nanog mailing list archives

RE: time sink 42


From: "Dixon, Justin" <Justin.Dixon () BBandT com>
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:45:49 +0000

-----Original Message-----
From: Majdi S. Abbas [mailto:msa () latt net]
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 16:35
To: Randy Bush
Cc: North American Network Operators' Group
Subject: Re: time sink 42

On Thu, Feb 16, 2012 at 01:08:46PM -0800, Randy Bush wrote:
ok, this is horribly pragmatic, but it's real.  yesterday i was in the
westin playing rack and stack for five hours.  an horrifyingly large
amount of my time was spent trying to peel apart labels made on my
portable brother label tape maker, yes peeling the backing from a little
label so remote hands could easily confirm a server they were going to
attack.

      Randy,

      Personally, I got tired of buying batteries, and expensive label
tapes, and tend to stick with Avery labels from the office supply store
(or Brady labels for cabling), and preprinting.  Either can be run
through a typewriter, and the Avery labels tend to run through a standard
office printer just fine.

      Then I just have to peel a standard label off of wax paper, which
is much easier than dealing with plastic tape that appears to be fused
to its backing at the factory.

      The split back variety is a little better, but even then it can be
hard to get your fingernails under the other side.  We haven't really
improved much on labeling technology in decades.

      --msa

No mention of good (*detailed*) documentation based on model/serial number and facility rack ID/rack position in case 
the label were to inadvertently be removed/fall off/etc.?

Only issue with that approach is that if the colo facility moves your hardware at some point you need to ensure that 
they let you know that so you can update your documentation to coincide with (hopefully) their documentation of where 
your equipment is located.

Justin


Current thread: