis x950-28XTQm is a high-performance, TAA-compliant Layer 3 switch engineered for the modern enterprise network core and data center aggregation layer. Its 24 RJ-45 ports operate across five speeds — 100M, 1G, 2.5G, 5G, and 10G — via IEEE 802.3bz NBASE-T, eliminating the need for costly cable upgrades when transitioning from 1G to multi-gigabit wireless access points or end-point devices. The four fixed QSFP+/QSFP28 slots provide flexible 40G or 100G uplink connectivity to spine switches, routers, or data center fabrics without additional licensing. Built on AlliedWare Plus, the enterprise-class operating system provides a comprehensive suite of Layer 3 routing protocols including OSPF, BGP4, RIPng, OSPFv3, and PIM multicast, alongside advanced security features such as Media Access Control Security (MACSec) and FIPS 140-2 certified cryptographic modules. Virtual Chassis Stacking (VCStack) allows up to eight x950 units to form a single logical switch at any port speed, providing linear capacity scaling without added management complexity; VCStack over Long Distance (VCStack LD) extends this capability over fiber links for geographically distributed deployments. Allied Telesis Ethernet Protection Switched Ring (EPSRing) and standards-based G.8032 ERPS deliver sub-50ms failover for resilient ring topologies, protecting mission-critical traffic. The Autonomous Management Framework (AMF) Plus enables network-wide automation, treating all AMF-enabled devices as a single virtual managed entity, while Vista Manager EX provides graphical visibility into both wired and Autonomous Wave Control (AWC) wireless infrastructure. The x950-28XTQm ships with an optional XEM expansion bay, accepting modules that add up to 12 additional 10G SFP+, 12 multi-gig copper, or 4 additional 40G ports for future capacity. Dual hot-swappable, load-sharing power supply bays (600W AC or DC) with separate hot-swappable fan modules guarantee five-nines availability in production environments. Active Fiber Monitoring (AFM) continuously monitors fiber links for unauthorized physical-layer intrusions, providing an additional layer of physical security for sensitive data paths. The x950-28XTQm carries JITC certification for use on DoD Information Networks (DoDIN APL) and is Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliant, making it procurement-ready for U.S. government and federal agency programs.

Key Features

• 24-Port NBASE-T Multi-Gigabit Copper — Each RJ-45 port auto-negotiates at 100M, 1G, 2.5G, 5G, or 10G over standard Cat6A cabling, protecting existing cable plant investments.
• 4 x QSFP+/QSFP28 Uplinks (40G/100G) — Fixed high-speed uplink slots support both QSFP+ (40G) and QSFP28 (100G) transceivers for flexible backbone integration.
• 1.92 Terabit Non-Blocking Switch Fabric — 1,190 Mpps forwarding rate eliminates internal congestion and supports line-rate traffic across all 28 ports simultaneously.
• VCStack: Up to 8-Unit Stack — Stack up to eight x950 switches at any port speed into a single logical device; VCStack LD enables long-distance stacking over fiber.
• TAA and JITC Compliant — Meets Trade Agreements Act requirements for federal procurement and is listed on the DoD Information Network Approved Products List (DoDIN APL).
• AlliedWare Plus Operating System — Enterprise-class OS with OSPF, BGP4, PIM multicast, VRF-Lite, OpenFlow v1.3, and IPv6 routing included or available via license.
• Dual Hot-Swap PSU and Fan Bays — Supports two 600W AC or DC power supplies with separate fan modules, both field-replaceable without downtime.
• AMF Plus Network Automation — Automates provisioning, zero-touch rollback, and centralized management of an entire AMF network as a single virtual device.
• MACSec and FIPS 140-2 — Hardware-based point-to-point link encryption and FIPS 140-2 certified cryptography for secure government and enterprise deployments.
• XEM Expansion Bay — Single expansion slot accepts XEM modules for additional 10G SFP+, multi-gig copper, or 40G QSFP+ ports without chassis replacement.

Typical Applications

• Enterprise network core and high-density aggregation layer requiring multi-gigabit copper density
• Data center top-of-rack or end-of-row with 100G spine uplinks
• U.S. federal agency and DoD network infrastructure requiring TAA and JITC compliance
• Campus distribution layer with high-speed wireless (802.11ax Wi-Fi 6/6E) backhaul
• Smart City and IoT convergence networks with large Layer 3 routing tables
• Distributed enterprise deployments leveraging VCStack LD over long-distance fiber

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the AT-X950-28XTQM-900 TAA compliant for U.S. federal procurement?

Yes. The AT-X950-28XTQM-900 carries the -900 suffix denoting Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliance, meaning it is manufactured in the U.S. or a TAA-designated country and qualifies for GSA Schedule and other federal purchasing vehicles.

Q: What is the maximum VCStack size for the x950-28XTQm?

Up to eight x950 units can be stacked into a single logical switch using VCStack. All eight units are managed as one device, and stacking can be performed at any port speed. VCStack over Long Distance (VCStack LD) additionally supports stacking across long-distance fiber links for geographically separated deployments.

Q: Which 100G transceiver modules are compatible with the QSFP28 uplink ports?

The four uplink slots accept QSFP+ (40G) and QSFP28 (100G) form-factor transceivers. Allied Telesis offers a range of compatible transceivers including 100G SR4, LR4, and CWDM4 QSFP28 modules. Consult the Allied Telesis compatibility guide or contact Creation Networks at https://creationnetworks.net for validated transceiver options.

Q: Does the switch require a license for basic OSPF and BGP routing?

The base AlliedWare Plus software includes 64 OSPF and 64 BGP routes. The AT-FL-x950-01 Premium license expands OSPF to 16,000 routes and BGP4 to 5,000 routes, and adds PIM multicast, VRF-Lite, Q-in-Q VLAN double tagging, and additional IPv6 routing protocols.

Q: What NBASE-T cable category is required for 10G operation on the copper ports?

For 10G (10GBASE-T) operation, Cat6A cabling is recommended up to 55 meters, and Cat8 for longer runs. The NBASE-T auto-negotiation allows the same ports to fall back to 5G, 2.5G, 1G, or 100M on Cat5e or Cat6 cabling, preserving existing infrastructure investments.

Q: What expansion modules are available for the XEM bay?

The single XEM expansion bay supports: AT-XEM2-12XTm (12 x multi-gig copper), AT-XEM2-12XS v2 (12 x 10G SFP+), AT-XEM2-4QS (4 x 40G QSFP+), AT-XEM2-1CQ (1 x 100G QSFP28), and AT-XEM2-8XSTm (4 x multi-gig copper + 4 x 10G SFP+).

Q: Does the x950-28XTQm support OpenFlow for SDN deployments?

Yes. OpenFlow v1.3 is supported via the AT-FL-x950-OF13 annual or 5-year license. Allied Telesis holds OpenFlow Conformance certification from the Open Networking Foundation (ONF), providing the highest assurance of specification compliance.

Q: Are power supplies included with the AT-X950-28XTQM-900?

The base chassis ships with fan modules installed but no power supplies. Power supplies (AT-PWR600 for 600W AC, AT-PWR600-80 for 600W DC) must be ordered separately. Up to two PSUs can be installed for load-sharing and redundancy. The -900 suffix indicates 1 year of NetCover support is included.