Last week’s photos and video from inside Air China flight CA139 of a lithium battery in flames were shocking. It’s a stark reminder of the dangers of lithium-ion batteries and the risk of exploding is a real thing, not just a warning on a label.
For those up to date on the news, the logical question the Garland Technology team receives is about battery back-ups in Network TAPs. Garland Technology recommends against batteries inside TAPs because of their risk of rupturing and fire hazard. We do not recognize lithium-ion batteries as an acceptable standard in a data center, service provider network, or cyber fly-away kit.
Lithium-ion batteries are so popular because they’re accessible and affordable. They require rigorous quality assurance processes for testing and keeping the cells free from contaminants. Any slight missteps in the production process can lead to future cell failures, fires, and / or the release of dangerous fumes and liquids.
Fortunately, there are standards for lithium-ion batteries to ensure consistency and safety.
Additionally, airlines around the world have policies prohibiting lithium-ion batteries in carry-on bags. Many have recently updated their policies.
With so many potential problems, network professionals simply must say no to batteries in their networks, data centers, and mobile kits. Why?
Network professionals that implement lithium-ion batteries as protection against power-outages on Network TAPs need a proven and safer approach to power redundancy. There are more reliable ways to keep monitoring networks in times of power failures. The most reliable solution is dual power planes with separate power sources hooked up to a primary power and a secondary power supply. The secondary power supply is then connected to the network backup power (a UPS, generator, etc.).
Failsafe Feature in TAPs
A real Network TAP does not provide a possible point of failure. If it’s a passive TAP, power is not required. If it’s an active TAP, it should have failsafe technology that keeps your network links up and running even in case of power outages to the TAP.
The Failsafe feature in our copper TAPs recognizes power outages and then automatically utilizes a relay with a default state that connects the networking ports A and B together instantaneously. One key to eliminating single points of failure is ensuring devices are able to maintain uptime in the event of a power failure. This is what failsafe technology does for your network design. TAPs with built-in failsafe technology ensure network uptime because even if the TAP’s power supply fails, the network traffic will continue to flow while you resolve the issue.
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