Never push the Big Red Button (New York City subway failure)

Jay Hennigan jay at west.net
Wed Sep 15 16:35:36 UTC 2021


On 9/15/21 08:58, Adam Thompson wrote:
> Now I'm curious... in all of the DCs and COs I've worked in - to the 
> best of my knowledge, I haven't personally tested this! - the EPO button 
> does *not*​ switch to emergency power.  It turns off ALL equipment power 
> in the space - no lights, no klaxons, nothing.  In simpler setups, the 
> EPO is connected to the UPS so anything plugged in to the UPS does dark 
> instantly.  In one DC I'm familiar with, the EPO switch kills all the 
> UPS output *and*​ uses several relays to kill commercial power at the 
> same time.

That's my understanding as well. Not necessarily the room lights 
depending on the facility, but all equipment power. To be used if the 
space is on fire or someone is in the process of being electrocuted.

I've never seen a klaxon or audible alarm connected with EPO. Things 
just get very quiet.

-- 
Jay Hennigan - jay at west.net
Network Engineering - CCIE #7880
503 897-8550 - WB6RDV


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