[AusNOG] Process for installing new kit in existing racks in .au data centres?

[Tony]

I would add that one provider we deal with (in multiple locations around  
AU) requires that a form is submitted for gear. Once approved, gear is  
staged via the loading bay where it is powered on to ensure it doesn't  
trip breakers or blow up, then you're free to put it in your rack.

This is only for powered gear, you can add/replace anything you want  
(router cards, HDD, CPU, whole blades, etc) to existing chassis in the  
rack, as long as the new device doesn't have it's own separate power  
supply.

The process is painless, approval is always granted, the DC is staffed  
24/7 so that someone is always available to test EQ on the way in. The  
only time I've had gear knocked back was when the power usage in the rack  
was at it's max and I submitted a form to add new gear. The response was  
that the rack was "full" (from a power usage perspective) and I should  
either upgrade power to the rack first (then resubmit EQ movement form) or  
choose a different rack to locate that item.


regards,
Tony.

On Mon, 24 Mar 2014 15:25:40 +1000, Tim March <march.tim at gmail.com> wrote:

> +1
>
> I've never really had a facility provider take much interest in what
> was or was not in particular cabinets. If you wanted to install a
> whole row of Sun M9000's or stack 4 x blade enclosures per cabinet
> that might be an issue. In general day-to-day facility operation they
> generally don't get involved unless you're going to have a significant
> impact on power, cooling or floor load.
>
> If they're posing an unjustified impediment to your project for whatever
> reason then that's a vendor management issue you should probably take
> up with your AM...
>
>
>
>
> T.
>
> On 24/03/14 4:17 PM, Robert Hudson wrote:
>> I'll echo the responses so far - even with "average" data centre
>> operators, once on the approved access list, I rock up with whatever I
>> want, and install it into the rack I'm paying for as I see fit.  If I
>> need dock access, I'll let them know in advance.
>>
>> Otherwise, given you're paying for the space/power/HVAC already, what
>> right do they have to prevent you from installing kit into it?  You
>> don't pay for rack space for it to remain empty/unused, even if you're
>> tied into a long-term contract, I seriously doubt you'd have problems
>> getting out of it.
>>
>>
>> On 24 March 2014 14:56, Jay Mitchell <jay at miscreant.org
>> <mailto:jay at miscreant.org>> wrote:
>>
>>     Hi all,
>>
>>     Just after a bit of info on what is usual when a customer wants to
>>     install new hardware in their existing racks.
>>
>>     We have a not insignificant number of rack with a carrier, who shall
>>     remain unnamed. Quite a few are sparsely populated (a few totally
>>     empty), yet we're having a ridiculously hard time getting approval
>>     to install a fairly insignificant amount of new kit into our
>>     existing racks. It's been about a week so far this time (this isn't
>>     the first time..).
>>
>>     Is this usual? I've been stuck in the same DCs for the last 8 years
>>     or so, so my knowledge of current practices in other DC's is
>>     limited. What goes in Equinix, Globalswitch, NextDC?
>>
>>     Replies on or off list are fine.
>>
>>     Kind regards,
>>
>>     Jay