Electrostatic Discharge

and Grounding
Cisco Best Practices

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 1
 Implications of Poor Operational Practices
Poor Customer Experience
 Frequent system downtime
 Long repair time
 Slow availability of new function

Higher OPEX Costs

 Delayed benefits of innovation
 Lack of flexibility
 Function duplication
 Manual processes

Increased Unquantifiable Risk

 Unforeseen vulnerabilities
 Security breaches
 Data loss

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 2
 High Availability – Average Cost of Impact
Average Cost / Hour of
Industry Application
Downtime (US$)

Financial Brokerage Operations $7,840,000

Financial Credit Card Sales $3,160,000

Media Pay-Per-View $183,000

Retail Home Shopping (TV) $137,000

Retail Catalog Sales $109,000

Transportation Airline Reservations $108,000

Entertainment Tele-Ticket Sales $83,000

Shipping Package Shipping $34,000

Financial ATM Fees $18,000

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 3
 Large ESD Charges Are Generated By:
Types of ESD Damage to Walking across
Electronic Products inadequate carpet
material:
Catastrophic: 1,500 - 35,000 volts
Sudden and complete crash
of the system Walking over untreated
vinyl floor:
Cumulative: 250 - 12,000 volts
Device failures /
silent failures Handling a vinyl envelope:
600 - 7,000 volts
Latent:
Failure over time Worker at an
ungrounded bench:
700 - 6,000 volts

Unwinding regular tape:

9,000 - 15,000 volts

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 4
 Electrical Current Types
First Type:
 Current flows easily from / to
metals and people
 Can be grounded

Second Type:
 Electrical current does not flow
easily
 Plastics CANNOT be
grounded
 Typically very high charging

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 5
 Cisco Recommendations to
Manage ESD and Secure
Proper Grounding Installation

Step by Step Cisco Best Practices

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 6
1 Define the Areas Where Network
Products Are Handled or Installed

Store

Inspect
Network Operations Receive
Center

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 7
2 Identify Control Level Based on Level of
Potential Exposure

Store
Mid Level II

Inspect
Network Operations Receive
Center Mid Level II
Low Level III
High Level I

High Level I

Mid Level II

Low Level III

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 8
3 Use Appropriate Symbols to Identify Areas Where
Sensitive Items Will Be Handled

Network
Operations
Center

Network Operations
Center
High Level I

High Level I
014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 9
4 Prepare the Location – Make Sure the
Building is Properly Grounded

Earth Ground

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 10
5 Ground Work Stations Where Network
Products Are Physically Handled

Ground Point

Ground
Point

Ground
Point

Ground
Point

High Level I
014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 11
6 Prepare Rack Room – Connect Properly to
Earth Ground

Earth Ground

High Level I
014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 12
7 Ground Work Stations Areas When Physically
Handling Network Products

•Example of Good
(check mark)
workstation

High Level I
014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 13
8 Ground Network Products According to
Product Documentation Instructions
A - Grounding in an electronic equipment room with an existing grounding
grid beneath the floor

Building Steel
Columns Power Center

Network Product

Welded –
Bounding Strap

Fake- Upper Grounding / Signal

Floor Reference Grid

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential
Always 14
9 Ground Network Products According to
Product Documentation Instructions
B - Grounding in an electronic equipment room without an existing
grounding grid beneath the floor

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential
Always 15
10 Use Resistive Grounding and
Insulating Materials
100% Cotton Wheels Wrist Strap Foot Strap

High Level I

Mid Level II
014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 16
11 Provide Appropriate Ground Paths
to Avoid Generation and Accumulation of Static

Floor mats / floor finishes

-insulating floor

High Level I
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12 Always Carry Sensitive Items
Inside ESD Bags

High Level I

Mid Level II

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential
Always Low Level III
18
13 Always Place ESD-Sensitive Items on a
Protected ESD Surface

Protected ESD mat

High Level I

Mid Level II

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential
Always Low Level III
19
14 Touch ONLY If You Are Grounded or Your Body
Static Charge Has Been Neutralized

High Level I

Mid Level II

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential
Always Low Level III
20
15 Touch ONLY If You Are Grounded or Your Body
Static Charge Has Been Neutralized

High Level I

Mid Level II

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential
Always Low Level III
21
16 To Store or Ship, Always Pack Inside ESD
Bags and Corrugated Product Boxes

High Level I

Mid Level II

014874_11_2008 ESD Best Practices © 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential
Always Low Level III
22
 For more information call
Cisco Technical Support or visit cisco.com