Call a Specialist Today! 844-294-0778
End-of-Life Notice
Palo Alto Networks PA-7000-20GQXM-NPC
The PA-7000-20GQXM-NPC has reached end-of-life and is no longer available for new deployments. The designated replacement is the PA-7500 Series, delivering over 20x per-slot throughput with 400G QSFP-DD interfaces replacing the legacy 40G QSFP+ ports.
View the PA-7500 Series Contact a specialist
End-of-life product information
The PA-7000-20GQXM-NPC was a 20 Gbps network processing card with extended memory and 40G QSFP+ interfaces for the PA-7000 Series chassis. It provided 4 QSFP+ ports per slot. This line card is no longer sold or supported for new deployments.
Designated replacement
PA-7500 Series
Next-generation chassis platform with orthogonal direct-connect architecture, 400G QSFP-DD interfaces, and up to 1.5+ Tbps chassis throughput.
View PA-7500 SeriesRelated end-of-life model
PA-7000-20GXM-NPC
Extended memory variant of the 20 Gbps network processing card with 16 SFP+ interfaces for the PA-7000 Series chassis. Also discontinued.
View PA-7000-20GXM-NPC EOL detailsRelated end-of-life model
PA-7000-20GQ-NPC
Standard memory network processing card with 40G QSFP+ interfaces for the PA-7000 Series chassis. Also discontinued.
View PA-7000-20GQ-NPC EOL detailsUpgrade path
Why upgrade from PA-7000-20GQXM-NPC to PA-7500 Series
The PA-7500 Series eliminates the 20 Gbps per-slot bottleneck that constrains the PA-7000 chassis. A redesigned architecture delivers dramatically higher throughput per slot and replaces 40G QSFP+ with 400G QSFP-DD interfaces.
20x per-slot throughput
The PA-7000-20GQXM-NPC was limited to 20 Gbps per slot. The PA-7500 Series delivers 400+ Gbps per slot, eliminating the per-card bottleneck that restricted overall chassis capacity.
400G QSFP-DD interfaces
Transition from 40G QSFP+ ports to 400G QSFP-DD interfaces, providing a 10x increase in per-port bandwidth to match the demands of modern data center and service provider environments.
Orthogonal direct-connect architecture
The PA-7500 replaces the legacy backplane with an orthogonal direct-connect design that removes the shared-bus bottleneck, enabling each slot to operate at full line rate independently.
ML-powered inline security
The PA-7500 Series integrates machine learning directly into the data path, enabling real-time threat detection and zero-day prevention without relying solely on signature-based analysis.
Legacy vs. current generation
A direct specification comparison between the end-of-life PA-7000-20GQXM-NPC and the PA-7500 Series platform.
| Specification | PA-7000-20GQXM-NPC (Legacy) | PA-7500 Series (Current) | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per-slot firewall throughput | 20 Gbps | 400+ Gbps | 20x+ faster |
| Per-slot threat prevention throughput | 20 Gbps | 300+ Gbps | 15x+ faster |
| Interfaces per slot | 4x 40G QSFP+ | 400G QSFP-DD | 10x per-port bandwidth |
| Backplane architecture | Legacy backplane | Orthogonal direct-connect | No shared bottleneck |
| Max chassis throughput | Backplane limited | 1.5+ Tbps | Terabit-class |
| Threat intelligence | Signature-based | ML-powered inline | Real-time ML |
Trade-in programs may be available for existing PA-7000 deployments. Contact a specialist for details.
View PA-7500 details Compare all modelsPA-7000-20GQXM-NPC technical specifications
Reference specifications for the end-of-life PA-7000-20GQXM-NPC network processing card.
Performance and capacity
| Per-slot firewall throughput | 20 Gbps |
| Per-slot threat prevention throughput | 20 Gbps |
| Memory configuration | Extended (XM) |
Hardware specifications
| Interfaces | 4x 40G QSFP+ per card |
| Backplane architecture | Legacy backplane |
| Form factor | Network processing card (line card) for PA-7000 chassis |
Chassis compatibility
| Compatible chassis | PA-7050, PA-7080 |
| Card type | Network Processing Card (NPC) |
| Status | End-of-life / Discontinued |
Documentation
Reference datasheets for the PA-7000 Series and the current PA-Series platforms.
PA-7000 Series specification datasheet
Original hardware specifications and performance data for the legacy PA-7000 Series platform and network processing cards.
Download PDFFirewall features overview
Comprehensive overview of Palo Alto Networks next-generation firewall capabilities and security features.
Download PDFRecommended products
Current generation alternatives
Related resources
Cloud-delivered security services
Threat protection, web filtering, data loss prevention, and IoT security available as subscriptions for all PA-Series platforms.
Learn moreStrata Cloud Manager
Unified management and operations across NGFW and SASE deployments with predictive analytics and AI-powered policy analysis.
Learn moreLegacy products directory
Complete listing of end-of-life Palo Alto Networks hardware with designated replacements and upgrade paths.
View all legacy productsConnect with a specialist
Discuss upgrade options, evaluate trade-in programs, and plan the transition from PA-7000-20GQXM-NPC to the PA-7500 Series.