Incredibly Satisfying Photos Of Well Kept Servers

I always love these photos, but I can't stifle the feeling that the hardware they hook up to is probably outdated by the time the cable routing is complete.
 
the photo where the wires are behind glass in the floor is awesome
 
Zipties.

If you're using zipties you're halfassing the job and doing it wrong.
 
Just takes time and money.....two things my boss says we don't have enough of :)

And while I do love the look, replacing a cable 1 hour before shift change with 100 zipties is no beuno!
 
iRevert said:
Zipties.

If you're using zipties you're halfassing the job and doing it wrong.
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....

Prometheus (/prəˈmiːθiːəs/ prə-MEE-thee-əs; Greek: Προμηθεύς [promɛːtʰeús], meaning "forethought") is a Titan in Greek mythology, best known as the deity in Greek mythology who was the creator of mankind and its greatest benefactor, who gave mankind fire stolen from Mount Olympus. Additionally it is believed Prometheus gave man zip-ties shortly there after.
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Never ever use zipties. That just makes me cringe thinking about having to replace a wire.
 
I hate my work lab environment even more now...no one EVER cleans up after themselves.

:(
 
For those of you who do this stuff, is the color coding done purposefully to tell you what server rack things came from etc, or is it just aesthetics?
 
MikeRotch said:
I hate my work lab environment even more now...no one EVER cleans up after themselves.

:(
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Depending on how often things are turned over in a lab environment, you may not actually want fancy cable management. I used to have a middle manager constantly on my case about a couple of racks, he finally left me alone after I logged how many times I swapped things around in one day.
 
sfsuphysics said:
For those of you who do this stuff, is the color coding done purposefully to tell you what server rack things came from etc, or is it just aesthetics?
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I color code different segments with various colors. Its all internal, means nothing to an outsider.

SAN=yellow
Server LAN Access=red and purple
Endpoint patch=blue
MGMT network=white
Security cam network=pink
External wifi=green

Makes life easier.
 
westrock2000 said:
....
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Zip ties are cheap, the hourly wage to have someone replace a run with zip ties is not.

Velcro ties cost less than 0.11 each and a drunk monkey can't over tighten them and damage cables and you know you can actually undo them easily and reuse them.
 
schizrade said:
I color code different segments with various colors. Its all internal, means nothing to an outsider.

SAN=yellow
Server LAN Access=red and purple
Endpoint patch=blue
MGMT network=white
Security cam network=pink
External wifi=green

Makes life easier.
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Unless your boss and some co-workers are red/green colorblind.
 
sfsuphysics said:
For those of you who do this stuff, is the color coding done purposefully to tell you what server rack things came from etc, or is it just aesthetics?
Click to expand...

For the coax where I work,
Purple = VOD
Orange = Internet
Green = Sweep
Brown = Pathtrak
Blue = Video
Black = Common
 
Here's a comm closet I worked on down at Ft. Lewis (my old boss did the designing). Now if only I would take the time to get my home wiring as nice. -.-

11998930_10204705456264558_5550470433532934749_n_zpspwrfktip.jpg
 
sfsuphysics said:
For those of you who do this stuff, is the color coding done purposefully to tell you what server rack things came from etc, or is it just aesthetics?
Click to expand...

My server room is a mess compared to anything like this, but I did color code the cables running from each cabinet of servers to the rack with the switches. Separate color for each cabinet, and each cable was numbered.
 
I would *hate* to have to replace any of those cables... there is a way to do this within reason, and what's pictured is *not* it...
 
spugm1r3 said:
I always love these photos, but I can't stifle the feeling that the hardware they hook up to is probably outdated by the time the cable routing is complete.
Click to expand...

Heh I was just thinking what will happen if one of those cables need replacing... Open up zip ties, break up the bundles and spend a few hours putting them back again.
 
Actually I think at least one of the pictures was fibre optic cable. That is best to be kept neat and secure to not break the fibre accidentally.
 
While I would agree with the sentiments regarding zip ties, cable lacing is a big pain in the ass as well, and Velcro is messy.

The fact of the matter is, there is no great way to plan for replacing a single cable, nor should you on an installation where the hardware is static.
 
As someone who spent years as a NE these are beautiful. Also as that same person, those are switches and routers, not servers. Just saying. I doubt racks that well organized are going to have the servers intermingled with the switches if they are even in the same room at all.
 
^ Didn't click on the article, just looked at the few pictures posted. Ok there was a couple smaller ones. Also as someone pointed out there was one picture with fiber, though nothing particularly special about it.
 
Very pretty! Alternate caption: "How to tell when you're paying the guy by the hour."
 
westrock2000 said:
Just takes time and money.....two things my boss says we don't have enough of :)

And while I do love the look, replacing a cable 1 hour before shift change with 100 zipties is no beuno!
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This!!! While it looks nice, good luck with that bad cable run.
 
Damn that is sexy as hell...

Only thing I hate with this, is when you have to replace a cable or do a re-wire for a few ports, or add a new device in the rack....all things that are very very frequent and can happen once or twice a month....it makes me think that nice cable design is just a waste of time, as it would just get messed up within 2-3 months.
 
MikeRotch said:
I hate my work lab environment even more now...no one EVER cleans up after themselves.

:(
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I knowwww, those shots make me want to cry.

I told my boss the other day that I thought we should identify one rack a week for cleanup so to speak. The idea is that we first inventory and log all the things that have to be changed/fixed, identify what would require downtime and submit those for the next scheduled downtime and correct the other issues during that week. One rack a week, 20 racks, easy right?

He tells me he has full confidence in my so if I see something that needs correction I can just fix it myself. So in other words he's saying, "If it bothers you, you fix it. But leave me alone about it cause I don't give a fuck and I'm not going to be a boss and tell anyone else they have to do real work".

Useless AssHat
 
sfsuphysics said:
For those of you who do this stuff, is the color coding done purposefully to tell you what server rack things came from etc, or is it just aesthetics?
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It can be useful to separate networks, like Data from Vmotion, from Management, etc. Or to separate Enterprise Infrastructure from say Lab or Production cable runs.

Also, in environments that have multiple classification levels of networks, like the DoD, they pretty much always use Yellow for Top Secret, Red for Secret, and Blue for Confidential/Unclassified. Sometimes they use some other off color like white or grey color for Unclassified.
 
sfsuphysics said:
For those of you who do this stuff, is the color coding done purposefully to tell you what server rack things came from etc, or is it just aesthetics?
Click to expand...

Whenever I've done it, there's invariably been a purpose. I've never seen two schemes the same, though.
 
natos said:
Damn that is sexy as hell...

Only thing I hate with this, is when you have to replace a cable or do a re-wire for a few ports, or add a new device in the rack....all things that are very very frequent and can happen once or twice a month....it makes me think that nice cable design is just a waste of time, as it would just get messed up within 2-3 months.
Click to expand...

Like Dekoth said, this looks like switch to patch panel runs, pretty static as patch panels don't usually get changed all that much and as long as those cables are labeled, even replacing a switch wouldn't be hard as long as it isn't a completely different type of switch.

Still, with today's equipment, you just don't usually need to run this much cable anymore, not unless you are going to put all your switches for a row in one rack and run patch cables to patch panels in each of the other racks. The other big approach is a switch in each rack with or without a patch panel and uplink runs down to master switches somewhere in the row.
 
lcpiper said:
I knowwww, those shots make me want to cry.

I told my boss the other day that I thought we should identify one rack a week for cleanup so to speak. The idea is that we first inventory and log all the things that have to be changed/fixed, identify what would require downtime and submit those for the next scheduled downtime and correct the other issues during that week. One rack a week, 20 racks, easy right?

He tells me he has full confidence in my so if I see something that needs correction I can just fix it myself. So in other words he's saying, "If it bothers you, you fix it. But leave me alone about it cause I don't give a fuck and I'm not going to be a boss and tell anyone else they have to do real work".

Useless AssHat
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Funny, you always struck me as a desk jockey.

On topic though, I know what you mean. I've been tasked with labeling everything and diagramming the network for both of our buildings. One of them being on the other side of the country... so that'll be interesting.
 
I'm both, I deal with my storage hardware to the switch, then I manage the storage. Sometimes I'm on a laptop in the server room putty'd in via serial/console cable and sometimes I can sit at the desk and just carve out what's needed from there.

I'm starting to get a little old for the heavy hardware stuff, the equipment is getting heavy for an old man, specially when it's low in the rack. I need to get them to buy one of those hydraulic equipment carts, had one before and they are damn sweet, specially when you have to move a bunch of equipment. Not only can they handle the weight but then you can jack it right up so the equipment is at just the right height to slide the equipment into the rack.

Still, it's getting to be a common thing for me to pull drives, controllers, and power supplies to lighten the shelves. Anything that's modular and easy to yank makes it much easier to handle solo. Less risk for me and the customer's equipment so..
 
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