A Secure and Well-Ventilated Location was originally published on January 9th, 2007

A major part of Don Q's job is to fly out to construction sites and setup their computer network. Weeks before doing this, Don meets with the project manager to make sure that every one knows what needs to be done and how to do it. It's up to the project manager to make sure that the workstations, server, cabling, power, etc. are all in place before Don arrives, and Don makes sure to give concise but not insultingly-simple instructions on how to accomplish that. One of these tasks is simply: install the server in a secure and well-ventilated location.

Don had dolled out that task to construction project managers countless times, and they had always complied without issue: the server was installed in a secure and well-ventilated location. After all, where else would one put a $15,000+ computer running $100,000+ software to manage a $50,000,000+ construction project? When Don arrived at one particular location to setup the network, he discovered that the project manager had a slightly different interpretation: The Men's Room.

Of course, it wasn't just any men's room; it was the men's room in a construction site trailer where various construction workers trudged in all day long to do their nasty business. What's not visible in the photographs is the 3" hole in the floor where network cabling exits the trailer. Being that it's unsealed, a nice cold draft, along with a small family of mice, have no problem getting through. Also not visible in the photograph is the mice turds littered across the men's room floor.

Even after confronted and explained the issues with this, the project manager saw no problem with this set up. Fortunately, Don was able to convince the higher-ups and get the server moved to a more suitable location.

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