Hot Swapping

Hot swapping (English for hot swap ) and hot plugging (English for hot plugging ) denote the change and the interchangeability of system components and modules during operation of the system. Hot swapping refers to the exchange of components that do not interact with your software. Hot Plugging refers to components (usually the operating system) to interact with software and usually require a pre-installed software support.

The best-known examples of hot -plug technologies are common computer interfaces such as USB, FireWire, PCMCIA or Bluetooth to connect peripheral devices or specialized as the hard disk interface SCSI, eSATA, and SAS.

Hot swapping is also referred analogously to the above limitation, the ability to change the program text during the term, without the execution of the program to interrupt (see also interpreter).

Variants

Typical connector properties

Plug contacts must be designed voreilend for hot plugging, which means that the contacts in a defined sequence, typically in three or more stages, connected and disconnected. Is simply an implementation by means of contacts in the same connector housing, which are further back in the direction of connection to the front and so on. First of all, the plug must have a mechanical guide, so that the step sequence is stably maintained. When inserting first and last when removing ground contact must be made to derive ground potential differences or electrostatic charges. Pre -charge contacts are then optionally closed. Current limiter in this line paths protect the contacts themselves as well as the voltage supply of the system from shock loads, for example by charging decoupling capacitors empty. This step takes time. Finally, the operating current contacts and signal cables are connected. Now the device, the internal power supply start up and begin operation. Even if a pre-charge step is provided in the plug, the user should hot-plug connector aware as straight as possible and slowly plugging off and in particular.

With USB plugs both Spannungskontake are about 2 mm longer than the data contacts so that a USB device can already be turned on ( such as a USB mass storage device) before its actual use and thus damage is prevented to the transmission components.