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Routers/Switches

notgoing2failnotgoing2fail Member Posts: 1,138
in CCNA & CCENT
I'm going to sleep now but this thought just crossed my mind..

Riddle me this....

Why do most routers/firewalls have an on/off button but switches don't?
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    peanutnogginpeanutnoggin Member Posts: 1,096 ■■■□□□□□□□
    notgoing2fail wrote: »
    Riddle me this....

    Why do most routers/firewalls have an on/off button but switches don't?

    I too have wondered that at times... icon_scratch.gif
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    chmorinchmorin Member Posts: 1,446 ■■■■■□□□□□
    Line Card switches have power on switches. It is on the power supply units XD

    Just playing, but good question....
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    Forsaken_GAForsaken_GA Member Posts: 4,024
    notgoing2fail wrote: »
    I'm going to sleep now but this thought just crossed my mind..

    Riddle me this....

    Why do most routers/firewalls have an on/off button but switches don't?

    It depends on the switch. I'm assuming in this case that you mean the modular 1U fixed configuration switches.

    The reason is that they're fixed configuration, so the only time you should need to power them down is if you need to physically move the unit.

    The router, on the other hand, generally is not fixed configuration. You may need to add or remove a module from an NM or WIC slot, and those modules are generally not hot swappable, so you need to power the router down.

    You'll find that the modular switches, like the Catalyst 6500 and 4000/4500 series do indeed have power on/off buttons on their power supplies
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    notgoing2failnotgoing2fail Member Posts: 1,138
    Forsaken_GA wrote: »
    It depends on the switch. I'm assuming in this case that you mean the modular 1U fixed configuration switches.

    The reason is that they're fixed configuration, so the only time you should need to power them down is if you need to physically move the unit.

    The router, on the other hand, generally is not fixed configuration. You may need to add or remove a module from an NM or WIC slot, and those modules are generally not hot swappable, so you need to power the router down.

    You'll find that the modular switches, like the Catalyst 6500 and 4000/4500 series do indeed have power on/off buttons on their power supplies


    Correct assumption.

    All of my routers are fixed configuration and they have power buttons.

    It just occured to me last night because in my home lab, I have to go around to each switch and unplug the power chord while with the routers I can keep the power cord plugged in and simply hit off...

    It's kind of a pain with the switches...

    I know I'm nitpicking, but things like this give me OCD....
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    Forsaken_GAForsaken_GA Member Posts: 4,024
    notgoing2fail wrote: »

    I know I'm nitpicking, but things like this give me OCD....

    Just get a power strip for your switches, or if they're racked, a PDU, and flip it off, makes life alot easier hehe
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    mgeorgemgeorge Member Posts: 774 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Any Cisco device with a field replaceable power supple typically has a power switch whereas fix configuration psu's that is NOT encased in an aluminum case are just wide open circuit boards screwed into the switch chassis and Cisco recommends not to replace them but to RMA those devices.

    If you look on the bottom of fixed configuration switches you'll see the following;

    "CAUTION: NO OPERATOR SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE, REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL"

    Hope this answers your riddle. ;)
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    Forsaken_GAForsaken_GA Member Posts: 4,024
    mgeorge wrote: »
    Any Cisco device with a field replaceable power supple typically has a power switch whereas fix configuration psu's that is NOT encased in an aluminum case are just wide open circuit boards screwed into the switch chassis and Cisco recommends not to replace them but to RMA those devices.

    If you look on the bottom of fixed configuration switches you'll see the following;

    "CAUTION: NO OPERATOR SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE, REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL"

    Hope this answers your riddle. ;)

    That depends on the switch, for example, the 2950's and 3550's and such all have field replaceable PSU's, but no on/off switch
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    mgeorgemgeorge Member Posts: 774 ■■■□□□□□□□
    The psu's in both the 2950 and 3550 as well as 3560 and 3750 are not enclosed in an aluminum case nor are they "field replaceable" pe se. However they can be replaced and in doing such requires precautions to not fry components on the psu circuit board which in turn could fry the main board due to irregulation of voltage to the main board.
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    notgoing2failnotgoing2fail Member Posts: 1,138
    What's this talk about frying?

    Come on guys, I just want an on/off switch!!


    argh!!! icon_mrgreen.gif


    The power strip is an idea I just hate turning everything on all at once....
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    tierstentiersten Member Posts: 4,505
    I've got an APC PDU that lets me remotely turn stuff on and off.

    There isn't any particular reason why Cisco decided not to put a power switch on their fixed configuration switches. If I had to guess it would be because you don't actually need to power it down for any reason since you can't swap modules. I've seen switches by other manufacturers that have switches and some by others that are similar to Cisco that don't have switches.
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    mikej412mikej412 Member Posts: 10,086 ■■■■■■■■■■
    notgoing2fail wrote: »
    The power strip is an idea I just hate turning everything on all at once....
    You can get a remote power switch -- some have a "ripple start" function built in. Others have a web interface and let you write you own web page (with delay) to power up the individual outlets - or you can just use their interface and <click> <apply> <wait> <click> <apply> <wait> <click> <apply> <wait> <click> <apply> <wait> ......

    And even the old telnet based remote power switches can be scripted with a Linux shell script (or any equivalent command line scripting functionality that MS may have finally decided to provide).
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    DPGDPG Member Posts: 780 ■■■■■□□□□□
    I use an old APC Masterswitch to remotely power on/off my lab.
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    ajmatsonajmatson Member Posts: 289
    +1 for power strip, but mine is a 1U strip with individual switches and it has been a life saver so far.
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    Forsaken_GAForsaken_GA Member Posts: 4,024
    mgeorge wrote: »
    The psu's in both the 2950 and 3550 as well as 3560 and 3750 are not enclosed in an aluminum case nor are they "field replaceable" pe se. However they can be replaced and in doing such requires precautions to not fry components on the psu circuit board which in turn could fry the main board due to irregulation of voltage to the main board.

    Well, anytime you open a case, you need to exercise caution, but the power supplies on the 1u fixeds are not difficult to replace. I used to work for a Cisco reseller and had to replace them on a regular basis, because replacing the power supply and reselling the switch is a whole lot cheaper than buying another switch.
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