Hot-Inserting and Hot-Removing FPCs

FPCs are hot-insertable and hot-removable. You can remove and replace them without powering down the routing platform. When you remove an FPC, the routing platform continues to function, but the PICs installed in the FPC do not receive or transmit data.

When you install an FPC into an operating routing platform, the Routing Engine downloads the FPC software, the FPC runs its diagnostics, and the FPC enables its PICs. During this process:

• Forwarding continues uninterrupted on the M120, M320, T320, T640, and T1600 routing platforms..
• Packet forwarding halts for about 200 milliseconds (ms) on the M40e routing platform, while the Packet Forwarding Engine adjusts to the change in the amount of memory available in the pool located on and shared by all FPCs.