Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a discharge of stored static electricity that can damage equipment and impair electrical circuitry. Electrostatic voltages can result from friction including, pulling cabling through conduits, walking across carpeted areas, and building static charge in clothing. When you improperly handle electronic components, ESD damage occurs and can result in complete or intermittent failures. While networking equipment is commonly designed and tested to withstand common mode ESD events, voltage can sometimes discharge to some connector pins, which can potentially damage the networking equipment.
