Rack-Mount and Ground the Chassis

Unpack and Inspect the Chassis


Note

The chassis is thoroughly inspected before shipment. If any damage occurred during transportation or any items are missing, contact your customer service representative immediately. Keep the shipping container in case you need to send the chassis back due to damage.

See Package Contents for a list of what shipped with the chassis.

Procedure

Step 1

Remove the chassis from its cardboard container and save all packaging material.

Step 2

Compare the shipment to the equipment list provided by your customer service representative. Verify that you have all items.

Step 3

Check for damage and report any discrepancies or damage to your customer service representative. Have the following information ready:

  • Invoice number of shipper (see the packing slip)

  • Model and serial number of the damaged unit

  • Description of damage

  • Effect of damage on the installation

Rack-Mount the Chassis

Before you begin

The fully populated Firepower 9300 chassis is heavy. For safety concerns, remove the heavy components such as the security modules, power supply modules, and fan modules from the chassis before placing the chassis in the rack. For information on removing Firepower 9300 components, see Installation, Maintenance, and Upgrade.

You can mount the Firepower 9300 in a 4-post EIA-310-D rack. The static rail adjusts to fit racks with a 24 to 36-in. span between front and rear rails. The rack-mounting posts need to be 2 to 3.5 mm thick to work with the slide rail rack mounting. The 9300 ships with rack accessories.

The rail kit contains the following:

  • Two rails

  • Four 10-32 x .-inch screws used to secure the rails to the rack

  • Four 10-32 retention nuts for the rack

  • Four 10-32 x .75-inch Philips head screws used to secure the system to the rack


Note

You will also need a Phillips head screw driver and the four 10-32-inch screws and retention nuts that came in the Firepower 9300 accessory kit. For information about the accessory kit, see Package Contents.

Safety Warnings
Take note of the following rack-mount safety warnings:

Warning

Statement 164—Lifting Requirement

Two people are required to lift the heavy parts of the product. To prevent injury, keep your back straight and lift with your legs, not your back.


Warning

Statement 1006—Chassis Warning for Rack-Mounting and Servicing

To prevent bodily injury when mounting or servicing this unit in a rack, you must take special precautions to ensure that the system remains stable. The following guidelines are provided to ensure your safety:

  • This unit should be mounted at the bottom of the rack if it is the only unit in the rack.

  • When mounting this unit in a partially filled rack, load the rack from the bottom to the top with the heaviest component at the bottom of the rack.

  • If the rack is provided with stabilizing devices, install the stabilizers before mounting or servicing the unit in the rack.


Warning

Statement 1032—Lifting the Chassis

To prevent personal injury or damage to the chassis, never attempt to lift or tilt the chassis using the handles on modules, such as power supplies, fans, or cards. These types of handles are not designed to support the weight of the unit.


Warning

Statement 1047—Overheating Prevention

To reduce the risk of fire or bodily injury, do not operate the unit in an area that exceeds the maximum recommended ambient temperature of 104°F (40°C).

Procedure

Step 1

Determine what type of rack you have. You can use the rails in three different rack types. The following figure shows the three rack types:

Figure 1. Round-, Square-, and Threaded-Hole Racks

Step 2

Secure the rails to the left and right front posts of the rack by inserting the guide pins into the correct holes. Pull back the round hole casing to expose the guide pins.

Refer to the left/right markings on the rails to make sure you are installing the rails on the correct side of the rack. If your rails do not have left/right markings, make sure that the rails are oriented with the thick part of the rail on top.
Figure 2. Secure the Left and Right Rails with the Screws

Step 3

Press the end of the latch to retract and slide the latch on to the rail.

Step 4

Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to attach the rails to the rear post of the rack.

Step 5

Secure the rails to the rack using the four 10-32-inch screws from the rail kit.

Note

 
Depending on your rack type, you may want to install the 4 retention nuts in the rack before sliding the chassis in because the chassis is heavy and it may be difficult to install the retention nuts after the chassis is on the rails.

Step 6

Set the rear of the empty Firepower 9300 chassis on the static rails.

Step 7

Carefully push the empty chassis into the rack until the chassis ears sit flush to the rack posts.

Figure 3. Push the Rear of the Empty Chassis into the Rack Posts

Step 8

Secure the chassis ears to the rack with the four 10-32-inch screws and retention nuts (if you did not already install them in Step 5) that were provided in the Firepower 9300 accessory kit.

Figure 4. Secure Chassis Ears to Rack with Screws

What to do next

Replace the components that you removed to rack-mount the chassis. For information on replacing Firepower 9300 components, see Installation, Maintenance, and Upgrade.

Ground the chassis. See Ground the Chassis for the procedure.

Install the FIPS opacity shield if necessary. See Install the FIPS Opacity Shield for the procedure.

Install the cables according to your default software configuration as described in the Cisco Firepower 9300 Getting Started Guide.

Ground the Chassis


Note
Grounding the chassis is required, even if the rack is already grounded. A grounding pad with two threaded M4 holes is provided on the chassis for attaching a grounding lug. The grounding lug must be Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL)-listed. In addition, a copper conductor (wires) must be used and the copper conductor must comply with National Electrical Code (NEC) code for ampacity.

You need the following items that you provide:

  • Wire-striping tool

  • Crimping tool

  • Grounding cable

  • Two star lock washers for the 10-32 x 0.375-inch screws used to secure the ground lug

  • You need the following items from the accessory kit:

    • Grounding lug #6 AWG, 90 degree, #10 post

    • Two 10-32 x 0.375-inch screws used to secure the grounding lug

Safety Warnings

Take note of the following ground connection warnings:


Warning

Statement 1024—Ground Conductor

This equipment must be grounded. To reduce the risk of electric shock, never defeat the ground conductor or operate the equipment in the absence of a suitably installed ground conductor. Contact the appropriate electrical inspection authority or an electrician if you are uncertain that suitable grounding is available.

Procedure

Step 1

Use a wire-stripping tool to remove approximately 0.75 inches (19 mm) of the covering from the end of the grounding cable.

Step 2

Insert the stripped end of the grounding cable into the open end of the grounding lug.

Figure 5. Insert the Cable into the Grounding Lug

Step 3

Use the crimping tool to secure the grounding cable in the grounding lug.

Step 4

Remove the adhesive label from the grounding pad on the chassis.

Step 5

Place the grounding lug against the grounding pad so that there is solid metal-to-metal contact, and insert the two screws with washers through the holes in the grounding lug and into the grounding pad.

Figure 6. Attach the Grounding Lug

Step 6

Make sure that the lug and cable do not interfere with other equipment.

Step 7

Prepare the other end of the grounding cable and connect it to an appropriate grounding point in your site to ensure adequate earth ground.

What to do next

Install the FIPS opacity shield if necessary. See Install the FIPS Opacity Shield for the procedure.

Install the cables according to your default software configuration as described in the Cisco Firepower 9300 Getting Started Guide.