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Cisco Meraki Documentation

MS225/MS210-48LP/FP Proactive Replacement

Overview

Glossary of terms

  • Exposed - All MS210-48LP, MS210-48FP & MS225-48LP, MS225-48FP switches

  • High temperature alert - dashboard alert indicating potential damage to the fan control system

  • Failure - switch no longer able to pass traffic

The program's duration lasted from October 2018 and July 9, 2021 during which time we proactively replaced the exposed units with the improved design. The MS210-48P, MS210-48FP, MS225-48LP & MS225-48FP had an issue with a fan component that may limit their long-term reliability. Because of the cloud monitoring of our hardware, the overall failure rate of the switches is significantly better than industry standards, however, our recommendation was to replace exposed models as soon as you can make the time to do so. We  redesigned and tested the switch with new fan hardware that is both more powerful and quieter than the previous component that caused issues.

We also created an interim software mitigation. This mitigation significantly reduced the likelihood of device failure for devices that have not had a high temperature alert by increasing the operating speed of the fan. This mitigation requires both a firmware upgrade to MS 10.35 or higher, and then opening a support ticket. The tradeoff is that this solution will increase the perceived fan noise by approximately 40%.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

If my affected devices are covered by Meraki Now, can I make use of the premium replacement services associated with the Meraki Now contract?

Meraki Now contracts are applicable in the event of a hardware failure that necessitates immediate replacement. As such, Meraki devices that are eligible for this proactive replacement program are not entitled to Meraki Now premium replacement services. Exposed switches that need to be replaced will need to be replaced using the normal replacement process described in this document.

 

How will I know if I have an exposed switch, and how do I request a replacement switch?

Customers can use dashboard to view pending hardware replacements (Help > Hardware replacements). We have also sent an email to the five most recently active organization administrators that accessed dashboard. A walkthrough of the process is described in the Replacement process section below.

 

How will I know if I have devices with high temperature alerts?

Exposed devices that have issued high temperature alerts will result in a dashboard email to the last five active organization administrators containing instructions on how to arrange for replacement switch. Customers can also use dashboard to view pending hardware replacements (Help > Hardware replacements).

 

What do I do if the device is giving a high temperature alert but has not failed? 
Please submit a replacement request via the dashboard (Help > Hardware Replacements). Note that Support cannot provide an RMA for non-failed hardware, and proactive replacements for exposed MS devices must be processed via dashboard hardware requests.

 

Are other models affected?

No. The fan component that is creating the issue was only used on the MS210-48P, MS210-48FP, MS225-48LP & MS225-48FP models.

 

What is the cost of the replacement?

The replacement unit and shipping is free.  

 

How can I understand the status of my replacement switch order?
Navigate to Help > Hardware replacements in the Meraki dashboard.

A Needs action tile indicates that you have one or more exposed switches awaiting shipping information. 

 

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Once you’ve entered shipping information for all your exposed switches, the dashboard Hardware replacement page will display a Pending tile that includes a link to the support case for your replacements.

 

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Once the devices have shipped, the tile will display Completed.
 

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How do I initiate the software mitigation?

Our recommendation is that you replace your switch with the new, redesigned model and not rely on the software mitigation as a long-term solution. However, if you would like to initiate the software mitigation, start by upgrading your firmware to MS 10.35 or later, and then open a ticket with Meraki Support to have the mitigation activated. The mitigation will increase the perceived sound of the fan by approximately 40% and will not work for switches that have shown a high temperature alert.

 

When will I receive my replacement switch?

  • The non-affected MS225-48FP/LP have begun shipping to the US and EU and will ship in the order the replacement was received.
    • All other regions will begin shipping near the end of CY18
  • The MS210-48FP/LP will begin shipping in mid CY19

 

Should I be worried about an exposed switch?

You should replace it to avoid the potential of failure over the long term. In the short term we will continue to monitor your switches and alert you and offer a prompt RMA. Due to our proactive monitoring and replacement program, our data indicate a low failure rate of 0.12%. However our analysis predicts these failure rates will increase in the long run if no action is taken.

 

What is the difference between the exposed switches and the switches Meraki will replace them with?

Under typical conditions, the replacement shipping will be about 70% quieter. Other than that, the switch will operate the same.

 

What is Meraki doing to ensure this doesn’t happen again?

We are making a number of process improvements including adding additional design reviews to detect sub-optimal component selection earlier in the decision process, investing in new quality control processes (e.g., independent validation of firmware features that interface with critical systems), adding a dedicated analytics team to identify operational anomalies ahead of wide-scale releases and have added additional accelerated lifetime tests.

 

Should I return my replaced switch?

Yes. Your replacement switch should be shipped with a prepaid return label. We hope you will re-use the replacement switch packaging for the return shipment. If you do not have a return label, please contact support using the same case/ticket used for tracking the replacement.

 

What if I still have questions?

As always, Meraki Support is available 24x7.

Replacement Process

Follow the instructions below to determine if you have exposed devices in your organization.

  1. Log into the Meraki Dashboard.

  2. If this issue impacts your organization, go the Hardware replacements page or navigate to Help > Hardware replacements to proceed to the next step. If you have not received an email notification, or do not see a tile on the hardware replacement page entitled “MS225/MS210-48LP/FP proactive replacement” then none of your switches need to be replaced.

  3. The Hardware replacements page will present information on the number of affected devices and a form to initiate the replacement process.

 

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  1. Clicking Enter shipping addresses will take you to the order creation page. Click Add Address to enter shipping information and the number of units requiring replacement. You can also create multiple addresses if affected devices are deployed across multiple locations. Please review the Terms & Conditions before submitting the order. 

 

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  1. Once the order is submitted, no further action is required. A support case will be automatically generated to track your order.

 

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Replacing Switches

Before making any changes to the existing switch, be sure to claim the replacement switch in  Organization > Inventory, then add the replacement switch to the appropriate dashboard network.

You may see a licensing warning appear after adding the replacement switch. Once the old switch is removed from its network, the warning should be dismissed.

If the switch is currently deployed in a stack, follow our instructions (step 4) on Replacing a Stack Member to swap the old switch with the replacement.

 

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If the switch is not in a stack, follow our instructions on Switch Cloning to copy the old switch's settings onto the replacement switch.

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Once the replacement switch has been configured and deployed, make sure the old switch is unplugged and removed from its network.