What do you have in your datacenters' toolbox?

Tue Mar 12 02:58:24 UTC 2013

I keep a couple of RJ45 line joiners, a short crossover cable (for
dealing with older gear that doesn't auto-MDIX, can be extended with a
longer eth cable and one of the line joiners) and when I was dealing
with fibre a lot, appropriate line joiners for the interfaces I used
(SC-SC, LC-LC, ST-ST) or short lengths of patch leads with appropriate
adaptors.  In an emergency I want to know that I have the ends I need
and the length I need to get stuff connected, even if I have to schedule
a routine change later on to swap in the 'right' type of cable.

I also found that the Nortel gear I used to work with, had the right
serial cable pinouts that I could use a pair of Cisco OEM console
cables, joined with an RJ45 line joiner, as a serial console cable, so I
always carried at least two of those.

A Media Converter was also useful in my fibre days, in case I didn't
have any spare SFP's or appropriate fibre modules.  I also carried an
IEC-to-conventional-mains ("3 pin" but it's country specific obviously)
to allow me to run up said media converter when the only power outlets
were of the IEC sort (where the power brick was inevitably one for
'conventional' mains outlets.

I used to keep CDR's (where USB wasn't always permitted) with useful
software, including packet capture software, tftp server software and
some other basic apps, including plenty of Portable apps.  OpenOffice
Portable saved me in terms of an ability to get access to documentation
(in .xls, typically) when working on the console of a server without
Excel installed.

But yeah plenty of good sources and I do feel this should indeed be
wikified somewhere. I assume http://www.as30950.net/index.php/Main_Page
is a useful location? (Just found it, no idea of it's pedigree etc.)

Mark.

On 10/03/13 22:18, Aaron Glenn wrote:
> Greetings My Ten Thousand Closest Friends,
>
> I have a requirement to stock an actual, physical toolbox with power
> tools, drill bits, and other useful accoutrements one would use in a
> 'typical' datacenter. Can any one recommend brands/models of
> (preferably cordless) power tools they've used successfully? Reading
> Amazon reviews is killing my few brain cells that remain. Any "and you
> should think about stocking $X, $Y, and a couple of $Zs in your tool
> chest" you could impart on the list (besides the right kind of cage
> nuts and enough rj45 jacks)? I have that sinking suspicion my
> comprehensive list is not comprehensive enough. I get one true shot at
> this as the datacenter is very, very far from any 1st-world
> suppliers[1]
>
> Very grateful for any cluebats you are able to spare on this
> (marginally off) topic.
>
> Best,
> aaron.glenn
>
> [1] Hargeisa, Somaliland; if you must know.
>