The switch that would not fit
A new switch arrives. The installer opens the cabinet. There is no free slot, the nearest socket is across the room, and the air inside is already hot.
Checks before the work stop that. The plan, the space, the power and the cooling are all looked at first.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Design specification | the plan that says what goes where |
| Rack unit | a standard slot height in a rack, written U |
| Cooling | the airflow that carries heat away from the kit |
| Blanking panel | a plate that fills an empty slot so air flows the right way |
| Configure | set up a device with the settings it needs |
| Default password | the password a device has when it leaves the factory |
| Firmware | the built-in software of a device |
| Network | devices joined so they can share data |
| Router | a device that passes data between networks |
| Firewall | a device that allows or blocks traffic by rules |
| Switch | a device that sends each frame only to the right port |
| Rack | an open metal frame with rails that holds equipment |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can plan where to fit a device, check it against the specification, and say how it is installed, tested and set up.
Starter: devices
Have a go
Starter: devices
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Read the plan, check the box
Start with the design specification. It names the device and its place: which cabinet, which slot. Find that place first.
Then check the box. Does the model match? Is every part there: the device, rails, power lead, modules and cables? Report any difference before you fit anything.
Three checks on the place
| Check | Ask | If it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Space | Are enough free rack units there, and is there room for cables? | Move kit or use another cabinet |
| Power | Is a socket in reach and is the load within its limit? | Add a power strip or a new circuit by a qualified person |
| Cooling | Does air flow in at the front and out at the back? | Add blanking panels or a fan unit |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Fitting and testing
Fit rails first. Put the heaviest kit low in the rack, and use two people for a heavy item. Add blanking panels for gaps.
Connect power, then the data cables. Switch on. Watch the lights and the start-up test. Only then check that the device does its job.
Setting the device up
To configure a device you give it the settings from the plan: its name, its address, its ports and its rules. Change the default password at once. Anyone can look up a factory password.
Update the firmware if the plan says so. Save the settings and write them down.