Hot Swapping

What is Hot Swapping?

Hot swapping, alternatively known as power-on reseating or hot replacement, pertains to the act of inserting or removing various components within a device, such as main control boards, interface boards, and optical modules, without the need to power off the device. It is essential to thoroughly review the component description documents before engaging in hot swapping procedures to ensure personal safety and prevent any potential damage to the device.

What Are the Scenarios Where Hot Swapping Is Required?

The following are typical situations where hot swapping is employed:

• 1. Device capacity expansion

• 2. Replacement of faulty components

• 3. Hardware commissioning

Hot swapping enhances the device's fault recovery capabilities and provides flexibility for hardware capacity expansion, all while ensuring uninterrupted device operation. It's important to note that not all components support hot swapping. Prior to removing or inserting a component, it is crucial to thoroughly review the associated operation guide.

How Do I Perform Hot Swapping?

Performing hot swapping operations carries inherent risks due to the involvement of live power. Hence, it is strongly recommended to thoroughly review the operation guide specific to the component before undertaking any hot swap procedures.

Precautions:

• 1. Prior to inserting or removing a component, ensure that the relevant documentation confirms its compatibility with hot swapping.

• 2. Take appropriate measures for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection during the operation.

Required Tools:

• 1. ESD wrist strap or ESD gloves

• 2. Phillips screwdriver

• 3. ESD bag

Procedure:

The basic procedure for hot swapping, exemplified by the typical scenario of replacing a main control board, is outlined below.

Board Removal:

• 1. Wear an ESD wrist strap and connect its grounding terminal to the rack's ESD jack.

• 2. Power off the board intended for replacement.Press and hold the OFF (OFL) button on the board's panel for approximately six seconds until the OFFLINE indicator illuminates, indicating that the board is powered off.

• 3. Rotate the Phillips screwdriver counterclockwise to loosen the two captive screws on the board (refer to Figure 1, Step ①).

• 4. Extend the ejector levers of the board outward. Once they reach a 45-degree angle with the panel, the board will detach from the backplane (refer to Figure 1, Step ②).

• 5. Hold the ejector levers of the board and smoothly pull it out of the chassis along the guide rail of the slot. When the board is approximately 30-40 cm outside the chassis, support the lower edge with one hand while gripping the board panel with the other hand. Proceed to gently remove the board from the chassis (refer to Figure 1, Step ③).

• 6. Place the removed board inside the ESD bag.

Board Insertion:

• 1. Retrieve a new main control board from the ESD bag.

• 2. Support the lower edge of the new board with one hand while holding the panel with the other hand. Insert the new board smoothly into the chassis along the guide rail of the slot (refer to Figure 2, Step ②). Slide the board forward until the ejector levers on the front panel of the board make contact with the chassis.

• 3. Rotate the board ejector levers outward to form 45-degree angles, and using both hands, push the board into the slot. Then, turn the ejector levers inward until the board panel is securely in contact with the chassis (refer to Figure 2, Step ③).

• 4. Rotate the Phillips screwdriver clockwise to tighten the two captive screws (refer to Figure 2, Step ④).

• 5. Verify the operational status of the newly inserted board and ensure its successful installation.