Big Red Switch (BRS) - A phrase used predominantly by techies to describe the immediate shutdown

Big Red Switch (BRS) - A phrase used predominantly by techies to describe the immediate shutdown of a system using the main or emergency power switch. The term is believed to have its origins in older IBM machines which had, as an off button, a big red switch. In an e-commerce environment the term is often used to describe a total shutdown, whether deliberate or not.