• asdf (unregistered)

    Frist! Frist Frist

  • Marke (unregistered)

    could this be for lightning protection?

  • (cs)

    For the sake of the server, I hope that rest room is for staff only. I can imagine some 13 year old walking in and thinking it may be fun to drip water on the cabinet!

    </oh_the_days>

  • TheHidden (unregistered) in reply to Cratig

    "Water" ... right ...

  • (cs)

    Well in all fairness, the fiber bridge could be nescesarry if they had some seriously fubar'd ground loops in their network/power setup (Different parts of the network on different power systems with no proper grounding between the different types).

    In a case like that, then the optical link would act as a galvanic gap between the different parts.

    A setup like that, however would be highly dangerous to work with (high voltages on metal parts which should be grounded and most people do not suspect that the chassis of a computer is connected to the live wire on the power... )

    If that is the case, II would not enter that building without wearing large rubber gloves and similar boots etc. and I would not expect the building to be standing any longer as it would be a Disneyland for starting a fire....

    So it is likely just a clueless admin...

    Yours Yazeran

    Plan: To go to Mars one day with a hammer.

  • (cs)

    Bonus points if the yellow cable is in service. [image]

  • (cs)

    I saw a fiber bridge just like that one time where they were going to split a network into two buildings. They set it up that way to split the network first for testing, then moved one bridge and subnet to the other building without incident.

  • faoileag (unregistered)

    Aaah, the picture with the leaky roof in what looks suspicously like a former kitchen brought back memories... not exactly fond ones, though :-(

  • Iscu (unregistered) in reply to BentFranklin

    Yeah, that looks "temporary" all-right.

  • faoileag (unregistered) in reply to Cratig
    Cratig:
    some 13 year old ... to drip water on the cabinet!

    No, that would be the 4 to 9 range - the 13 year olds would try to get access to the system for street cred in their hacking circles ;-)

  • Thanks WTF (unregistered)

    No matter how bad my day might be, DailyWTF always lightens the load when I see what other people have to put up with!

  • (cs)

    Flat latex paint? Everyone knows you use semi-gloss for a server room!

  • Mark (unregistered)

    I've done the copper <-> fiber <-> copper one for lightning protection. Unfortunately, whoever did the one in the picture still fails as they almost certainly don't have enough separation for their power supplies.

  • SuperQ (unregistered) in reply to Marke
    Marke:
    could this be for lightning protection?

    Yup, the box behind it looks a lot like an outdoor wireless enclosure. Similar to stuff I've installed on rooftops before. Although normally you want a bit more separation for the lightning protection to work better.

  • anonymous (unregistered)

    We had a fiber bridge like that for lightning protection on a wireless link to another building. They do have a WTF with the power supplies in that pic.

  • grumpy (unregistered) in reply to TheHidden
    TheHidden:
    "Water" ... right ...
    You go right ahead and "pour water" on that thing. The rest of us will be standing way over there --->, applauding and laughing our asses off. Afterwards, we *might* come over with a defibrillator if the show has been fun.
  • Not It (unregistered)

    It's reassuring that the size of AC units has diminished since 1999.

    At ServerRoomSupplys.com we can provide this device allowing seamless real-time updates of their critical levels: Order item Number# GH32Cl: [image]

    catcha: Legionella

  • Bruce W (unregistered)

    Man, this so reminds me of my last job. In fact, one closet with a vital switch in it was called the "paint room" because it had 10+ year old paint stored in it.

    [image]
  • (cs) in reply to Yazeran
    Yazeran:
    Well in all fairness, the fiber bridge *could* be nescesarry if they had some seriously fubar'd ground loops in their network/power setup (Different parts of the network on different power systems with no proper grounding between the different types).

    In a case like that, then the optical link would act as a galvanic gap between the different parts.

    A setup like that, however would be highly dangerous to work with (high voltages on metal parts which should be grounded and most people do not suspect that the chassis of a computer is connected to the live wire on the power... )

    If that is the case, II would not enter that building without wearing large rubber gloves and similar boots etc. and I would not expect the building to be standing any longer as it would be a Disneyland for starting a fire....

    So it is likely just a clueless admin...

    Yours Yazeran

    Plan: To go to Mars one day with a hammer.

    So if I understand your comment correctly, There is a serious problem, and rather than fix the problem, They chose to add new equipment to bandaid around the problem. Either way it fails.

    The "we put it like that to test it and are moving it to a different building" makes more sense, except it looks mounted a little more permanently than that.

  • (cs) in reply to frits
    frits:
    Bonus points if the yellow cable is in service. [image]

    Too bad... If the yellow cable went from the knot to the back of the hard drive I would give them double points.

  • PeterH (unregistered) in reply to frits

    Really, it looks like the right bump could topple the server, rip out whatever the yellow cable is plugged into and unplug the middle transformer brick.

    "What happened?"
    "One of the servers went down. The crash ended up taking down our main network connection and the backup switch, too!"

  • Ralph (unregistered)

    Stop a moment and take a good long look at that first picture. In fact, make it your wallpaper. That's because you need to understand that at least 99 out of 100 people would find nothing wrong with that.

    That's how much the average luser knows and cares about our precious IT systems. They expect it to be always on "like the electricity in the outlets" and to "just work" yet with no planning, care, design, maintenance, or cost.

    Yes, I hate it, and I'm sure you do to -- but I'm right and you know it.

    What's the solution? Educate the lusers? Isn't that our solution for every chair-keyboard-interface problem? And how has that been working out for you so far?

    Someone sold the world on the idea that information systems are easy and brainless, and now here we are.

  • Andrew Liberty (unregistered)

    This is unbeleivable. I've forwarded it on to our bespoke software developer. He'll love this!

  • Paul (unregistered)
    [image]

    I worked for a while in a large 5-floor office which had a pair of network cabinets on every floor. They handled phone links to the PABX, ethernet links and 3270 terminal links. Each of the several dozen desks on a floor had one of each connection type.

    They all looked like this, but with fewer different colors of cable.

  • (cs) in reply to anonymous
    anonymous:
    We had a fiber bridge like that for lightning protection on a wireless link to another building. They do have a WTF with the power supplies in that pic.
    So that the overcurrent would stop at the fiber rather than propagate through the wireless link, this that it?
  • lolkismet (unregistered) in reply to Andrew Liberty
    Andrew Liberty:
    This is unbeleivable. I've forwarded it on to our spam developer. He'll love this!

    Seriously, Akismet lets this through?

  • djmarcone (unregistered)

    I was called out once on a Saturday night to fix a bad connection from one side of a large facility to the other. This could be the same exact room, except there was one end of a fiber optic bridge in there too, and the tops of the equipment had dried water spots in amongst the dust. [image]

  • TK (unregistered) in reply to Yazeran
    Yazeran:
    Well in all fairness, the fiber bridge *could* be nescesarry if they had some seriously fubar'd ground loops in their network/power setup (Different parts of the network on different power systems with no proper grounding between the different types).

    In a case like that, then the optical link would act as a galvanic gap between the different parts.

    A setup like that, however would be highly dangerous to work with (high voltages on metal parts which should be grounded and most people do not suspect that the chassis of a computer is connected to the live wire on the power... )

    No worries then. Regular old copper Ethernet (10BaseT, 100BT, and so on) cannot have ground loops. Each node is inductively coupled to the network, so no DC gets through.

    It's actually because of the inductive coupling that PoE is possible. Any DC bias used to provide power is ignored by a standard Ethernet PHY.

  • Mike (unregistered)

    I've seen the fiber link used like this where a repeater was actually needed, but not immediately available. Usually not on 4-pair, though.

  • (cs) in reply to Mike

    It isn't right next to the sink, but we have the restroom/server room going on in my office. It is in the ladies' room, so it is funny seeing guys in there on the occasion they had to access the rack (almost worth the inconvience of walking to another restroom)

  • (cs) in reply to Ralph
    Ralph:
    Stop a moment and take a good long look at that first picture. In fact, make it your wallpaper. That's because you need to understand that at least 99 out of 100 people would find nothing wrong with that.

    That's how much the average luser knows and cares about our precious IT systems. They expect it to be always on "like the electricity in the outlets" and to "just work" yet with no planning, care, design, maintenance, or cost.

    Yes, I hate it, and I'm sure you do to -- but I'm right and you know it.

    What's the solution? Educate the lusers? Isn't that our solution for every chair-keyboard-interface problem? And how has that been working out for you so far?

    Someone sold the world on the idea that information systems are easy and brainless, and now here we are.

    Thats because HARDWARE needs to be SOLD to the PEOPLE with the MONEY, hence GOOD MARKETING is needed to drive the industry.

    Without marketing, Bill Gates would still be a hobbiest sitting in a garage somewhere ordering ram chips to solder to his newest motherboard.

    So you have to make it SOUND brainless and easy, or else no one buys in.

  • (cs) in reply to The Great Lobachevsky
    The Great Lobachevsky:
    It isn't right next to the sink, but we have the restroom/server room going on in my office. It is in the ladies' room, so it is funny seeing guys in there on the occasion they had to access the rack (almost worth the inconvience of walking to another restroom)

    That sounds like a sexual harassment suit just waiting to happen... especially if there are no female's in the it department.

  • Jay (unregistered) in reply to Ralph
    Ralph:
    That's how much the average luser knows and cares about our precious IT systems. They expect it to be always on "like the electricity in the outlets" and to "just work" yet with no planning, care, design, maintenance, or cost.

    I suspect the folks at the power company think that the expectation that the electricity from the outlets will "just work" is equally simple-minded.

  • Jay (unregistered) in reply to PiisAWheeL
    PiisAWheeL:
    The Great Lobachevsky:
    It isn't right next to the sink, but we have the restroom/server room going on in my office. It is in the ladies' room, so it is funny seeing guys in there on the occasion they had to access the rack (almost worth the inconvience of walking to another restroom)

    That sounds like a sexual harassment suit just waiting to happen... especially if there are no female's in the it department.

    No problem. If you get stopped, just say that you are exploring your sexual identity and considering having a sex-change operation. Then sue the woman who complained for discrimination against transgendered persons. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/07/macys-employee-fired-transgender_n_1133831.html

    (Why Akismet? Why?)

  • (cs) in reply to Cratig
    Cratig:
    For the sake of the server, I hope that `rest` room is for staff only. I can imagine some 13 year old walking in and thinking it may be fun to drip water on the cabinet!

    </oh_the_days>

    Yep. Could give "flush" a whole new meaning.

  • (cs) in reply to PiisAWheeL
    PiisAWheeL:
    The Great Lobachevsky:
    It isn't right next to the sink, but we have the restroom/server room going on in my office. It is in the ladies' room, so it is funny seeing guys in there on the occasion they had to access the rack (almost worth the inconvience of walking to another restroom)

    That sounds like a sexual harassment suit just waiting to happen... especially if there are no female's in the it department.

    Well, there's at least one...

  • (cs)

    It wouldn't surprise me if that "Bridging the Gap" thing was security.

    Boss Joe: "We can't have the two networks directly connected together, someone might violate security over the interconnect cable."

    Serf Jack: (after carefully concealed inner sigh) "Ok. How about this. We'll put a fiber bridge in the middle. That will electrically isolate the networks and prevent security violations."

    Boss Joe: (cluelessly) "Great! That'll work."

    People who think they know a lot (but don't) can be both a hindrance and an advantage.

    ...or maybe, y'know, it was because "TrendNet" is clearly "trendy" (just ask the salesman).

  • Sergio Carlos (unregistered)

    On the Ethernet-Fiber bridges pic, it may have been used as a security measure in case there is a big electrical charge to stop the damage from propagating through wire. Seen those when connecting a long range antenna to the local network, in case lightning strikes the antenna

  • Jason (unregistered)

    Every time I see patch-cable spaghetti like that, I love the fact that I now work at a major telco.

    The folks that do the cabling are all ex-field installers, who have practically military parade precision on their cabling. Every one of the rooms I've looked in on has been clean and orderly, no snarls anywhere.

  • bart (unregistered)

    I agree, the server room is quite the sight. But what the hell is a WHATNOT? Stop giving us software guys a bad name.

  • (cs) in reply to Sergio Carlos
    Sergio Carlos:
    On the Ethernet-Fiber bridges pic, it may have been used as a security measure in case there is a big electrical charge to stop the damage from propagating through wire. Seen those when connecting a long range antenna to the local network, in case lightning strikes the antenna
    That is indeed a very effective way of protecting a network, but plugging both units into the same circuit kind of defeats the purpose.
  • Boog, I Am Your Father! (aka Behold The Return Of Zunesis!)! (unregistered) in reply to TheHidden
    TheHidden:
    "Water" ... right ...
    "Urine" ... right ...
  • Ralph (unregistered) in reply to PiisAWheeL
    PiisAWheeL:
    Without marketing, Bill Gates would still be a hobbiest sitting in a garage somewhere ordering ram chips to solder to his newest motherboard.
    And that would be a Good Thing (TM).
    PiisAWheeL:
    Thats because HARDWARE needs to be SOLD to the PEOPLE with the MONEY, hence GOOD MARKETING is needed to drive the industry.
    If a product has to be "driven" that means people don't really want it. If they really wanted it, they'd go find it on their own. Marketdroids are the scum of the earth.
    PiisAWheeL:
    So you have to make it SOUND brainless and easy, or else no one buys in.
    It isn't that "no one" buys in, but that people who understand what they need and how it will benefit their business buy in, and the ignorant don't, which is the desirable condition. We are where we are today because the ignorant were pushed to "buy in" to something they didn't understand, and now that they have it, they don't realize why they should care to keep it working.

    So, nice troll, because as you see, I felt compelled to respond.

  • Boog, I Am Your Father! (aka Behold The Return Of Zunesis!)! (unregistered) in reply to PiisAWheeL
    PiisAWheeL:
    The Great Lobachevsky:
    It isn't right next to the sink, but we have the restroom/server room going on in my office. It is in the ladies' room, so it is funny seeing guys in there on the occasion they had to access the rack (almost worth the inconvience of walking to another restroom)

    That sounds like a sexual harassment suit just waiting to happen... especially if there are no female's in the it department.

    ??? I don't understand. I go into the ladies' room to access racks all the time. Peer over the stall to charge up then upload a torrent to maintain anonymity. Full access to rack.

    Is the problem that you're doing something wrong, or that you don't know how to do it correctly?

  • Boog, I Am Your Father! (aka Behold The Return Of Zunesis!)! (unregistered) in reply to Ralph
    Ralph:
    It isn't that "no one" buys in, but that people who understand what they need and how it will benefit their business buy in, and the ignorant don't, which is the desirable condition.
    On a more serious note, I think the desirable condition is money in the bank. People who don't know any better often still have money and are even more easily convinced to give it to our employers. And then we get some. Without marketing, you might not have a job, either, as the market would be so crowded and HR still wouldn't be any good at picking candidates (as you likely consider yourself an exceptional candidate in reality, although maybe not ostensibly to a hiring manager). Would that be A Good Thing (TM)?

    Or, for me, it's monkey in the butt. Now that's a Good Thing (TantricMonkey).

    Don't bother calling me perverted. I get enough of that from my mom. While revisiting the first pussy I ever fucked. Only then it was with my whole body. OH YEAH!

  • Not Boog (unregistered)

    I see our little sociopath is back to annoy us.

  • (cs) in reply to The Great Lobachevsky
    The Great Lobachevsky:
    It isn't right next to the sink, but we have the restroom/server room going on in my office. It is in the ladies' room, so it is funny seeing guys in there on the occasion they had to access the rack (almost worth the inconvience of walking to another restroom)
    Who's rack did they access in the Ladies room? Was she stacked?
  • appellatio (unregistered) in reply to BentFranklin
    BentFranklin:
    I saw a fiber bridge just like that one time where they were going to split a network into two buildings. They set it up that way to split the network first for testing, then moved one bridge and subnet to the other building without incident.

    I seriously don't get this fiber-bridge story. Can somebody explain, please?

  • _ (unregistered) in reply to Not Boog
    Not Zunesis (really):
    I see our little sociopath is back to annoy us.
    FTFY

    Sockpuppets are fun!

  • geoffrey (unregistered) in reply to appellatio
    appellatio:
    BentFranklin:
    I saw a fiber bridge just like that one time where they were going to split a network into two buildings. They set it up that way to split the network first for testing, then moved one bridge and subnet to the other building without incident.

    I seriously don't get this fiber-bridge story. Can somebody explain, please?

    Know-it-all starts at new company. Sees perfectly-working network equipment, makes quip at how he could do it better. End of story.

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