2-5
Cisco Intrusion Prevention System Appliance Hardware Installation Guide for IPS 7.1
OL-24002-01
Chapter 2 Preparing the Appliance for Installation
General Site Requirements
General Site Requirements
This section describes the requirements your site must meet for safe installation and operation of your
IPS appliance. This section includes the following topics:
• Site Environment, page 2-5
• Preventive Site Configuration, page 2-5
• Power Supply Considerations, page 2-6
• Configuring Equipment Racks, page 2-6
Site Environment
Place the appliance on a desktop or mount it in a rack. The location of the appliance and the layout of
the equipment rack or wiring room are extremely important for proper system operation. Equipment
placed too close together, inadequate ventilation, and inaccessible panels can cause system malfunctions
and shutdowns, and can make appliance maintenance difficult.
When planning the site layout and equipment locations, keep in mind the following precautions to help
avoid equipment failures and reduce the possibility of environmentally-caused shutdowns. If you are
experiencing shutdowns or unusually high errors with your existing equipment, these precautions may
help you isolate the cause of failures and prevent future problems.
• Electrical equipment generates heat. Ambient air temperature might not be adequate to cool
equipment to acceptable operating temperatures without adequate circulation. Make sure that the
room in which you operate your system has adequate air circulation.
• Always follow the ESD-prevention procedures to avoid damage to equipment. Damage from static
discharge can cause immediate or intermittent equipment failure.
• Make sure that the chassis top panel is secure. The chassis is designed to allow cooling air to flow
effectively within it. An open chassis allows air leaks, which can interrupt and redirect the flow of
cooling air from the internal components.
Preventive Site Configuration
The following precautions will help plan an acceptable operating environment for the chassis and avoid
environmentally caused equipment failures:
• Electrical equipment generates heat. Ambient air temperature might not be adequate to cool
equipment to acceptable operating temperatures without adequate circulation. Ensure that the room
in which you operate your system has adequate air circulation.
• Always follow the ESD-prevention procedures described previously to avoid damage to equipment.
Damage from static discharge can cause immediate or intermittent equipment failure.
• Ensure that the chassis top panel is secure. The chassis is designed to allow cooling air to flow
effectively within it. An open chassis allows air leaks, which may interrupt and redirect the flow of
cooling air from the internal components.
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