Cisco AS5400-AC
AS5400 Chassis, Dual AC, IP+
Product Highlights
What's Included
64MB Shared I/O DRAM (1x MEM-64S-AS54)
32MB Flash (1x MEM-32F-AS54)
8MB Bootflash (1x MEM-8BF-AS54)
(1) AS54-AC-RPS
(2) AC Power Cord
(1) Rackmount Kit (AS5400RM-19)
Service providers and enterprises managing high-volume voice, fax, and dial-in data traffic need a gateway platform that delivers density, reliability, and protocol flexibility without consuming excessive rack space. The Cisco AS5400-AC universal voice gateway chassis addresses these requirements in a compact 2RU footprint.
The AS5400-AC ships with dual AC redundant power supplies, ensuring continuous operation even during a single power supply failure — a critical requirement for carrier-grade and colocation deployments. With seven expansion slots that accept trunk termination cards (CT1, CE1, CT3) and universal port DSP feature cards, the chassis scales to support up to 648 simultaneous dial sessions. Two onboard 10/100 Fast Ethernet ports provide redundant WAN backhaul with HSRP failover, while two serial ports offer additional connectivity options.
Running the Cisco IP+ IOS feature set, the AS5400-AC supports a comprehensive range of PSTN signaling protocols — including SS7/C7, CAS, PRI, and R2 — alongside gateway signaling via H.323, SIP, and MGCP. This makes it well-suited for wholesale voice transport, VoIP trunking, prepaid calling card services, high-volume Internet access, and SS7 interconnect applications. The chassis ships with 256MB DRAM, 64MB shared I/O memory, 32MB system flash, and 8MB bootflash, providing a solid foundation for immediate deployment or upgrade.
Note: This product is part of the Cisco AS5400/AS5400HPX family, which has reached End-of-Life status. It remains an excellent option for maintaining existing deployments, lab environments, or cost-effective expansion of legacy voice infrastructure.
Features & Benefits
Dual AC Redundant Power
The AS5400-AC includes a dual AC redundant power supply (AS54-AC-RPS), providing automatic failover in the event of a power supply failure. This ensures carrier-grade uptime for mission-critical voice and data services without requiring external redundancy hardware.
High-Density 2RU Chassis
With seven expansion slots in just two rack units, the AS5400 chassis maximizes port density while minimizing rack space consumption. This compact design is ideal for colocation environments and mega POPs where every rack unit counts.
Universal Voice & Data Services
The AS5400 platform supports concurrent voice, fax, and data services on any port at any time using universal port DSP technology. Broad protocol support — including H.323, SIP, MGCP, SS7/C7, CAS, PRI, and R2 — enables deployment across diverse telephony environments worldwide.
Redundant WAN Backhaul
Two onboard 10/100 Fast Ethernet ports can be configured for different traffic types or paired using HSRP for redundant, high-availability WAN connectivity. Two additional serial ports support leased-line termination and Frame Relay aggregation for flexible backhaul options.
Cisco IP+ IOS Feature Set
Ships with the Cisco IP+ IOS image, which includes advanced IP routing, access VPN, QoS features (IP Precedence, RSVP, WFQ, WRED), and voice-ready capabilities. This provides a comprehensive software foundation for both data-only and converged voice/data deployments.
Deployment Scenarios
Wholesale Voice Transport & VoIP Trunking
Service providers can deploy the AS5400-AC as a high-density VoIP trunking gateway to terminate and convert TDM voice traffic to IP. With support for up to 648 sessions and SS7/C7 interconnect capability, it serves as a cost-effective media gateway for wholesale long-distance and carrier interconnect applications.
High-Volume Internet Access & Dial-In Services
ISPs and enterprises requiring large-scale dial-in remote access can leverage the AS5400-AC's seven-slot architecture to terminate hundreds of simultaneous modem, ISDN, and digital calls. The IP+ IOS feature set supports PPP, VPN, RADIUS authentication, and a wide range of access protocols.
Legacy Voice Infrastructure Maintenance
Organizations with existing AS5400-based voice networks can use this chassis as a drop-in replacement or expansion unit to maintain service continuity. The AS5400-AC is fully compatible with existing trunk cards and DSP feature cards, protecting prior hardware investments.
Lab & Testing Environments
Network engineers and training labs benefit from the AS5400-AC as an affordable platform for testing voice gateway configurations, SS7 signaling, and VoIP protocol interworking in a controlled environment before production deployment.
General
Memory
Interfaces
Performance
Power
Physical
Protocols & Signaling
Compatibility Notes
Trunk & DSP Feature Cards
- The AS5400 chassis accepts CT1, CE1, and CT3 trunk termination feature cards in its seven expansion slots.
- Universal port DSP feature cards (e.g., AS54-DFC series) are supported for voice, fax, and modem call processing.
Memory
- Ships with 256MB DRAM (MEM-256M-AS54), upgradeable to 512MB.
- 64MB Shared I/O DRAM (MEM-64S-AS54), 32MB System Flash (MEM-32F-AS54), and 8MB Bootflash (MEM-8BF-AS54) are included.
Rack Mounting
- Includes a 19-inch rackmount kit (AS5400RM-19). A 24-inch kit (AS5400RM-24) is available separately.
Software Licensing
- Ships with IP+ IOS. Voice applications may require additional feature licenses (e.g., FR54-DATA-LIC for data-only, or voice-specific licenses for the AS5400HPX platform).
- Integrated SLT functionality requires the FR54-SLT-LIC license.
EOL Status
- The Cisco AS5400 Series has reached End-of-Sale (March 15, 2014) and End-of-Support (March 31, 2019). No new Cisco TAC support contracts are available.
Downloads & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
| Part Number | Product | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| AS5400HPX-AC | Cisco AS5400HPX Chassis (Dual AC) | Enhanced 397MHz CPU for processor-intensive voice and fax applications; recommended for voice workloads over the base AS5400. |
| AS5400XM-AC | Cisco AS5400XM Chassis (Dual AC) | Next-generation successor with 750MHz CPU, Gigabit Ethernet, and support for high-density packet voice/fax feature cards — doubles performance of the AS5400. |
| AS5400-DC | Cisco AS5400 Chassis (Dual DC) | Same AS5400 chassis with DC power supplies instead of AC — suited for telco central office environments with -48VDC power plants. |
| AS5350-AC | Cisco AS5350 Chassis (Dual AC) | Lower-density sibling in the AS5000 family — fewer expansion slots and lower session capacity for smaller-scale deployments. |