SIM + Wi-Fi SmartPlug to control PoE Switch

[PeterJames]

Good evening,

A crazy idea I had recently was to install a smartplug on to the PoE Switch power adaptor.

Has anyone tried this before?

Support: All your APs are offline. Can you find the PoE Switch that looks like...
Customer: I am not a techy person
Support: This is just  a game of wheres wally..does it have lights
Customer: Back in my day we had the Greyflix and just needed to hit things
Customer: Oh my iPhone is now charged...*unplug sound, re-plug sound*...sorry I was distracted, say again
Support: Whatever you just did...fixed it!

Thank you,
Peter James

[MacuserJim]

We've joked about doing something like that for the MX and/or modem, we've come up with all sorts of schemes for keeping that active even when the MX is offline. As long as you are able to keep the smart outlet online it should work, just make sure that even when you turn the outlet off to cycle equipment you don't accidentally cut off it's internet access. Also the lack of enterprise management on it might mean that it could pull a firmware update in the middle of the day and take down your network. If you use a Meraki switch you can just cycle the PoE ports the APs are connected to.

[PeterJames]

Thanks @MacuserJim,

This was the reason for SIM Card back-up, should the Wi-Fi not be available too. A very good point about the firmware update. I wonder if there is a market in smart plugs for the enterprise space.

Might need to visit the hospital to see how they monitor people on life support systems. They must have solved this problem in that space!

Thank you,
Peter James