Preparing to Install the Universal Access Server

• Look carefully for possible hazards in your work area, such as moist floors, ungrounded power extension cables, frayed power cords, and missing safety grounds.
  

• If an electrical accident occurs, proceed as follows:
  

  • Use caution; do not become a victim yourself.
    

  • Turn off power to the system.
    

  • If possible, send another person to get medical aid. Otherwise, assess the condition of the victim and then call for help.
    

  • Determine if the person needs rescue breathing or external cardiac compressions; then take appropriate action.
    

Preventing Electrostatic Discharge Damage

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage equipment and impair electrical circuitry. ESD damage occurs when electronic components are improperly handled and can result in complete or intermittent failures.

Always follow ESD-prevention procedures when you remove and replace components. Ensure that the chassis is electrically connected to earth ground. Wear an ESD-preventive wrist strap, ensuring that it makes good skin contact. Connect the grounding clip to an unpainted surface of the chassis frame to safely ground unwanted ESD voltages. To guard against ESD damage and shocks, the wrist strap and cord must operate properly. If no wrist strap is available, ground yourself by touching the metal part of the chassis.

Caution For safety, periodically check the resistance value of the antistatic strap, which should be between 1 and 10 megohms (Mohms).

General Site Requirements

This section describes the requirements your site must meet for safe installation and operation of your system. Ensure that your site is properly prepared before beginning installation.

Site Environment

The access server can be placed on a desktop or mounted in a rack. The location of the access server and the layout of your 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, shutdowns, and make maintenance difficult.

When planning your site layout and equipment locations, keep in mind the precautions described in the following section, "Preventive Site Configuration," to help avoid equipment failures and reduce the possibility of environmentally caused shutdowns. If you are currently experiencing shutdowns or an unusually high number of errors with your existing equipment, these precautions might help you isolate the cause of failures and prevent future problems.

Preventive Site Configuration

The following precautions help you plan an acceptable operating environment for your access server and will help you 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 where your system is located has adequate air circulation.
  

• Always follow the ESD-prevention procedures described in the previous section "Safety Recommendations" to avoid damage to equipment. Damage from static discharge can cause immediate or intermittent equipment failure.
  

• Ensure that the chassis cover 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 internal components.
  

Configuring Equipment Racks

The following tips will help you plan an acceptable equipment rack configuration:

• Enclosed racks must have adequate ventilation. Because each unit generates heat, ensure that the rack is not overly congested. An enclosed rack should have louvered sides and a fan to provide cooling air.
  

• When you mount a chassis in an open rack, ensure that the rack frame does not block the intake or exhaust ports. If the chassis is installed on slides, check the position of the chassis when it is seated all the way into the rack.
  

• In an enclosed rack with a ventilation fan in the top, excessive heat generated by equipment near the bottom of the rack can be drawn upward and into the intake ports of the equipment above it in the rack. Ensure that you provide adequate ventilation for equipment at the bottom of the rack.
  

• Baffles can help to isolate exhaust air from intake air, which also helps to draw cooling air through the chassis. The best placement of the baffles depends on the airflow patterns in the rack, which you can find by experimenting with different arrangements.
  

Power Supply Considerations

Check the power at your site to ensure that you are receiving "clean" power (free of spikes and noise). Install a power conditioner if necessary.

Warning The device is designed to work with TN power systems. (To see translated versions of this warning, refer to the Regulatory Compliance and Safety Information document that accompanied the access server.)

The access server AC power supply includes the following features:

• Autoselects either 110V or 220V operation.
  

• All units include a 6-foot (1.8-meter) electrical power cord. (A label near the power cord indicates the correct voltage, frequency, current draw, and power dissipation for the unit.)