MikroTik CRS326-4C+20G+2Q+RM 20×25G SFP28 Switch

The MikroTik CRS326-4C+20G+2Q+RM is a purpose-built 25G aggregation switch — positioned at the top-of-rack or end-of-row layer in data centre and enterprise deployments where 25G SFP28 is the primary server and storage connectivity tier, and 40G QSFP+ provides the uplink to the core switching layer.

The port architecture divides into three tiers:

- **20× SFP28 25G ports:** The primary server and storage connectivity tier — 25GBASE-SR (multimode 850nm, 100m), 25GBASE-LR (single-mode 1310nm, 10km), SFP28 DAC cables, and SFP28 AOC cables. For a data centre rack where servers are equipped with 25GbE NICs — the current standard server connectivity tier above 10GbE — the CRS326 terminates up to 20 simultaneous 25G server connections in a 1U chassis.

- **4× combo ports (SFP28 25G / RJ45 multi-rate):** Each combo port operates as either an SFP28 25G fiber/DAC port or a multi-rate RJ45 port supporting 10M / 100M / 1G / 2.5G / 5G / 10G copper — operator selects per-port. The combo ports provide deployment flexibility for devices without SFP28 interfaces — storage controllers with 10GBase-T RJ45, management servers, or out-of-band management devices connecting via copper. The multi-rate RJ45 up to 10G (10GBASE-T) on the combo ports is particularly useful for operators with existing Cat6A copper cabling infrastructure who need to connect 10GBase-T devices to the 25G switch fabric without a separate 10G switch layer.

- **2× QSFP+ 40G uplink ports:** The uplink tier connecting the CRS326 to the core switching layer — a CRS520-4XS-16XQ-RM, a CRS354-48P-4S+2Q+RM, or any 40G-capable upstream switch or router. Two independent 40G uplinks provide LACP bonding for 80G aggregate uplink bandwidth, or active/standby uplink redundancy for failover without traffic interruption.

The Marvell Prestera 98CX8121 switch ASIC provides hardware-offloaded Layer 2 and Layer 3 forwarding at line rate across all 25G ports and 40G uplinks simultaneously — VLAN, ACL, QoS, ECMP, and Layer 3 routing without CPU involvement. For a deployment where the CRS326 performs inter-VLAN routing between server VLANs (production, development, storage, management) at 25G line rate, the 98CX8121 handles forwarding in hardware while the ARM64 CPU manages the RouterOS control plane.

The quad-core ARM64 AL21400 at 1,400 MHz with 2 GB RAM is the same CPU platform as the CRS520-4XS-16XQ-RM — providing the processing and memory headroom for RouterOS v7 License 6 BGP and OSPF control plane operation alongside the 98CX8121 data plane. RouterOS v7 License 6 provides unlimited routing protocol instances, BGP full table capability, advanced QoS, container support on ARM64, and the complete RouterOS feature set. For a hosting provider or ISP deploying the CRS326 as a server aggregation switch with BGP peering to a route reflector, License 6 provides the routing protocol capability without restriction.

The dual-boot RouterOS v7 / SwitchOS architecture allows the operator to choose the management paradigm appropriate for the deployment. SwitchOS provides a streamlined managed switch interface — VLAN, port monitoring, SNMP, and traffic shaping without the RouterOS routing and firewall feature set. RouterOS v7 provides the full feature set. The CRS326 ships with both operating systems and the operator selects at first boot — switching between them requires a reinstall from the MikroTik netinstall utility or RouterOS reinstall process.

The dual hot-swap 250W PSU architecture provides N+1 power redundancy in a 1U chassis. Each 250W PSU connects to an independent AC feed — for a data centre with dual-corded power (two independent PDUs), each CRS326 PSU connects to a separate circuit, providing full hardware PSU redundancy and AC feed redundancy simultaneously. The hot-swap capability means PSU replacement occurs without a maintenance window — no switch reboot, no traffic interruption. The 2× hot-swap fan trays extend hardware redundancy to the cooling system — fan tray failure or replacement occurs without a service interruption.

The combo port architecture is worth calling out explicitly for Canadian enterprise customers who are migrating from 10GBase-T copper infrastructure to 25G SFP28. The combo ports allow the CRS326 to serve both legacy 10GBase-T copper devices and new 25G SFP28 devices simultaneously — a mixed-generation connectivity scenario that is common during infrastructure refresh cycles. A customer who has 10GBase-T servers today and is deploying 25G SFP28 servers in the same rack can use the CRS326's combo ports for the 10GBase-T servers and the SFP28 ports for the 25G servers, running both on the same 25G switch fabric without a separate 10G switch layer.

The -10°C to +50°C operating temperature range and active cooling via dual fan trays reflect the thermal requirements of a fully loaded 25G switch chassis. The CRS326 must be installed in a temperature-controlled equipment room or data centre with ambient maintained below +50°C — standard for any production data centre environment.

**Canadian market note:** Certifications are CE, EAC, and RoHS — no FCC or IC published. The CRS326 is a wired switch with no wireless transmitter. No ISED wireless certification advisory applies. Confirm any applicable Canadian regulatory compliance with your distributor before listing.

Key specifications:

- **Architecture:** ARM 64-bit

- **CPU:** AL21400, quad-core ARM64, 1,400 MHz

- **Switch ASIC:** Marvell Prestera 98CX8121

- **RAM:** 2 GB

- **Storage:** 1 GB NAND

- **OS:** RouterOS v7 License 6 / SwitchOS (dual-boot)

- **SFP28 25G ports:** 20×

- **Combo ports:** 4× (SFP28 25G or RJ45 10M/100M/1G/2.5G/5G/10G per port)

- **QSFP+ 40G ports:** 2×

- **Serial console:** RJ45

- **PSU slots:** 2× hot-swap, 250W each, 500W combined

- **Fan trays:** 2× hot-swap

- **AC input:** 100–240Vac, 50–60 Hz

- **Max power consumption:** 250W (single PSU)

- **Max power without attachments:** Confirm from brochure

- **Cooling:** Active (hot-swap fan trays)

- **IP rating:** IP20

- **Operating temperature:** -10°C to +50°C

- **MTBF:** ~200,000 hours at 25°C

- **Monitors:** CPU temperature, PCB temperature, voltage

- **Certifications:** CE, EAC, RoHS — no FCC, no IC published

- **Product code:** CRS326-4C+20G+2Q+RM

- **Suggested price:** USD 799.00