Availability Features
OmniSwitch 6850/6850E Series
page 1-2
OmniSwitch 6850/6850E Series Hardware Users Guide
June 2011
Availability Features
The switch provides a broad variety of
availability
features. Availability features are hardware and
software-based safeguards that help to prevent the loss of data flow in the unlikely event of a subsystem
failure. In addition, some availability features allow users to maintain or replace hardware components
without powering off the switch or interrupting switch operations. Combined, these features provide added
resiliency and help to ensure that the switch or virtual chassis is consistently available for day-to-day
network operations.
Hardware-related availability features include:
•
Software Rollback
•
Backup Power Supplies
•
Hot Swapping
•
Hardware Monitoring
Software Rollback
Software rollback (also referred to as
image rollback
) essentially allows the OmniSwitch to return to a
prior “last known good” version of software in the event of a system software problem. The switch
controls software rollback through its resilient directory structure design (i.e.,
/flash/working
and
/flash/
certified
).
For detailed information on the software rollback feature, as well as the switch’s
/flash/working
and
/flash/certified
directories, refer to the “Managing CMM Directory Content” chapter in the
OmniSwitch
AOS Release 6 Series Switch Management Guide
.
Backup Power Supplies
The switches support an optional backup power supply. This power supply is connected to the rear of the
unit and provides redundant chassis power on a 1:1 basis. There is a power shelf provided with the unit
that slides into the rear of the chassis and is used to hold the power supplies.
Backup power supplies operate in active standby mode. If the primary power supply fails unexpectedly,
the backup power supply automatically takes up the full power load without disrupting the switch.
