In the lab or in a production environment, devices also need to be disconnected, often frequently:
Even still, accessing these devices in the field or IT closet can be time-consuming and tedious. Since few USB devices have power switches, the only method to power cycle the device is by unplugging and reconnecting it. USB devices can experience memory leaks, firmware instability, or other operating failures for which the only solution is power cycling. In service, the simplest solution to many USB-related problems is to reset the errant host machine or USB device.
The reasons for plug-cycling a USB device are as varied as types of USB devices themselves. USB devices often need to be disconnected and reconnected (plug-cycled) or reset.
