What is a characteristic of a hot-swappable device?

A hot-swappable device is designed to be connected or disconnected from a system while it is powered on, without needing to shut down the computer or disrupt its operation. This characteristic allows for increased flexibility and convenience in managing hardware, such as external drives or certain types of storage devices.

Being able to plug and unplug these devices without turning off the computer means that users can easily replace or upgrade components, manage backups, or transfer files without interrupting their work or shutting down the system. This feature is particularly important in environments that require high availability and minimal downtime, such as servers or workstations in professional settings.

The other options describe characteristics that do not apply to hot-swappable devices. For example, devices that must be plugged in only after powering down the computer are not hot-swappable, nor are those that require a reboot after being connected. Additionally, the notion that hot-swappable devices can only be used with desktop computers is incorrect, as many laptops and other devices also support hot-swappable components.