Installing the Failover Connector
Assemblies and Cable

Failover Cable Kit

Installing the Failover Connector Assembly and Cable

Obtaining Service and Support

Cisco Connection Online

Installing the Failover Connector Assemblies and Cable

Installing the Failover Connector
Assemblies and Cable

This document describes how to install the failover connector assemblies and cable on the Cisco PIX Firewall or the Cisco LocalDirector. For the PIX Firewall, use this document with the Cisco PIX Firewall User Guide (Document Number 78-3728-01). For the LocalDirector, use this document with the Cisco LocalDirector Installation and Configuration Guide (Document Number 78-3456-02).

Note Cisco documentation and additional literature are available on a CD-ROM called Cisco Connection Documentation. The CD is updated and shipped monthly so it might be more current than printed documentation. To order additional copies of the Cisco Connection Documentation CD, contact your local sales representative or call Customer Service. The CD is available both as a single CD and as an annual subscription. You can also access Cisco technical documentation on the World Wide Web URL http://www.cisco.com.

This warning symbol means danger. You are in a situation that could cause bodily injury. Before you work on any equipment, be aware of the hazards involved with electrical circuitry and be familiar with standard practices for preventing accidents.

Warning Before working on a system that has an on/off switch, turn OFF the power and unplug the power cord.

Warning Do not work on the system or connect or disconnect cables during periods of lightning activity.

Warning Do not touch the power supply when the power cord is connected. For systems with a power switch, line voltages are present within the power supply even when the power switch is off and the power cord is connected. For systems without a power switch, line voltages are present within the power supply when the power cord is connected.

Warning Before working on equipment that is connected to power lines, remove jewelry (including rings, necklaces, and watches). Metal objects will heat up when connected to power and ground and can cause serious burns or weld the metal object to the terminals.

Refer to the Regulatory Compliance and Safety Information for the Cisco PIX Firewall (Document Number 78-3733-02) and to the Regulatory Compliance and Safety Information for the Cisco LocalDirector (Document Number 78-3879-01) for more information and translated warnings in European languages.

Failover Cable Kit

The failover cable kit consists of two connector assemblies and a cable. Each assembly appears as shown in Figure 1:

Figure 1 : A Failover Connector Assembly

Note If you purchased your PIX Firewall or Cisco LocalDirector units after November 1, 1996, the failover connector assemblies have been already installed for you. You can discard the connector assemblies or keep them as spare parts for your units. If you do not need to install the connector assemblies, proceed now to Step 12 in the next section.

Installing the Failover Connector Assembly and Cable

To install a failover connector assembly:

Step 1 Read the Regulatory Compliance and Safety Information documentation supplied with your unit.

Step 2 Power off the PIX Firewall or Cisco LocalDirector unit and remove the power cord from the rear of the unit as shown in Figure 2:

Figure 2 : Front of Chassis Showing Power Switch

Step 3 Remove the screws from the top access panel as shown in Figure 3:

Figure 3 : Remove Screws from Top Access Panel

Step 4 Remove the top panel and set aside.

Step 5 Find the large green circuit board attached to the bottom of the unit. This is the "motherboard." On the right rear corner of the motherboard nearest the circuit board connection slots at the rear of the unit, find the COM2 port as shown in Figure 4:

Figure 4 : Find Location of COM2 Connector

Note that the arrow marks pin 1.

Step 6 Install the pin connector of the cable assembly so that the red stripe on the connector is oriented above pin 1 as shown in Figure 5:

Figure 5 : Orient Failover Connector So Red Stripe is Nearest Pin 1

Step 7 Remove the securing screw and plate from the third slot on the rear chassis.

Step 8 Thread the cable around the back of the circuit board nearest the COM2 port.

Step 9 Attach the cable connector to the rear of the unit as shown in Figure 6:

Figure 6 : Secure Connector Plate to Rear of Chassis

Step 10 Replace the top access panel and attach all of the screws.

Step 11 Follow Steps 2 through 9 to attach the second connector assembly to the second PIX Firewall or LocalDirector unit.

Step 12 Install the cable to the rear of the unit as follows for the PIX Firewall as shown in Figure 7:

Figure 7 : Attach Failover Cable to Rear of PIX Firewall

For the LocalDirector, attach the cable as shown in Figure 8:

Figure 8 : Attach Failover Cable to Rear of LocalDirector

Step 13 Attach the power cords, place the units back in the rack, and power on the unit.

Step 14 When the unit reboots, it automatically detects the failover cable.

You can now use your units normally.

Obtaining Service and Support

For service and support for a product purchased from a reseller, contact the reseller. Resellers offer a wide variety of Cisco service and support programs, which are described in the section "Service and Support" in the information packet that shipped with your chassis.

Note If you purchased your product from a reseller, you can access Cisco Connection Online (CCO) as a guest. CCO is Cisco Systems' primary, real-time support channel.Your reseller offers programs that include direct access to CCO's services.

For service and support for a product purchased directly from Cisco, use CCO.

Cisco Connection Online

CCO is Cisco Systems' primary, real-time support channel. SMARTnet customers and partners can self-register on CCO to obtain additional content and services.

Note If you purchased your product from a reseller, you can access CCO as a guest. Your reseller offers programs that include direct access to CCO's services.

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, CCO provides a wealth of standard and value-added services to Cisco's customers and business partners. CCO services include product information, software updates, release notes, technical tips, the Bug Navigator, configuration notes, brochures, descriptions of service offerings, and download access to public and authorized files.

CCO serves a wide variety of users through two interfaces that are updated and enhanced simultaneously---a character-based version and a multimedia version that resides on the World Wide Web (WWW). The character-based CCO supports Zmodem, Kermit, Xmodem, FTP, and Internet e-mail, and is excellent for quick access to information over lower bandwidths. The WWW version of CCO provides richly formatted documents with photographs, figures, graphics, and video, as well as hyperlinks to related information.

You can access CCO in the following ways:

WWW: http://www.cisco.com.
WWW: http://www-europe.cisco.com.
WWW: http://www-china.cisco.com.
Telnet: cco.cisco.com.
Modem: From North America, 408 526-8070; from Europe, 33 1 64 46 40 82. Use the following terminal settings: VT100 emulation; databits: 8; parity: none; stop bits: 1; and baud rates up to 14.4 kbps.

For a copy of CCO's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), contact ccohelp@cisco.com. For additional information, contact ccoteam@cisco.com.

Note If you need technical assistance with a Cisco product that is under warranty or covered by a Cisco maintenance contract, contact Cisco's Technical Assistance Center (TAC) at 800 553-2447, 408 526-7209, or tac@cisco.com.

Please use CCO to obtain general information about Cisco Systems, Cisco products, or upgrades. If CCO is not accessible, contact 800 553-6387, 408 526-7208, or csrep@cisco.com.

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