3-2
Catalyst 2950 and Catalyst 2955 Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter 3      Configuring Catalyst 2955 Switch Alarms
    Understanding Catalyst 2955 Switch Alarms
Global Status Monitoring Alarms
The Catalyst 2955 switch contains facilities for processing alarms related to temperature and power 
supply conditions. These are referred to as global or facility alarms. Table 3-1 lists the three global 
alarms and their descriptions and functions.
FCS Error Hysteresis Threshold 
The Ethernet standard calls for a maximum bit error rate of 10
-8
. In the Catalyst 2955 switch, the bit error 
rate configurable range is from 10
-6
 to 10
-11
. The bit error rate input to the switch is a positive exponent. 
If you want to configure the bit error rate of 10
-9
, then you enter the value 9 for the exponent. By default, 
the FCS bit error rate is 10
-8
.
You can set the FCS error hysteresis threshold to prevent the toggle of the alarm when the actual bit error 
rate fluctuates near the configured bit error rate. The hysteresis threshold is defined as the ratio between 
the alarm clear threshold to the alarm set threshold, expressed as a percentage value. 
For example, if the FCS bit error rate alarm value is configured to 10
–8
, that value is the alarm set 
threshold. To set the alarm clear threshold at 5*10
-10
, the hysteresis, value h, is determined as follows:
h = alarm clear threshold / alarm set threshold 
h = 5*10
-10
 / 10
-8
 = 5*10
-2
 = 0.05 = 5 percent
The FCS hysteresis threshold is applied to all ports on the Catalyst 2955 switch. The allowable range is 
from 1 to 10 percent. The default value is 10 percent. See the “Configuring the FCS Bit Error Rate 
Alarm” section on page 3-7 for more information.
Table 3-1 Catalyst 2955 Global Status Monitoring Alarms
Alarm Description
Power Supply Alarm The switch monitors dual DC power supply levels. If the system is configured to operate in a dual 
power mode, an alarm triggers if a power supply fails or is missing. The alarm is automatically 
cleared when both power supplies are present or working. You can configure the power supply 
alarm to be connected to the hardware relays. For more information, see the “Configuring the 
Power Supply Alarm” section on page 3-5.
Temperature Alarms The switch contains a temperature sensor that monitors the environmental conditions inside the 
switch. The switch contains two alarms that are associated with temperature.
• The primary alarm is enabled automatically to trigger both at a low temperature (-20
o
C) and a 
high temperature (95
o
C) for the safe operation of the switch. It cannot be changed or disabled. 
By default, the primary temperature alarm is associated with the major relay.
• You can use the secondary temperature alarm to trigger an alarm when the system temperature 
is greater than the configured temperature threshold. The lower threshold is configurable 
within the range of 40
o
C to the maximum threshold, 95
o
C. The secondary alarm is disabled by 
default.
For more information, see the “Configuring the Switch Temperature Alarms” section on page 3-6.