Cage nuts/rack hw near SAVVIS DC3 (Sterling VA)
Anyone know where I can buy cage nuts and rack screws locally near SAVVIS DC3 in Sterling, VA? They don't seem to have a local supply here, and somehow the racks we bought came with a 2:1 screw:nuts ratio. -cjp
Any Greybar should have them, but they're not going to do you any favors on price. -wil On Nov 30, 2010, at 5:32 AM, Christopher J. Pilkington wrote:
Anyone know where I can buy cage nuts and rack screws locally near SAVVIS DC3 in Sterling, VA? They don't seem to have a local supply here, and somehow the racks we bought came with a 2:1 screw:nuts ratio.
-cjp
On Nov 30, 2010, at 5:32 AM, Christopher J. Pilkington wrote:
Anyone know where I can buy cage nuts and rack screws locally near SAVVIS DC3 in Sterling, VA? They don't seem to have a local supply here, and somehow the racks we bought came with a 2:1 screw:nuts ratio.
-cjp
Graybar is not too far away. There might also be an Anixter within range. (Graybar is in Sterling near the south end of IAD) Owen
Owen DeLong <owen@delong.com> writes:
On Nov 30, 2010, at 5:32 AM, Christopher J. Pilkington wrote:
Anyone know where I can buy cage nuts and rack screws locally near SAVVIS DC3 in Sterling, VA? They don't seem to have a local supply here, and somehow the racks we bought came with a 2:1 screw:nuts ratio.
-cjp
Graybar is not too far away. There might also be an Anixter within range. (Graybar is in Sterling near the south end of IAD)
They are in Sterling, but the "near the south end of IAD" address is in Chantilly (they were on Westfax Dr). They moved from there several years ago. 45145 Ocean Court Sterling, VA 20166-2345 (703) 631-8600 gmaps is correct. note that "relocation drive" is not accessible directly from 28. -r
As always, thanks to the responses off list, we're all sorted now. On Nov 30, 2010, at 8:32, "Christopher J. Pilkington" <cjp@0x1.net> wrote:
Anyone know where I can buy cage nuts and rack screws locally near SAVVIS DC3 in Sterling, VA? They don't seem to have a local supply here, and somehow the racks we bought came with a 2:1 screw:nuts ratio.
-cjp
On 30/11/10 5:32 AM, Christopher J. Pilkington wrote:
Anyone know where I can buy cage nuts and rack screws locally near SAVVIS DC3 in Sterling, VA? They don't seem to have a local supply here, and somehow the racks we bought came with a 2:1 screw:nuts ratio.
I really don't understand why someone hasn't put vending machines in every major colo around the world. We have vending machines that sell ipods at the maul, we can certainly have a vending machine that sells rack nuts and screws, patch cables, tools, etc. at colos. jc
In a message written on Wed, Dec 01, 2010 at 06:43:25AM -0800, JC Dill wrote:
I really don't understand why someone hasn't put vending machines in every major colo around the world. We have vending machines that sell ipods at the maul, we can certainly have a vending machine that sells rack nuts and screws, patch cables, tools, etc. at colos.
Every meeting I have with a colo provider I suggest this exact idea. Patch cables (cat5, single mode, multi-mode), fiber couplers, maybe even SFP's, velcro ties, a 10-in-1 screwdriver, etc. -- Leo Bicknell - bicknell@ufp.org - CCIE 3440 PGP keys at http://www.ufp.org/~bicknell/
On Wed, 1 Dec 2010, Leo Bicknell wrote:
Every meeting I have with a colo provider I suggest this exact idea. Patch cables (cat5, single mode, multi-mode), fiber couplers, maybe even SFP's, velcro ties, a 10-in-1 screwdriver, etc.
I'd say skip the colo provider, and look for vending machine companies. The colo provider's unlikely to go to the bother of digging up somebody to provide the vending machines and contents, but seems likely to be quite interested if the thing's provided to them as a package... cheers! ========================================================================== "A cat spends her life conflicted between a deep, passionate and profound desire for fish and an equally deep, passionate and profound desire to avoid getting wet. This is the defining metaphor of my life right now."
On Wed, Dec 1, 2010 at 10:24 AM, Cat Okita <cat@reptiles.org> wrote:
On Wed, 1 Dec 2010, Leo Bicknell wrote:
Every meeting I have with a colo provider I suggest this exact idea. Patch cables (cat5, single mode, multi-mode), fiber couplers, maybe even SFP's, velcro ties, a 10-in-1 screwdriver, etc.
I'd say skip the colo provider, and look for vending machine companies.
The colo provider's unlikely to go to the bother of digging up somebody to provide the vending machines and contents, but seems likely to be quite interested if the thing's provided to them as a package...
the colo provider may not want to 'waste' electricity/cooling on a vending machine... -chris
Once upon a time, Christopher Morrow <morrowc.lists@gmail.com> said:
the colo provider may not want to 'waste' electricity/cooling on a vending machine...
A plain (non-drink) machine draws a few watts. I don't think rack screws and patch cables need to be refrigerated; if they can't spare a few watts for a vending machine, then you probably can't install anything new there anyway. -- Chris Adams <cmadams@hiwaay.net> Systems and Network Administrator - HiWAAY Internet Services I don't speak for anybody but myself - that's enough trouble.
On Dec 1, 2010, at 8:43 AM, Chris Adams wrote:
Once upon a time, Christopher Morrow <morrowc.lists@gmail.com> said:
the colo provider may not want to 'waste' electricity/cooling on a vending machine...
A plain (non-drink) machine draws a few watts. I don't think rack screws and patch cables need to be refrigerated; if they can't spare a few watts for a vending machine, then you probably can't install anything new there anyway.
You know, I don't think the reason this doesn't happen is a technological one. There are a bunch of us who've been pushing this idea to DC and colo providers for well upwards of fifteen years now, and I don't know of anyone who's actually done it. The problem is supply, not demand. Combining someone who's willing to service vending machines for a living with someone who knows what we need the vending machines stocked with is the sticking point, since the market is too small to separate those roles, I think. At least to bootstrap. Of course, if the economy continues downward, maybe there will be more clueful people who figure stocking vending machines is better than no work at all. -Bill
On 12/1/10 9:43 AM, Chris Adams wrote:
A plain (non-drink) machine draws a few watts. I don't think rack screws and patch cables need to be refrigerated; if they can't spare a few watts for a vending machine, then you probably can't install anything new there anyway.
Its def not a bad idea, and if you really wanted to, not like it would be hard to put nuts, screws, etc in a can, put a piece of electrical tape over the top, and completely repurpose an existing soda machine or even use one or two spaces in a machine already in the lobby or NOC. It may not look pretty, but its actually a great way to recycle and do something creative. Or, you could do what our co-loc does, have a large coffee can with screws, nuts, etc and a few shared screwdrivers in another. On your way in, grab the nuts/screws and a screwdriver, on your way out put unused and extras back in the can. Little things like that if people cooperate can be an excellent bullet point on why to be in a specific facility. -- Brielle Bruns The Summit Open Source Development Group http://www.sosdg.org / http://www.ahbl.org
Or, you could do what our co-loc does, have a large coffee can with screws, nuts, etc and a few shared screwdrivers in another. On your way in, grab the nuts/screws and a screwdriver, on your way out put unused and extras back in the can.
I like this idea better - which is what one of our DCs does for snacks and food. Box of Pop-Tarts, with an honor system can for payment. Partially for the staff, but they put it out in the customer area along with free coffee. Coke machine costs $0.50. There is at least one operator on duty 24/7; if I really needed to I could go knock on the door and have them scrounge up tools and screws. There is a Home Depot a half mile away failing that. This all sounds a little silly compared to the normal datacenter facility issues like power, security, telecomm... but indeed these touches go a long way towards customer satisfaction when you're there for an entire weekend for some big install. Next time we look for new facilities, I know I'll have these in mind. An aside: There is a special place in hell reserved for those who throw out "unneeded" rack hardware. ;) -- Jameel Akari
On 12/01/2010 12:47 PM, Jameel Akari wrote:
Or, you could do what our co-loc does, have a large coffee can with screws, nuts, etc and a few shared screwdrivers in another. On your way in, grab the nuts/screws and a screwdriver, on your way out put unused and extras back in the can.
I like this idea better - which is what one of our DCs does for snacks and food. Box of Pop-Tarts, with an honor system can for payment. Partially for the staff, but they put it out in the customer area along with free coffee. Coke machine costs $0.50. There is at least one operator on duty 24/7; if I really needed to I could go knock on the door and have them scrounge up tools and screws. There is a Home Depot a half mile away failing that.
Unfortunately rack nuts (really the clips) aren't at HD, and they miss the thread pitch for several rack screw types. They do have cat5 and cat6 jumpers and bulk cable, tho.
This all sounds a little silly compared to the normal datacenter facility issues like power, security, telecomm... but indeed these touches go a long way towards customer satisfaction when you're there for an entire weekend for some big install. Next time we look for new facilities, I know I'll have these in mind.
There was always Tribeca Ace Hardware... I see it burned out last May, so no longer... Where else could you get retail fiber jumpers on Sunday? -- Pete
On 2010-12-01, at 09:48, Leo Bicknell wrote:
In a message written on Wed, Dec 01, 2010 at 06:43:25AM -0800, JC Dill wrote:
I really don't understand why someone hasn't put vending machines in every major colo around the world. We have vending machines that sell ipods at the maul, we can certainly have a vending machine that sells rack nuts and screws, patch cables, tools, etc. at colos.
Every meeting I have with a colo provider I suggest this exact idea. Patch cables (cat5, single mode, multi-mode), fiber couplers, maybe even SFP's, velcro ties, a 10-in-1 screwdriver, etc.
Two notable places I've done site work where the colo vendor was happy to sell me such things were Terremark/NOTA in Miami and Global Switch in Amsterdam. But even in those cases there were times where I needed something outside normal office hours and couldn't find anybody to sell it to me. Vending machines have the advantage that they don't sleep. Joe
On Dec 1, 2010, at 9:43 AM, JC Dill wrote:
On 30/11/10 5:32 AM, Christopher J. Pilkington wrote:
Anyone know where I can buy cage nuts and rack screws locally near SAVVIS DC3 in Sterling, VA? They don't seem to have a local supply here, and somehow the racks we bought came with a 2:1 screw:nuts ratio.
I really don't understand why someone hasn't put vending machines in every major colo around the world. We have vending machines that sell ipods at the maul, we can certainly have a vending machine that sells rack nuts and screws, patch cables, tools, etc. at colos.
I had that idea back in 2003, after getting very frustrated late one Saturday evening because I didn't have something like cage nuts, and actually tried to interest the management of Switch and Data into doing it, but it went nowhere. I am sure I was not the first here... Regards Marshall
jc
participants (15)
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Bill Woodcock -
Brielle Bruns -
Cat Okita -
Chris Adams -
Christopher J. Pilkington -
Christopher Morrow -
Jameel Akari -
JC Dill -
Joe Abley -
Leo Bicknell -
Marshall Eubanks -
Owen DeLong -
Pete Carah -
Robert E. Seastrom -
Wil Schultz