13 Minutes, 42 Seconds Left

john_dennis wrote on 10/2/2012, 6:40 PM
One of my youtube videos was linked in a Wired Magazine blog. It was not one I'm particularly proud of, either. According to the Hollywood types, though, "Any publicity is good publicity."

Quick! Let me monetize that channel!

It's the UPS Failure link if you want to waste 1:18 of your life that you'll never get back.

Here.

Comments

Kimberly wrote on 10/2/2012, 7:08 PM
And this why I will never, ever store my data in "the Cloud." Because what is "the Cloud" except a big fat server room on somebody else's watch. I hate "the Cloud." People talk about "the Cloud" like it's some kind of magical technology. But we know better, don't we?

Thanks for sharing!

Kimberly
ushere wrote on 10/2/2012, 9:38 PM
i agree, but dropbox / skydrive / etc., are remarkably useful as long as you have real world back ups too!
Kimberly wrote on 10/2/2012, 9:45 PM
Love Dropbox! Use it all the time. I just keep all the important files on my hard drive, which is backed up often and on more than one drive.
john_dennis wrote on 10/2/2012, 11:35 PM
"And this why I will never, ever store my data in "the Cloud."

Kimberly, tell us how you really feel about cloud computing!

Robert McMillan used some journalistic license when he said my phone blew up with servers that had failed. My phone actually blew up with all the power and cooling equipment that had either powered off or moved to another source automatically. The fact is, not a single server was affected by this event. This data center is so redundant, this was a non-event to all the network and processing systems. In the ten years I've worked here, there has never been a single power or cooling outage that affected a server at all. It's not because events like this don't happen, but rather, the systems are designed to tolerate them when they do happen. Consequently, I am still employed. For what actually happened read my description

.

This center is owned and operated by a single business entity and all the applications are enterprise applications. There has been little or no cloud infiltration here. Like many businesses, we do use some Software As A Service (SAAS) from vendors who deliver it over the Internet from who knows where. The amount is trivial at present.

All that said, I agree that the "cloud computing" model is at the very peak of the hype-cycle. Cloud has become a required word in any IT presentation slide deck these days.
NickHope wrote on 10/3/2012, 12:45 AM
Nice one John.

What's the thing dangling on the left? Is that just so you know that the surveillance video is running and not "stuck"?
farss wrote on 10/3/2012, 2:38 AM
I have some not very fond memories of trying to get a UPS back online in the small hours of the morning. Only a 100KVA unit but still, a small oops with the DC from the battery room would have left a lasting impression.
My task wasn't helped by the site electrician's meter having a 200V range that was way out of wack.

Bob.
john_dennis wrote on 10/3/2012, 9:00 AM
"What's the thing dangling on the left?"

That's a nylon pull string that was left in an empty conduit blowing around. It would have triggered the DVR on motion but I masked that area when the system was installed.
john_dennis wrote on 10/3/2012, 9:11 AM
"My task wasn't helped by the site electrician's meter having a 200V range that was way out of wack.

The three sources in this UPS room are three sets of switch gear at 480 VAC, 3000 AMP. The three battery strings are at 540 VDC. It's best not to buy meters and leads at Radio Shack. This was not my first explosive event. It is nearing my last, however.