Server Cabinet Cleanup

Server Cabinet Cleanup
Links: home · search · speed test · login · more ·

Links: Reply New Topic
Forums » Equipment Support » Home/Office setup photos » Server Cabinet Cleanup

yaplej @ 28th Jul 06:26PM:
Server Cabinet Cleanup

After seeing the post »New PoP install (more cable tieing) by TomS_ it inspired me to take some time, and work on the cabling in our server cabinets.

I took his idea about the lacing bar, and went with it. I use one bar for the power cables, and an alternate bar for network cables.

For the power cables I went ahead, and used zip ties, but the network cables I used velcro as I plan on adding more cables for NIC bonding, and also for remote management interfaces.

I also cleaned up the cables for our HP host system. I am not really responsible for it, but I am more into clean looking cables than any of the people that are responsible for it so I did it. They could really care less. Kinda sad IMO.

Its still not as good as it could be, but its a huge improvement. A bunch of 2',3', and 4' power cables would help. Maybe after I get everything upgraded to 208V and need to buy 208V power cables.
--
Open Source WAN Accelerator
»trafficsqueezer.sourceforge.net/

AdamB @ 28th Jul 06:54PM:
Re: Server Cabinet Cleanup

Nice looking setup! The lancing looks awesome, I haven't seen anything like that. What kind of KVMoIPs are those?
--
RackUnlimited.com - Hosting Without Limits
reply

yaplej @ 28th Jul 07:04PM:
Re: Server Cabinet Cleanup

We have Avocent Autoview 2000 KVM's connected to a Dell DS2161. The Dell can also use the Avocent Autoview SIMs. Not so much luck going the other way though.
--
Open Source WAN Accelerator
»trafficsqueezer.sourceforge.net/
reply

fcisler @ 31st Jul 03:07PM:
Re: Server Cabinet Cleanup

OT, and it's been a long time since I looked at our setup....

The dell 2161 is made by Avocent. Avocent makes some very nice web based SW for their KVM's - the dell's are incompatible.

IIRC, though, you can "flash" the SIMs to either dell/Avocent. I had called Avocent themselves once and they were very helpful. Worth a shot.

Nice cleanup!

What is that huge monster with 4 power cables hanging out the back of it in the top pic? Blade system?

How come you are moving to 208v?
reply

yaplej @ 31st Jul 03:37PM:
Re: Server Cabinet Cleanup

The Dell 2161 has a small tool to connect to it via IP. I have been using a mix of Avocent, and Dell SIM's with the 2161 too. The Dell flashes the firmware on the SIM automagically :)

No blades just a HP rp5405 system. Its got three power inputs.

As for moving to 208V its more efficient than 120V.
»www.apcmedia.com/salestools/SADE···2_EN.pdf
--
Open Source WAN Accelerator
»trafficsqueezer.sourceforge.net/
reply

fcisler @ 3rd Aug 10:01AM:
Re: Server Cabinet Cleanup

I meant a way to flash the Dell firmware onto the Avocent SIM's.

Ah...the cost alone for us would prohibit this, not to mention the expense of - in essence - cutting the number of circuits in half (2 breakers vs 1).

Top that off with swapping many, many 120v UPS (most are 30a) then we would require many years to offset the cost.

APC's 208v UPS are also significantly more expensive then their 120v counterparts.
reply

yaplej @ 3rd Aug 12:50PM:
Re: Server Cabinet Cleanup

Ah we only have a single UPS "APC Symmetra LX" at each site that is able to output both 120V/208V. Also we are running into problems with needing to deliver more amps to each of our racks so putting in 208V allows us to easily deliver two 30A PDU's to each rack.
--
Open Source WAN Accelerator
»trafficsqueezer.sourceforge.net/
reply

fcisler @ 5th Aug 09:56AM:
Re: Server Cabinet Cleanup

Ah, gotcha.

Due to layout changes and equip. changes we have a 480v 3p UPS which feeds a step down transformer to 208/120. The older UPS was not reliable, so each rack got a APC 3000XL to feed a 20A PDU.

Each rack has a minimum of two PDU's, at least one APC fed from a 30a to a 20a twistlock out, and a 20a "street" feed to the PDU.

Most of ours have around 4....just depends on the rack.

Now that we have a new Mitsubishi UPS it's almost redundant....
reply

TomS_ @ 6th Aug 04:45AM:
Re: Server Cabinet Cleanup

said by yaplej :

it inspired me

Sure looks like it did, awesome job! :D

I reckon if I am ever rolling out a bunch of servers I will be doing it this way, its just so damn nice! :D

I have a question though, since those servers are on sliding rails, what happens when someone wants to slide a server out because the cables dont appear to have a lot of slack in them?

e.g. some servers I have seen have a folding arm which you attach the cables to so that when you slide the server out the cables come with it.

I suppose this might not be an issue. If you only need to slide a server out to fix something that is broken, you'll probably be powering it down etc.

Easy enough to fix with a few more cable ties anyway I guess. :-)
reply

bilbusb @ 6th Aug 02:39PM:
Re: Server Cabinet Cleanup

You should get some cable management arms
reply

yaplej @ 7th Aug 01:02PM:
Re: Server Cabinet Cleanup

said by bilbusb :

You should get some cable management arms

Had them. They suck. Always getting in the way. Always getting hung up or stuck in the back so you end up having to walk around to fix it so the server will slide out.

We never pull a server out unless its to fix something or add memory. So all that required the power off/unplugged anyway.
--
sk_buff what?

Open Source WAN Accelerator
»trafficsqueezer.sourceforge.net/

reply

bilbusb @ 7th Aug 01:12PM:
Re: Server Cabinet Cleanup

Really, mine always seem to work fine. Atleast the dell and HP ones i have.
reply