Allied Telesis AT-X950-28XTQM-B05 – 24-Port Multi-Gigabit Layer 3 Switch 5-Year NCP

Product Overview

The Allied Telesis x950-28XTQm (AT-X950-28XTQM-B05) is a high-capacity, 1U rack-mount enterprise core switch featuring 24 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10G multi-gigabit copper ports and 4 x 40G/100G QSFP28 uplinks backed by a 1.92 Tbps non-blocking switching fabric. The -B05 suffix indicates an included 5-year Net Cover support bundle, distinguishing it from the base -900 SKU (no bundle) and the larger AT-X950-52XTQM-B05 (48 copper ports, no XEM expansion bay). This 28-port model retains a single XEM expansion bay for adding optional modules including the XEM2-8XSTm, XEM2-12XTm, XEM2-12XS v2, or XEM2-4QS, making it the preferred choice when a compact footprint must scale gracefully with future bandwidth requirements.

Product Description

The Allied Telesis x950 24-port multi-gigabit Layer 3 switch with 5-year NCP is designed for enterprise network cores, distribution layers, and data center ToR deployments where 10G copper access and 100G backbone connectivity must coexist in a 1U chassis. All 24 RJ-45 copper ports auto-negotiate at 100M, 1G, 2.5G, 5G, or 10G using 10GBase-T technology, providing a cost-effective path to 10G connectivity over Cat6A cabling without replacing fiber infrastructure. The four QSFP28 slots support both 40G QSFP+ and 100G QSFP28 transceivers—or can be broken out to up to 16 x 10G ports using 4x10G breakout cables, giving architects significant flexibility in backbone design. The 1.92 Tbps switching fabric and 1,190 Mpps forwarding rate eliminate internal congestion even under simultaneous full-rate traffic on all ports. Dual hot-swappable PSU bays and tool-less fan modules (ordered separately per Allied Telesis's modular chassis model) provide redundancy and forward/reverse airflow options for mixed hot-aisle/cold-aisle rack configurations. VCStack supports stacking up to 8 units locally or across long-distance fiber for a distributed resilient core, with no single point of failure when combined with link aggregation. The AlliedWare Plus OS delivers enterprise routing (OSPF, BGP4, PIM, VRF-Lite), MACSec hardware encryption, OpenFlow v1.3 SDN, and full AMF Plus automation integration with Vista Manager EX for graphical network management. FIPS 140-2, JITC, and TAA certifications cover government and regulated enterprise procurement. The -B05 suffix specifically includes 5 years of Allied Telesis Net Cover Premium support—covering software updates, advance hardware replacement, and technical helpdesk access—differentiating it from the -B01 (1-year NCP) and the -900 (no NCP) variants. Available from Creation Networks at creationnetworks.net.

Key Features

• 24 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10G Copper Ports (10GBase-T) — Full multi-gigabit auto-negotiation over Cat6A; delivers 10G to servers and aggregation switches without optical transceivers.
• 4 x 40G/100G QSFP+/QSFP28 Uplinks — Native 100G backbone ports, breakout-capable to 16 x 10G using standard QSFP28 breakout cables.
• 1 x XEM Expansion Bay — Accepts XEM2-8XSTm, XEM2-12XTm, XEM2-12XS v2, XEM2-4QS, or XEM2-1CQ modules for additional port density or 40G aggregation.
• 1.92 Tbps Non-Blocking Switching Fabric — 1,190 Mpps forwarding rate; no internal bottlenecks under full line-rate bidirectional traffic.
• Dual Hot-Swappable PSU and Fan Bays — Supports AC and DC PSUs simultaneously; forward and reverse airflow fan options for precise thermal management.
• VCStack — Up to 8 Units — Stack locally or over VCStack LD long-distance fiber links for geographically distributed resilient cores.
• 5-Year Net Cover Support (-B05) — Includes software maintenance, advance hardware replacement, and helpdesk for 5 years from purchase—distinguish from -B01 (1-year) and -900 (no bundle).
• AlliedWare Plus with AMF Plus — Full L3 routing, MACSec, OpenFlow v1.3, VRF-Lite, and Vista Manager EX integration for intent-based network automation.

Typical Applications

• Enterprise network core or distribution switch with 10G copper server/workstation connectivity
• Data center top-of-rack switch aggregating 10G servers to 100G spine fabric
• Campus backbone providing 100G uplinks to the WAN or data center edge
• Smart City and IoT aggregation switch where high routing table capacity is required
• Stackable core replacement for SwitchBlade x908 Gen2 deployments requiring 1U density

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does the -B05 suffix mean, and how does it differ from -B01 and -900?

The suffix indicates the Net Cover support bundle: -B05 includes 5 years of Net Cover Premium (software updates, advance hardware replacement, technical helpdesk), -B01 includes 1 year, and -900 includes no bundle. The underlying hardware is identical across all three variants.

Q: How does the AT-X950-28XTQM-B05 differ from the AT-X950-52XTQM-B05?

The 28XTQM has 24 copper ports and 1 XEM expansion bay; the 52XTQM has 48 copper ports but no XEM bay. The 28-port model is the right choice when expansion module flexibility matters; the 52-port model is better when maximum copper port count is the priority.

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

The x950-28XTQm's single XEM2 bay supports: XEM2-8XSTm (4x SFP+ + 4x 10GBase-T), XEM2-12XTm (12x 10GBase-T), XEM2-12XS v2 (12x SFP+), XEM2-4QS (4x 40G QSFP+), and XEM2-1CQ (1x 100G QSFP28). Contact your sales rep for regional availability.

Q: Does the chassis ship with power supplies included?

No. Per Allied Telesis's modular PSU model, power supplies (AT-PWR600 for AC, AT-PWR600-80 for DC) must be ordered separately. The chassis ships with fan modules installed but no PSUs.

Q: What is Allied Telesis Net Cover Premium (NCP) support?

Net Cover Premium is Allied Telesis's highest support tier, covering next-business-day advance hardware replacement, unlimited software version upgrades, and 24/7 telephone technical support. The -B05 bundle locks this in for 5 years from purchase date.

Q: Can the x950-28XTQm stack with x950-28XSQ or x950-52 models?

Yes. All x950 models (28XSQ, 28XTQm, 52XSQ, 52XTQm) support VCStack and can be combined in a single logical stack of up to 8 units, enabling mixed fiber/copper access in a unified managed chassis.

Q: Where can I purchase the AT-X950-28XTQM-B05?

Creation Networks is an authorized Allied Telesis reseller offering competitive pricing and engineering support. Visit creationnetworks.net to request a quote.