Why does Cisco Routers have a power button but Cisco Switches don't?

[Shammikit]

Hello, I'm doing my Cisco CCNA these days and in the introductory classes, I have been taught by an instructor that the easiest way to identify a Cisco Switch from a router is that they do not have a power on/off switch. I asked why, but I didn't get a proper answer. So I came home and googled it. There were various answers to this but none of them looked like a solid answer.

 

Some say that Cisco acquired a company called Catalyst who were making switches, to make Cisco Catalyst series switches. They say Cisco continued to use the same layout that catalyst used when they made switches on their own. Since catalyst were making switches without a power button Cisco switches also dont have it. (Didnt know this Cisco acquiring another company named Catalyst story until now)

 

Some say routers dont have parts that are hot-swappable. So they need a power button to be turned off.

 

And then the final one I saw was that, network devices such as switches should always be on, hence it has no need for a power button. (If this is a valid reason, then why does Routers have a power switch? They are network devices too. )

 

I also saw another comment stating that he was asked this question in an interview and didnt know how to answer. Dont want that to happen to me.

 

What do you think the reason for this is?  

[brwainer]

I don’t know any exact reason, but if I had to guess it might be so that if you have routers in a redundant setup and need to do maintenance on one, it can seamlessly pass off to the other member (by telling the other member to take over during the shutdown sequence) versus having a short downtime while the other member waits to determine whether it needs to take over.

[beanhubbleday]

I can'y say I've ever seen any brand of switch witha  power button, why would you ever wanna turn it off? I guess the manufacturers think that too, maybe..?