Reasons for resetting LAN switches????

Bob_the_Goon

Good afternoon chaps and chappettes,

I've got a bit of a query for you all, the question may seem vague but please bare with me on this one. Here we go...

I''ve been called out to a customers premises in order to carry out some work, thats sorted and it went fine and dandy. However, the manager of the network has just started in this new post and has noticed that his predecessor had setup a script which is scheduled to run once a week that restarts all of his Cisco switches (mostly 3550 and a few 2950s).

Now my question is this. Is this necessary and do any of you perform such things with your networks? Even if you don't can you think of any scenarios when it may be suitable?

Obviously I can't explain the ins and outs of the network and its infrastructure which may have required him to create such a script but I was just wondering what you all thought about it.

Any takers....?

Bob the Goon

markzab

The only thing that I could see a use for this would be in regards to root bridge and root port re-elections. I don't know why someone would actually want that happening on a weekly basis unless there were lots of changes being constantly made or machines constantly being added. Still doesn't make much sense though.

That's all I've got.

Rearden

I can't think of a single time when we would do that here.

Cucumber

No idea, perhaps that dude was experiencing MAC flood attacks from a malicious user, and the only way he knew to clear the CAM table was resetting the switches, hehehe.

Could you post the script? I have a bit of "scientific curiosity" about how this was done,

Ahriakin

If his predecessor was more of a Server Admin. he likely just incorporated it along with server reboots thinking it's best-practice for everything...

datchcha

Ahriakin wrote:

If his predecessor was more of a Server Admin. he likely just incorporated it along with server reboots thinking it's best-practice for everything...

So true, I saw a System Administrator do the samething to wireless access points. Everytime the servers needed patches, they would reboot the Access Point as well. The network team and myself would laugh among our group. (smiles)

tech-airman

Bob_the_Goon wrote:

Good afternoon chaps and chappettes,

I've got a bit of a query for you all, the question may seem vague but please bare with me on this one. Here we go...

I''ve been called out to a customers premises in order to carry out some work, thats sorted and it went fine and dandy. However, the manager of the network has just started in this new post and has noticed that his predecessor had setup a script which is scheduled to run once a week that restarts all of his Cisco switches (mostly 3550 and a few 2950s).

Now my question is this. Is this necessary and do any of you perform such things with your networks? Even if you don't can you think of any scenarios when it may be suitable?

Obviously I can't explain the ins and outs of the network and its infrastructure which may have required him to create such a script but I was just wondering what you all thought about it.

Any takers....?

Bob the Goon

Bob the Goon,

Would you happen to know if the switches are configured to download their configs from a TFTP server?

wildfire

I have never heard of that, only reason I could think is that it is booted from a TFTP config, so if anything has changed over the week that shouldnt have it will restore.

Network kit is designed for 24x7 usage

Bob_the_Goon

Morning Chaps,

Many thanks for your help with this matter. The new network manager has decided to disable the script.

Cucumber, I'm afraid I wasn't able to get the script for you. If I go back to that site I'll try my best to blag a copy for you.

Thanks again,

Bob the Goon

he-man

Hey Wildfire,

I like your trail of thought there!!