Post Your Lab (PICS)

Hey Everyone,
I couldn't find any other thread similar to this after searching for a while, so I wanted to get one going. It would be great if everyone could post pictures of their current home or work lab (Big or Small). Hopefully we can get the CCNP/CCIE folks to post in here as well.

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TIA568B

291298_10150753328365302_769625301_20279986_3756397_o.jpg

Todo:

Tidy things up and rack mount them (if I can find the lugs for the 2500).
Find affordable USB - RS232 adaptors that actually work
Find an IOS update for the 2620 routers

All that's got to wait until I pass CCNA as it's time to panic as I've been focusing on toys too much!

Squibcat

I would throw mine on here, but I don't see where to upload pictures. O'well, All the gear in the past several pages looks great. Some people have tremendous setups. Very impressive.

TheShadow

Squibcat wrote: »

I would throw mine on here, but I don't see where to upload pictures. O'well, All the gear in the past several pages looks great. Some people have tremendous setups. Very impressive.

If you are brave enough to throw them on here, those are not uploded pictures but links to a photo hosting service like photobucket or image shack. Hit the quote button on the message above yours and look at the code to see how it is done with the open and close img tag. photobucket.com and imageshack.us accounts are free.

Squibcat

s

Here are the pics from my setup. I have
2-2611's
1-2509
1-2650
1-2650xm
1-3550
3-2950's
2 Windows 7 Boxes, 1 with dual 23" monitors.
1-HP DL 360 blade running server 2008 with VM Sphere 4.1
1-Dell box running server 2003
My next project is to get Linux up and running on the Sphere. I was able to get a great deal from Dantrak on the rack. He's in the Chicago area and set me up with the deep rack and shelves(He's awesome). I have 2 towers on a shelf in the back part of the rack. All my gear fit perfect with plenty of room for expansion.

TheShadow

Nice pictures, glad to see that you figured it out other than an extra quote tag in there somewhere.

dead_p00l

For people using flat stacked(no space between) 2500 and 2600's do you have any problems with them overheating since they vent from the bottom?

Squibcat

I put an extra 2 spaces between the units with bottom fans to make sure they wouldn't overheat. There's a half inch between. I think that's enough.

alxx

dead_p00l wrote: »

For people using flat stacked(no space between) 2500 and 2600's do you have any problems with them overheating since they vent from the bottom?

Or get some rubber door stops or rubber strips to give air gaps

NewManSoon

TIA568B wrote: »

Todo:
Tidy things up and rack mount them (if I can find the lugs for the 2500).

Find affordable USB - RS232 adaptors that actually work

Find an IOS update for the 2620 routers

All that's got to wait until I pass CCNA as it's time to panic as I've been focusing on toys too much!

re the USB -> Serial .. I have found any model that uses Prolific drivers works without any problems. Mine I bought on Ebay works in Linux and Windows.

alxx

The ftdichip based ones work well on mac,windows and linux.

have four here at home and at least ten at work(for embedded programmers etc)

easy is one brand that uses the ftdichip chips
EasySYNC Ltd.

also have their usb rs485 and canbus adaptors

TIA568B

NewManSoon wrote: »

re the USB -> Serial .. I have found any model that uses Prolific drivers works without any problems. Mine I bought on Ebay works in Linux and Windows.

I recently bought 3 that use Profilic drivers off ebay, I tried them on 3 different PCs, including one PC that's already using a Profilic adaptor, I ended up getting a refund as I couldn't get any of them to work and the driver disks bundled were unreadable.
Probably my own fault for going for cheap ones to be onest.

alxx wrote: »

The ftdichip based ones work well on mac,windows and linux.

have four here at home and at least ten at work(for embedded programmers etc)

easy is one brand that uses the ftdichip chips
EasySYNC Ltd.

also have their usb rs485 and canbus adaptors

Thanks for that, got some studying to do (ending up on forums etc. as usual!), but I'll have a proper look at them later - USB2-H-1004 | Hi-speed USB to 4-port RS232 looks like it could be useful, I was planning to connect 4 adaptors to a USB hub so this will save me the trouble.

NewManSoon

TIA568B wrote: »

I recently bought 3 that use Profilic drivers off ebay, I tried them on 3 different PCs, including one PC that's already using a Profilic adaptor, I ended up getting a refund as I couldn't get any of them to work and the driver disks bundled were unreadable.
Probably my own fault for going for cheap ones to be onest.
Thanks for that, got some studying to do (ending up on forums etc. as usual!), but I'll have a proper look at them later - USB2-H-1004 | Hi-speed USB to 4-port RS232 looks like it could be useful, I was planning to connect 4 adaptors to a USB hub so this will save me the trouble.

i have never used any of the driver disks.. both windows and linux detected mine with no problems.

*shrug*

lenell86

ok guys really dumb question but, I just bought a open frame 4 post 45U rack from tripplite:
SR4POST - 45U 4-Post SmartRack Open Frame Rack - Organize and Secure Network Rack Equipment

Question is, the manual only had instructions on how to build it. It came with a bag of screws/nuts to go into the holes but what direction do they need to go? and also just to size up how my server would fit, it looks like my 1U server can mount by the ears that it comes with but how does it mount to the rear? It looks like it mounts to the front but no support for the back? does that mean I have to buy a rail for each and every one of my devices?

lenell86

here is a link to what they call "cage nuts". It came with the rack but I have no idea how they install, sorry noob question:/
SRCAGENUTS - Square Hole Hardware Kit (Includes 50 M6 screws and washers.)

TIA568B

In my experience (selling racks, rack mount equipment, building an upgrading severs, building a few flat pack cabinets) a lot of rack kit is just supported by the lugs at the front and unless the server or equipment comes with rails they're not usually required. A lot of the deeper 1U servers come with rails, but I've come across a lot that are simply held up by the 4 screws at the front which I was always pretty surprised by. Certainly most switches and routers (certainly CCNA level ones) aren't heavy or deep enough to warrant rails.

The cage nuts are a pain in the ass, or at least I think so! You pop the square nut section in the back of the rack strip (first determine where they need to be!) which is the awkward part, I find putting the bottom half in first then using a flat headed screw driver to get the top half in then once you've done that it's as simple as positioning your kit then screwing it in.

Never buy cheap cage nuts! The place I used to work for sold tons of them and they were a nightmare to get in which is probably why I hate them so much and they have a habit of breaking when you're trying to get them in.

MAC_Addy

Cage nuts - they are awesome. But after installing 70+ a few weeks ago, ouch!

lenell86

TIA568B wrote: »

In my experience (selling racks, rack mount equipment, building an upgrading severs, building a few flat pack cabinets) a lot of rack kit is just supported by the lugs at the front and unless the server or equipment comes with rails they're not usually required. A lot of the deeper 1U servers come with rails, but I've come across a lot that are simply held up by the 4 screws at the front which I was always pretty surprised by. Certainly most switches and routers (certainly CCNA level ones) aren't heavy or deep enough to warrant rails.

The cage nuts are a pain in the ass, or at least I think so! You pop the square nut section in the back of the rack strip (first determine where they need to be!) which is the awkward part, I find putting the bottom half in first then using a flat headed screw driver to get the top half in then once you've done that it's as simple as positioning your kit then screwing it in.

Never buy cheap cage nuts! The place I used to work for sold tons of them and they were a nightmare to get in which is probably why I hate them so much and they have a habit of breaking when you're trying to get them in.

Thanks for the advice. Im just surprised how they are held up by the front screws. I actually mounted it and surprisingly it does feel pretty sturdy by just the front screws but Im just scared one day it will just break off from a imbalance of weight.

As for the cage nut, I just popped it in, I will have to youtube your procedure with a screwdriver, just in case I get what your saying and to confirm I didn't do my initial mount wrong. I just mounted 1 1U server for now just to see how it will hold up before mounting the rest of my switches and UPS (yes the UPS is 70lb and the manual says it will support itself by just the front screws also wth???!)

alxx

The only things I'd be worried that the front screws aren't enoughto hold are 3660 and 3640's.More the 3640 due to the weight and only 2U

Even though I've seen some 4 and 5U UPS that were only mounted via
front screws

mattlee09

alxx wrote: »

The only things I'd be worried that the front screws aren't enoughto hold are 3660 and 3640's.More the 3640 due to the weight and only 2U

Even though I've seen some 4 and 5U UPS that were only mounted via
front screws

I have my 3640 mounted with only the front screws (all of them, though). Even on a rolling rack no less (Skeletek is friggin' amazing!!!).

I don't use it because one of the front fans is bad, and the other two spin at 100,000 RPMs, but indeed - it's pretty sturdy.

Not sure about a UPS though...that's a bit iffy. Seems like more trouble than it's worth, since if you sit it on the bottom it isn't going anywhere unless someone REALLY wants it to, lol.

alxx

Had a APC ups that was held in just held by front screws in a rack, had to be lifted into place in the rack(industrial with eye bolts on top)by a crane.

Was on top of this bridge in the little hut for while a few years back(2006/2007) to run a test lpr(license plate recognition) setup
Bridge over Clyde River at Batemans Bay, South Coast NSW
http://ih3.redbubble.net/work.3790393.3.flat,550x550,075,f.clyde-river-bridge-batemans-bay.jpg

still have the pics somewhere , will dig them out and post later

alxx

found one pic . was a 4U APC psu

picture inside bridge cabin

still have the rack and the UPS at work (ups has had new batteries since then)

shows the bridge cabin when partially raised to let boats go under
(bridge goes up , bridge goes down , rack and equipment go bounce a few times at least every day)

mattlee09

Ok ok you win!! Nice pics.

Probably need a few screws for that situation, lol.

TheShadow

wow, I wonder if the hard drive warranty covers vertical bridge bounce. Nice pictures alxx.

NOC-Ninja

2x 3550
2x 3560

Connected to GNS3

5.jpg

4.jpg

martell1000

NOC-Ninja wrote: »

2x 3550
2x 3560

Connected to GNS3

nice setup. but how on eart do you sit on that table?

or do you stand in front of it, getting the real datacenter feeling

hiddenknight821

NOC-Ninja wrote: »

2x 3550
2x 3560

Connected to GNS3

Nice set up. I can see you went for a very cost-effective solution. I hope to do the same when I decided to go for my CCNP. By the way, you really have a small desk. I wonder how do you type.

ZeroHunter

martell1000 wrote: »

nice setup. but how on earth do you sit on that table?

or do you stand in front of it, getting the real datacenter feeling

Noting that its a 12U rack with a laptop on top of it he may very well be standing.

BTW they make a Laptop shelf for the top of those Dantek Racks:

TIA568B

lenell86 wrote: »

As for the cage nut, I just popped it in, I will have to youtube your procedure with a screwdriver, just in case I get what your saying and to confirm I didn't do my initial mount wrong.

I suspect me using a screw driver is more to do with the cheap and nasty cage nuts I've been using most of the time as pretty much all of the ones I have at home are from my last job

I'm loving those Skeletek racks, unfortunately they don't seem to be readily available in the UK. I've got a pretty heavy duty 12U rack, but it doesn't have an open back so it's not great for a lab (a freebie from my last workplace!) so I ended up buying a cheap open equipment rack meant more for DJ stuff, I'll post a pic as soon as I find or buy mounts for my 2501 (probably just as cheap to buy a replacement).

NOC-Ninja

I use my desktop to cli into my switches. The laptop is there for watching videos. I might go for a full blown lab soon. I'm having lots of problems with GNS3.

I can type on the table with no problem. All I need is my wrist at the edge of the table.lol but I do need a better table.

alxx

nice and shiny !

where did you get the pick cables from ?
I'm getting complaints that mine looks drab and boring (with blue and black cables)