martin@theicelandguy.com (Martin Hannigan) wrote:
1. as-builts designated by the RU 2. physical layer wiring diagram 3. cable run list (optical, fiber, connector type, pots) 4. Bill of materials down to the rack mount kit screws 5. cut view, detailing cabinet details _from the datacenter_.
;-) We have quite some experience in having third party people, including professional hosting companies and "friends" on-site, receiving our boxes and assembling the entire thing for us. The only ones that failed were a big german teclo back in 2004. Which was essentially why we why we assembled an entire cabinet ready-for-production, in the 2006 rebuild for their new datacenter site. Yes, we got it shipped within Germany (Frankfurt to Ulm). Getting a shipping company to do that difficult at best: The big ones all turned us down. We found a small company that did it (who usually worked for one of the big ones that turned us down). They claimed to have experience, and they delivered everything in working condition. The telco was eventually able to plug the five cables into the right sockets and everything was ready to jumpstart. Usually we send parts, and what has proven a very good idea for us is to ship really everything, including every cable, connector and adaptor, except for the mains connectors which are different in every single place. It is crucial to label every port (and I mean "server ports" and "strange boxes' ports"; everything but switchports, really) with a number and do the same with every single cable and adaptor. A detailled cabling plan which lists and sometimes depicts what goes where (A- and B-side systems, cable numbers, lengths and colors, and the according port numbers) makes cabling the thing - as I've been told - pretty easy. Well, soon enough I'll be doing the first ever on-site installation myself which comes with a nice couple of days vacation, so I opted for doing it. Of course, it's actually just the verification of our assembly instructions being _really_ idiot-proof. Anyway, Joe, if you can make it happen, have people on-site assemble the stuff for you. They will usually be kind enough to make power cables for you, too. I have had people from professional hosters really go out of their way (using private credit cards to obtain parts etc) to make the thing work. Sending that one full rack has proven successful for us, but that was specialists with some experience, and it was road only. Every time I see suitcases being thrown around in airports...well... Elmar.