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Ask Slashdot: Server Room Toolbox?
jandersen writes "I am the system manager in charge of a smallish server room (~50 servers, most in racks), and I am going to buy a set of tools; but first I want to hear what other people think would be a good idea. Certainly a range of good quality screwdrivers — slotted, Phillips, Pozidriv, Torx. But what else? Tape measure? Spirit level (for aligning the racks)? Any meters or cable testers? A wood lathe? I can probably get away with a budget of a few hundred GBP, but there ought to be some mileage in that."
Certain embedded NICs on laptops and notebooks have a cable diagnostic mode built into them, now... which with the addition of the fact that they are a full system, can perform more than hardware level diagnostics for networks.
USB drives, blank cd/dvds, serial to USB dongle, velco strips, label machine .
All your good tools will be stolen, just buy the cheap stuff so noone wants to takem. Its better to have cheap tools then none at all. (Or you could nuy nice ones and lock them up and then pray you NEVER leave the tools box unlocked)
Don't forget a good hammer for when all else fails.
In fact, you should have it on you at all times when you're working, or at least within easy reach (because they're kinda heavy).
the game
The dust thrown out by the wood lathe is a good idea for ensuring a constant turnover of hardware in your server room, but I find that dust that is conductive works even better, so I'd recommend an angle grinder over a wood lathe.
Mechanical tools: screwdrivers, wrench kit, pliers, cutters (plier style), cutters (x-acto), hammer, metal file (to round an odd sharp corner), tape measure, heavy-duty duct tape, lots of plastic cable ties. I also needed a drill to install an odd rack shelf, so throw one with some drilling bits if your budget allows. I don't know what cables you use, but tools to fix cabling may come in handy (multimeter, soldering iron and solder, shrinkable tubes, special tool to terminate cables, etc.). If you have fiber optics, get a good push-action connector cleaner.
17779 eligible voters in a district, 17779 'vote' as one. This is Russia.
always prove useful. And some ammo.
Irrelevant. He's a server-room system manager, so that implies he's in wizard mode and not getting his score counted.
You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
Or as we call it, a "beer storage array".
Help stamp out iliturcy.
A boot-able USB floppy drive (to do firmware upgrades). USB boot-able DVD drive just in case. Kill-a-watt or something alike. IR thermometer. LED flashlight.
Don't forget:
- a rubber hammer (for failing hard drives without visible traces)
- a cattle prod (for failing "visitors" without visible traces)
- a sledgehammer (for failing anything if you don't mind visible traces)
- thermite (to get rid of visible traces)
I gave up sigs almost a year ago.
Utility knife for opening boxes and stuff.
A cheapo multimeter. You're working with electronics, having one of these is a requirement even though many people in IT try to get by without them.
Perhaps a soldering iron and solder sucker. Hopefully you'll never need them but weird shit happens.
A set of precision screwdrivers is sometimes needed for taking stuff apart, and can be pushed into extra duty as pin extractors or whatever else.
A dedicated Ethernet tester can be pretty handy too. And get a crimper for these if you don't have one already.
Cause in a real emergency they ALWAYS work. And are fast.
Three Squirrels
You should have one of these too:
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=41888
It's really small, so it's great for tight spots, and the bits work fine on even the smallest screws. Great for laptop/iphone/anything tiny.
A toner that works on live network cables
a cable qualifier
a fluke nettool or equivalent
A set of loopbacks
a set of console cables
a buttset
A cage nut tool
2 sets of screwdrivers, including torx, hex, etc.
telescoping magnet (part retriever)
Box cutter
work gloves
flashlights
ear plugs
a jacket
scissors
pliers
crimpers
a jackrapid if your patch panels are modular
a crashcart
power screwdriver
a cordless drill
a rack lift
velcro spools
a stockpile of cage nuts and (matching) bolts
The first few on that list will break the bank.
Most of the time, all I really need is a screwdriver with bitset, a leatherman wave with bitset, a cagenut tool, a flashlight, and a console cable.
Because sometimes you want to test the wires that are not connected to a server/workstation.
Get a good hand-held time domain reflectometer. I prefer Fluke but I'm sure that others are just as good.
This will not only tell you that the wires are correct, but if they are broken it will tell you how far away they are broken. VERY handy for hunting down problems.
A few LED torches
A tool for checking power outlets to see if there is any power
Maybe a breakout box
How about a hand held vacuum cleaner?
http://michaelsmith.id.au
They cost a little (if you look around you can find a decent one under $75), but I'd highly recommend a Greenlee like this kit:
http://www.amazon.com/Greenlee-701K-G-Professional-Probe-Tracing/dp/B0042VII7A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1354174642&sr=8-4&keywords=tone+generator
The first time you find yourself needing one it will pay for itself in the labor saved. No matter how anal someone might be with labeling cables, you will always find a need for something like this.
It all depends on how big your server room is, how actively it changes equipment, and a number of other things.
For a few hundred (anything), you're not really looking at much of a tool set. There are some 'bare minimums', and 200-300 will be eaten up in very short order. Here's a list of what I consider to be bare essentials:
* A multi-set of philips, flathead, etc. screwdriver bits. Make that two sets, they're cheap. Pick up an extra multipack of #2 and #3 Philips driver bits for another couple bucks. Forget independent screwdrivers, that's just wasteful, and you'll never find the one you want because it's awkward to keep them all together and sort through them. In all likelihood, you'll need #3 and #2 philips only, as more and more systems come toolless; this would be for rack equipment.
* A manual torque driver is a must (batteries can fail) - don't be that guy who over-tightens everything and it's impossible to get crap out of a rack without shearing screw heads and stripping bits. You can pick up some pretty decent ones for $10-15. I like the ones with the recessed rear caps which have a cylinder full of different bits.
* A good multitool. MUST MUST MUST. SOG are awesome, I love my PowerAssist. I have done emergency recabling jobs with nothing more than a Spartan Swiss Army Knife. Currently, I'm liking my Gerber Balance (and I keep extra bits in my pocket, just in case). This is your tool; it goes in your pocket, and it's your last line of defense against not being able to fix something because someone ran off with the tool you need.
* A good flashlight. I'm not talking about a $120 surefire, a cheap $10 Trustfire from DX or the like will do just fine. It just can't be crap. (Personally, this is something I always keep on my person anyway.)
* cable tie offs, velcro, cat6 jack heads, spare power and ethernet cables,, etc. - you'll want a supply, because you will probably need them.
* RJ punch down tool (to crimp onto your cat6) - the alternative is to buy all pre-cut lengths, and this makes a mess in short order while wasting a fair amount of money.
* A network continuity testing tool, preferably one that'll allow you to test things thoroughly and not just give you a 'good' light.
* A hardware ethernet tap. You can get a good one for $15 or so.
* compact cordless Makita torque/impact driver, preverably the one with the pivoting head. I have spent a lot of time rebuilding etc. racks, and you never know when you'll need
A very nice to have: compact cordless Makita torque/impact driver, preverably the one with the pivoting head. I have spent a lot of time rebuilding etc. racks, and you never know when you'll need it. IMO a 'must have' but only because I've redone entirely too many racks manually.
This list can balloon quickly, depending on how reliant you are on vendors, and how
~/ssh slashdot.org ssh: connect to host slashdot.org port 22: too many beers
Definitely get a sonic screwdriver. Most shops don't carry them, and the ones that do are always out of stock whenever I ask for one, but I've seen them used before and they can do anything.
Cordless drill before cordless screwdriver. A 14.4v is good compromise in battery life and power and weight, but if you can get a higher voltage Li-ion one, then go for that. You should be able to have enough control with the drill and figure out the clutch to tighten screws enough.
A Leatherman (or Gerber...) is OK, but a well-equiped, decently sized bike tool might actually be better, have more useful tools (even if you never use the chain breaker on it in your sever room), and be more usable. If you go with the bike tool, then carry a separate knife of your choice whether it be a box knife or something else, and if you're going to be cutting cables, then some cable cutters, dikes (diagonal cutters) or a pair of linesman's pliers.
For the curious fasteners, I'd scrounge around for both a "normal" well-equipped hex-bit set, with the screwdriver-based handle to go with it, as well as the "security" set (I got mine at an Ace Hardware store...).
If you're going to be working around live electrical connections, then get a standard and phillips head electrician's screwdrivers.
Now, the next thing to decide is Klein and other good name-brand tools (or even RIGID or Kobalt/Craftsman) vs cheapo or "contractor-grade" tools. If you can really be sure your tools won't be frequently borrowed* from you, then splurge and buy long-lasting tools where it makes sense (standard screwdrivers). If not, you'll figure out what lasts long enough in use vs how long it lasts in your toolbox at work before it's opportunistically "borrowed", or even honestly lost by you.
*borrowed = casually stolen
For light, get a decent LED headlamp (e.g., Petzl).
And, probably a mechanic's claw, too.
That's what I'd get for the non-electronic set of things.
Seriously. Hang a thermometer a foot or two (okay, 30 or 60 centimeters) from the center of the ceiling. Keep an eye on the little guy. Compare it to the thermostat's reading. The "real air" temperature in the room can often be much different than the temperature on the where the thermostat is attached, _especially_ if it's an exterior wall that's being pummeled by sunshine or winds.
I've seen places where the temperature fluctuated so wildly as day and night cycled that it screwed with the equipment, Every time you have a failure document what kind, the thermostat temp and the thermometer temp. If you spot a pattern you might consider calling in the HVAC guys for a recommendation.
Trying not to duplicate stuff above..
- A cordless drill kept charged in the server room can definitely speed up SHTF moments. Keep a good set of miscellaneous screwdriver bits and drill bits with it.
- Vice grips. It never fails that you find a screw, bolt or nut that are too stripped. Get a regular pair and a needle-nose pair. I even have a miniature one that is great for tight spaces.
- For when the above fail, an E-Z-Out bit set or reverse drill set for when you finish breaking the head off the screw/bolt.
- If you deal with serial at all (yes, it still exists in many modern datacenters), you may want to get a BlackBox sniffer setup, a good BOB (break out box), etc.
- You want at minimum a basic RJ-45 UTP tester, preferably a large multi-type cable tester. A big expensive unit like a Fluke Netmeter may be great to have, but it will take a long time to pay off when there are other ways to troubleshoot issues like that.
- If you ever work with 66 or 110 blocks with any regularity, get yourself a good spring-loaded punch, usually a Paladin. If you don't get one with a pick, get a basic set of picks as well to keep with it.
- Small prybars. The first time you go to change batteries in a UPS and find out the old ones have swollen badly you'll be glad you had them. A pair of very large flat head screwdrivers can substitute, but be prepared to break them.
Not counting ridiculously expensive stuff like Fluke Netmeters, Sunset xDSL kit, and other specialized gear, my basic sysadmin-oriented toolbag is probably around $1500 USD. Unfortunately in my current environment we have no tools around so I have to bring in all my personal gear for it. Very annoying.
Be sure to buy bits that are little more expensive than the cheapest ones. I cheaped on a case of different bits for home use and they have a tendency to rotate slightly, making them extremely difficult to remove again.
... whatever
Sounds like you have no cue
I am unsure why you would recommend a cue as being a good tool for someone to possess when running a server room. Is it for asking users "have you ever been poked?" and then giving them a good jab? Or perhaps for turning on the lights or kettle when you cannot be bothered to get up from your desk?
label everything
Karma: It's not just a good idea. It's the law.
Aside from a punchdown tool for terminating cables to racks, I think you would do well with electricians tools. Good scissors, wire strippers, electrical tape, a small and large pair of dykes, cable toner and possibly electrical toner (handy even if you don't think you'll be doing electrical work yourself because sometimes you may need to track down what breaker an outlet is on because it's either improperly labelled, or unlabelled). A non-contact thermometer might be good too for measuring exhaust temperatures of servers.
Some of these tools are obviously handy if you'll be doing any low voltage DC stuff, but most of them are multi-purpose and you may find yourself using one because it's handy even if it's not quite the right tool. Even if none of this stuff seems like things you'll want or need, your objective should be to find things you'll use all the time for the main tools, and things that have multiple uses so you keep getting value for them.
You don't need to buy a set of tools, there are plenty sitting on the top floor, occuping the individual offices with carpets. The last place you want to put them is in the server room. Leave them up there, keep smiling at them, and keep feeding them tea and biscuits, and all will be well.
but a rechargeable screwdriver is indispensable ,for me at least.
Your always taking covers off something, manual gets old fast. You have
the option of setting the torque on an autoscrewdriver, so you can be consistent as well.
With a Visa gift card inside, that way when something comes up, you can take yourself down to the local hardware store and purchase what you need as you need it.
And one of those backwards clocks. Oh, and a screwdriver.
Something to use as a serial terminal is still useful at times. I use a real one, an odd IBM thing where the screen and electronics is a frail and fragile thing that flexes alarmingly when you plug in a cable but the keyboard is an early model M than could be almost be used to bang in nails (seems more solid that the PS/2 versions).
Old laptops with a real serial port also work very well, netbooks with USB to serial are a less reliable second but more portable. A serial to TCP/IP converter moves things into a state where just about any networked PC, tablet or phone can be your serial terminal.
You definitely need a chainsaw.
echo mailto: !#^."<*>"|tr "<*> mailto:" net@madduck
If it's a set for you personally, the Jensen technicians's kit is a good start. I have one of their larger kits, and have used it regularly for years. If it's for a room, get a standard wheeled toolchest.
Those are just basic mechanical tools. Test equipment has been covered by others. A few specialized items you might want:
Document everything in your personal wiki. I prefer JSPWiki because of all the plugins and the markup, but that needs Tomcat and may not be the choice of most people. The best alternative is Dokuwiki, which needs no database and has user handling, so standard login features, compared to Mediawiki. Make pictures, make notes, put it in your wiki, and keep it for later use. You don't necessarily need to share it with other people. I keep a personal one for everything I want to remember that is not relevant for my employer.
The kidget would be useful for running cables under false floors.
http://michaelsmith.id.au
This is the dumbest question posted here (in a long time).
You may well be right. However, the stupidest question is always the one that isn't asked.
Because right now you sound like a complete ignorant who don't even know what a server is.
And you sound like somebody who feels the urge to put somebody down because it makes you feel a bit less bad about yourself. Alas, it didn't work - I don't really give a toss about what you say; if you believed in yourself, then you wouldn't be afraid of asking, even if it makes you look less than divine.
And if you look around at the answers I've got, you will see that a number of people have given some very good advice. Some of it I already know, but there are some good, new ideas that I hadn't thought of.
You lose a man point for even asking that.
Man points? Who cares about man points? A real man is not afraid of looking stupid, if he needs to learn. The only stupid question is the one you don't dare to ask.
1) Quality number 1, 2 and 3 Philips screwdrivers. QUALITY ones. Not cheap junk. Magnetic tipped.
2) Multi Tool. I like the Gerber Suspension. Cheap ($30 USD) and effective
3) Screwdriver kit with every known bit. DO NOT USE as your every day. See #1
4) Spend $30 on an LED flashlight
5) Air! You need air. $100 cheapo compressor with a 2 gallon tank is enough, but get 5 gallons if you can.
6) Zip Ties, ROLLS of velcro, electrical tape.
7) Soldering kit. A cheap Weller stick will do. You'll need it at times. Not very many.
Thats all I could think of for now.
Nobodies Prefect
Tidbits for Techs Technology Blog
I'll just go with what's in my Stanley blue steel cantilever toolbox (the plastic ones are absolute shite and don't like being stood on):
Stanley 99E retractable boxcutter w/5 spare blades
1 snipe nose plier/multitool
1 8" adjustable wrench
2 6" mole grips
2 sets Worx drill/driver bits (comes in a little box. 10 different HSS drill heads, 20 driver heads including Torx, Pozi, Philips, slotted and square and 1 1/4" socket adapter, and 1 extender)
1 set (usually comes in 20's) 1/4" Whitworth bi-Hex sockets in metric and imperial and 2 Neiko 1/4" ratcheting arms: one 6" and 1 10".
2 1/4" Gator Grips: 1 1" and 1 1/2" for those stripped heads
1 14oz claw hammer
1 Bondhus combination balldriver L-wrench set
1 bag case thumbscrews
1 bag chassis screws
1 set (32 pc) precision screwdrivers (better if you can get hold of the case hardened ones, they don't chew up if you hit a particularly hard screw)
1 Challenge 18V cordless drill/driver w/spare battery
1 butane blowtorch
1 can lithium grease
1 Cree LED anglepoise (yeah the arm is custom)
1 13-amp plug with earth pin connected to a wrist strap and two alligator clips
1 QTech PCI diagnostic card - and that just blew the budget on its own
1 QTech diagnostic CD/DVD/FD set
1 copy Knoppix LiveCD
1 CF-IDE module with Knoppix installed on a 16GB card, and several spare cards for recovery
1 bus powered USB DVD burner
1 80GB USB hard drive (custom cased low-drain job... Hitachi if I remember right)
Operation Guillotine is in effect.
You listed a lathe on a budget of a few hundred GBP?
That one was a joke - it's something we are prone to in UK, sorry.
I thought of suggesting a scythe, but that sounded kind of rural, so ..., well you know how it is.
People always strip the hell out of them by using the wrong one and you end up with a box of five really marginal screwdrivers that are only good for damaging screw heads.
Instead, buy a couple of magnetic handles with interchangeable bits, and then a big box of #2 bits: http://amzn.com/B0000DD6LW . Keep some #1s around for working on laptops and some #3s if you have big rack screws, but in a server room most things are #2.
THEN THROW THEM AWAY when you round them off. They're cheap and you have a whole box.
Ah, you get turned on by the sight of the raw computing power? Me too.
PS: What is a fleshlight? Is it just 'flashlight' as pronounced by 'Her Mejesty'?
Tools (like socks in washing basket) disappear - indeed they may be in a locked cupboard, that only you have the key for, but they will still disappear.
The chances of the tools disappearing are directly proportional to the usage that you urgently need at that particular moment.
Also, don't use electric screwdrivers to do up any screws on servers or computers - and especially don't use them on "thumb" screws.
try to make ends meet, you're a slave to money, then you die
A side arm. Highly visible. Make it obvious that you don't want to be messed with.
I'm definitely on the anti-gun side of the fence in that debate, but I do think some people do need to carry weapons and a sysadmin is one of those.
You'd be surprised what tools people will give you if you ask nicely, while at the same time having your hand hovering over your gun. Sort of like the hitchhikers towel theory but using intimidation rather than sympathy.
Put it between the two routers[*] which are having a problem and actually see what the packets are.
(Of course you still need the skills to read the packets, but that is not a hardware issue :-)
bash$
how about a magnifying glass to read those insanely small print serial/model number labels some vendors like to use?
My two most important tools are a label writer and a knife. The latter to open boxes, tape and cable holders with. The former should be fairly obvious. I use these more than screwdrivers,
Sorry for not answering to everybody individually, but there has already been loads of good ideas. Some of them I already have or thought of, but there are many that I hadn't thought of.
And I note that my budget of a few hundred GBP seems too low - I should have guessed, since /. is predominantly American. I work for an American company here in UK, and while we try to get by on a meagre budget, our colleagues in the States aren't as shy about the zeroes at the end of the numbers. Maybe we just need to upgrade our case hose :-)
The etherkiller. It will fix all your troubles. Forever.
That depends on the level of work you will need to do. A set of finer screwdrivers comes in handy even a spring hook and a magnet comes in useful too
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
A good server admin has his datacenter running so smoothly that he hardly ever needs to do any work during his shift. And he needs to pass all that time somehow
Cannot recommend this highly enough. Label both ends of every cable and the back of every power plug -- then you'll know what to expect when you pull it out.
Second only to this - two ring bound folders and a hole punch. Seriously.
Then you document cable layouts, server details (serial numbers, IP/MAC addresses, configuration details, software licences....) in your favourite tool and take a print out. File the printouts - one in the server room and one elsewhere. It may seem old tech but it will save your skin when you lose connectivity/database/application... -- by all means keep a copy on your own PC/Tablet and or a DVD backup but do keep paper copies -- spoken from experience
Of course this requires discipline to track changes and keep the records up to date but it will save you much more time in the long run than the occasional trip to the shops to buy a specific screwdriver bit.
Finally, I agree with a lockable cabinet -- tools can evaporate faster than a puddle on a hot summers day ;-)
I believe it's called a Hammer outside the engineering community.
Something I have not seen mentioned is a telescopic inspection mirror for viewing in tight spaces. Can come in very useful for seeing obstructed things. Helps if you can read text backwards.
And the "anything is possible" would be usefull to insert any bugs into your software, so you can get repeat business fixing them.
PS: What is a fleshlight? Is it just 'flashlight' as pronounced by 'Her Mejesty'?
I think he means this...
I have found a tone probe (you attached a box to the line which sends a 'tone' down the cable. then use a wand to trace the cable by induction). They are great for tracing cables run without having to resort to the old 'tug-and-trace' method, and usually include a Cat5 cable tester. Fluke make one for about £100.
-Get a labeling machine and a load of 9mm black on white tape and label the machines, their disks, and the cables.
-Get a cable tester but nothing too fancy, the cheap ones work fine. A crimping tool and a reel of CAT6 is needed if you make your own cables.
-Get torx and normal screwdrivers.
-A small light is useful for getting light into dark corners, a big one is useful if you have to shove cabling under a raised floor or though a false ceiling.
-Spare disks of the correct type are always useful as are spare backup tapes if you use such things.
The most important point is to hide all tools. If just one other person even knows they exist they will 'borrow' them and you will lose them forever. Also make sure there is a decent lock on the door, that the bare minimum number of people can physically get into the room, and that all access is logged electronically. That way you can find out who knocked some random cable out of position causing an outage and you can cancel their access and/or shout at them.
I think you need to buy a small porcelain penguin and put it on the telly in the server room.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
- rabbit's foot
- magic wand
- crystal ball
- hammer
- hand grenade
(from here)
A good shop vacuum. One thing that might come in handy with this is a exhaust port that you can hook a hose that is the same size as the suction hose. That way you can run this exhaust hose out of the room, because even the best bags and filters do not get everything.
Passionately Indifferent
- hip flask
- handgun
You are welcome on my lawn.
Some comments based on experience (electrical engineer in communications and networking for 30 yrs):
- Xcelite #25 handle with RB-1 and RB-2 Flat/Philips reversible blades
- Second the multi-tool recommendation - (almost) everything you need, on your hip
- DON'T buy a cheap multimeter, buy a decent Fluke
- RJ45 crimper and
- cable continuity checker (like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16896775013)
- Toner probe (for tracing cables)
- Punch down tool with 66/110 blades
- LED flashlight (I like the cheap Chinese ones that run on CR123 cells,,,shelf life is longer than AAs)
- Head-mounted magnifier and 10x loupes
- decent hand tools, like diagonal cutters, cable cutter, etc. I love Klein tools, Cooper/Xcelite are 2d choice, avoid cheap stuff
- multi-bit screwdrivers, if you must, but get the kind that take the 1/4" hex bits, so you can replace them (they vanish quicker than you'd think)
Allen and Torx "jacknife-style" sets. You can't lose the size you need, unlike the single sets
We've got a toolbox worth a good bit more than $1000 sitting in our east coast data center (800 miles away) because if and when there's a problem and someone has to show up on site, it's always at an inconvenient hour like 3AM when no stores are open.
Local maps with the locations of Graybar, ADI, etc., marked (dates the toolbox to "before smartphones" eh)
A mini notebook
Sharpie fine points in several colors
Screwdrivers, nutdrivers - actual tools not bits, useful in many cases
Mini MagLite and headlamp holder
Utility knife (do not use for box cutting!)
Xacto (do not use for box cutting!)
6" Bit extension
8" flexible bit extension
Screwdriver bits of all sorts
Pin extractors for connectors that can't be easily extracted without
Scissors
Metal nibbler tool
Surgeon's Clamp
Neon voltage tester
Wire strippers
Terminal crimping tool
EZRJ45 Crimping tool
Set of 3 pliers (multi sizes)
Lock-jaw pliers
9" #2 Phillips bits- Made by Senco for a rapid drywall screw installer, these combine with a power screwdriver as THE single most used tool we have.
22" #2 Phillips bit - unobtanium but very useful for screwing stuff into rack rails you can barely get to
Large needle nose pliers
Curved long nose pliers
Other similar "larger" pliers
4" and 6" adjustable wrench
Milwaukee Power Screwdriver #6546-1 and spare battery - completely mandatory tool to prevent wrist fatigue, can tighten screws with the greatest of finesse due to the variable clutch
Victorinox Swiss Cybertool
Dental tools (picks, scrapers, mirror)
AC outlet wiring tester
Telephone line tester
Tone generator and probe
PDI CT340 Computer Cable Tester
Wire wrap tool and wire
Pencils and a cheap sharpener
Anti-static wrist strap
OK Logic Probe #PRB-50
Tool magnetizer - because the tips of all your screwdrivers should be very lightly magnetized, just enough to be able to touch a screw and lift it out of that awful corner
Digital multimeter
Soldering iron & solder
Electrical tape
Heat shrink tubing in multiple sizes
66/110 Punch Tool
US/Metric Hex Key Sets
1/4" socket drive set and hex bit adaptor for them
Tap and drill sets for common rack, computer sizes (6/32, 10/32, 10/24, etc)
20' Tape measure
Small Hammer
Rubber mallet ("compliance tool")
BIG flat, Phillips screwdrivers ("small pry bars")
Box cutter - utility knife with large handle
Torpedo level
Small drill
First aid kit
Dual D-cell Maglite
Test leads (alligator and hooks)
A decent clamp-on ammeter
A good labelmaker (harder to find than you might think)
Cans of air, WD40, adhesive remover, alcohol wipes, contact cleaner
2" Velcro One-Wrap in the cut-it-yerself roll. There are other options specifically made for tight wiring environments but this stuff is just overall a super-handy consumable.
External DVD-RW drive and a pack of blanks
External floppy disk drive and some disks (yes really, never know what stupid stuff a BIOS update for an odd system requires)
USB thumb drives
Get someone to help you put up a cabinet from scratch, including mounting a server or three on rails, adding a KVM shelf, whatever. Run cabling overhead and under the floor (power to whips, fiber/copper to switches). Take notes about what's hard for you to get done due to a lack of the proper tool. Go buy those tools. Consider how you would troubleshoot and repair bad cables or other equipment. Go get those tools.
Since you're a manager and you're asking this question, I'm going to assume you've never done any of this before. Make sure your helper has, and ask for additional ideas.
I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet. Get an infrared thermometer ( they usually shine a laser spot on whatever it is that you are trying to measure).
Very good for finding hot spots in racks, also tells thou how hot your coffee is with out having to sip it and burn your mouth.
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
See subject.
We keep a few large garbage bags in our colo rack toolbox. If we ever need to haul gear out for RMA or something, I don't want to have to worry about rain on my way to the parking lot.
I haven't seen one of the most important "tools"; a SATA/PATA/IDE Drive to USB Adapter Converter. It will save your life.
A label maker designed to make cable labels. That means it's designed to use wide tape and print on it sideways, and it will take flexible vinyl tape. The best ones print on "self-laminating" labels that are opaque where the label is printed, but clear at the end, so the overlap protects the printing.
At least one, and preferably two, USB 2.0 to IDE/SATA converters. There are plenty of ways in which you can find yourself with a bare drive you need data from, and no good way to plug it in. Also, in a pinch, a bare CD-ROM can become an external drive for a server with no drive. These things are cheap, and when you need one, you REALLY need one right now.
Add to the list a very low to the ground or adjustable stool/chair to sit on when you are tired of squatting. A sturdy step stool and a good sturdy ladder. Be sure to check them out for balance, reach, and dimensions before buying them.
No good deed goes unpunished.
I don't see how this is garbage.
JS
Finland
This has been posted for 6 hours and nobody has mentioned a static strap yet? WTF. In the telco space, it's SOP for operators to need to put on a static strap prior to extracting or servicing blades or shelves. Shelves and servers even have built-in ESD grounding points so that you don't need to hunt around for a piece of bare grounded metal to clip to. Even if it's only ever used once a year when the CIO is taking the CEO and other executives on a tour through the server room and you want to look super professional while replacing some RAM in a server, they have their purpose.
"All of life’s problems can be solved with two things—duct tape and WD40. If it moves and it shouldn’t, you need duct tape. And if it doesn’t move and it should, you need WD40."
After the obvious, also get:
A good label maker. One that can swap out a variety of types and do cable labeling, front-of-rack, and you name it. :) Oh yeah, and then go to town with your label maker.
A couple of big containers of velcro strips for wire management
A multi-compartment organizer for extra screws, etc. When you drop a mounting screw through air vents on the raised floor and can't find it, extras around are handy. Not that I speak from experience or anything.
If you deal with POTS lines, both an analog handset and also one of the tracing tools. Cheap yet saves so much time when you need to deal with them.
LITTLE GIRL: But which cookie will you eat FIRST? C. MONSTER: Me think you have misconception of cookie-eating process.
Great Big Puppy?
then you shouldn't be the one running the server room.
Pentalobular is not found in most run-of-the-mill tool sets. It is a path breaking new innovation among screw drivers. This is Apple's answer to people ridiculing it for patenting rounded rectangles. This innovative work shows they are familiar with more complicated shapes too. You need to buy a special iScrew set to get it. Of course you can get cheap imitation ones. But a true fan buys only the best. And you get a slimmer, shinier handle, stand-out-from-the-crowd white color, brushed aluminum shank and pride of knowing that you own the best and you deserve the best. It is not easy to be the best, you need to upgrade it to dodecodolobular screw driver in the next release. That sesquicentolobular thing from Samsung just would not cut it.
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
Work requiring additional tools necessitates calling tech support for replacement:-)
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B - D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
bolt cutter
spare 12V inverter ~600 watts
deep cycle battery/float charger
duct tape
box of plastic sheeting
many compact/LED flashlights
batteries/rechargable batteries/charger
labeler
velcro tape
optional:
blow torch
sledge hammer
shotgun
fireman's axe
Forget the tools! I've never seen a server room without anime character figurines on top the topmost servers. Definitely hit ebay for them.
No, it's very real and very different. Google it, especially if you're at work... (NSFW)
Please consider this account deleted, I just can't be bothered with the spam anymore.
... dont buy ready made tools from the store. These shrink wrapped tools are virus prone security risks. They use the mini numerical milling machine and write csh scripts to drive it to mill/cut/machine custom fitting tools from solid blocks of iron-carbide steel as and when they need them.
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
as long as it has a network port and a good usb to serial adapter
A good flash light as well.
crimping tool
That's the only tool you need. Ok, Tricorder and some duct tape.
* Buy yourself a good solid toolbox and cover it with linux stickers. Stenciling your last name on it for good measure it fun as well.
* Socket screwdriver kit with lots of different bits. I recently added a 30 piece tamper proof bit kit. NOTHING is more annoying than dealing with tamper proof screws and not having the right bits. My co-worker just bought a 99 piece tamper kit that has <i>every</i> tamper bit you could imagine.
* Small socket kit with Imperial and Metric.
* A semi-random collection of wire cutters, strippers and pliers. I've also got a good box cutter and a pair of telecom scissors.
* I good bright headlamp. Nothing is more annoying than trying to hold a flashlight and do something like install a disk controller. You'll invariably never have enough hands.
* Label maker. Nobody likes a server room where nothing is labeled.
* Testing equipment: Ethernet tester, Volt Meter
* Large assortment of different size and color zip ties, velcro tape and electrical tape.
Yes Francis, the world has gone crazy.
This is the only screwdriver you need. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018IYTYQ/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=boxe0b-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B0018IYTYQ&adid=1T1WKNDKHXCX88Z1YN4B&
Like this one:
http://www.ryobitools.com/catalog/tek4/tek4_drills_drivers/HP53LK
I got one a couple years ago as a Christmas present and it's probably the single most-used tool I have.
Quit being a woman and just cut and paste the url.
The only stupid question is the one you don't dare to ask.
What's a dicfour?
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
All jokes aside, we keep a small sledge in our server room toolkit. It can be useful in assembly/disassembly of racks and other large equipment like that.
USB to serial adapter
console cable for each switch vendor you have
cable crimper
punchdown tool
Screwdriver sets: machinist, standard, phillips, torx, (dont get the one that just accepts multiple bits, they tend to fall under floor tiles and are never seen again)
socket set
pliers set
wire strippers
cheap netbook if you don't keep a laptop in the office (you'd be surprised what you forget when you're woken up at 2am and are still zombified when you hit the road)
Tile puller (if you have floor tiles)
spool of ethernet cable and/or several extremely long patch cables marked 'for emergency use only' (unless you're not worried a rat deciding you don't need those 200ft runs to your web cluster anymore)
cheap cable tester (keep the good Fluke tester locked up in your desk or something)
To prevent theft, paint it all with some fruity color or glitter paint or something and etch the company/department name with a boxcutter or exacto knife into everything you can. You can pick up some decent Craftsman hand tools at K-mart for decent prices. Crap tools only make the job harder and can potentially make the situation worse. It's bad enough you're already going to be in ohshit panic mode when something blows up in the middle of the night. If a tool you have to have breaks at midnight, you're just plain SOL until you can get a new one at 10am (or whenever the hardware stores open in your area)
No one here mentioned a special Torx: ones with a security divot in the middle. Normal Torx will not work with these.
See Variants: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torx
The security torx bits can be hard to find reliably, but many parts from large manufacturers require these simply to remove rails from a dead HDD.
---Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A START
Not going to read every reply, but, power drill with an extender, to use to tighten cabinet screws, as well as one of the bits used to drill out stripped screws, because invariably, you will get ones that will not want to come out, and get stripped, and cause all sorts of hell.
But, the datacenters I've worked in always had
3x long flat head
3x short/regular length flat heads
3x long phillips heads
3x short/regular length phillips heads
Socket wrench set
Allen wrench set
2x 18v cordless drills w/ the extender bit holder (with at least 1 spare battery each)
2x 18v flashlights (same battery pack as drill)
Cable tester (we had a cheap one, and a Fluke, which was kept in a separate location from the provisioning room)
Fiber tester (kept in same secure location as the Fluke CAT# / Coax tester)
Digital Multimeter
Spare cabinet nuts (M2) and screws
Spare drive screws, since you will drop and lose them as you add/remove/swap drives.
Tweezers/Forceps
Spare thermal paste of choice
Rubbing alcohol or acetate to remove old thermal paste
Various length premade/known good CAT5E cables. Generally, for neatness, you should make your own, at a proper length to pull out a server on it's rails, open it, etc, without having to unplug everything, without having 10 extra feet of it coiled up blocking airflow.
Yes, some of these items will be pricey. But, in the long run, buying 10 cheap items that keep breaking will cost more than 1 good item that wont break.
OMG... I have a sig?
I am going to buy a set of tools; but first I want to hear what other people think would be a good idea.
Buy a hefty hammer. In a former job we had large, sturdy mailing tubes we used to smack the monitors when they acted flaky. (Don't laugh, it worked!) The boss man saw us do that one day and said don't do that. From then on we "didn't whack the hardware," we just made "minor positional adjustments!"
Circle the wagons and fire inward. Entropy increases without bounds.
Define "small sledge" please.
To me, it isn't a sledge hammer until it's 8 pounds minimum. Anything smaller than three pounds is a "shop hammer". Three pounds is a "three pound hammer". All of these hammers have handles between 12 and 18 inches.
I don't see very many hammers between three and 8 pounds, that is something of a dead zone, for some reason.
Sledge hammers have long handles. Ideally, the handle is as long as your arm, which means my handles are 34 inches long. An 8 pound hammer isn't much good for serious work. I much prefer a twelve pound. Sixteen used to be nice, but nowadays, it wears me out to quickly, so I use the twelve for almost everything. Since I'm not all that big a man, I never went looking for anything larger than 16 pounds. If 16 pounds wouldn't do the job, I would call in a bulldozer or a crane with a wrecking ball.
"Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
DEWALT DW920K-2 1/4-Inch 7.2-Volt Cordless Two-Position Screwdriver Kit . Fine torque setting , get yourself good phillips bits for it #1,#2,#3 and a torx security bit set also . . Klein set of tools , good toolbag and put a good padded laptop strap on it. std and metric wrenches (thin to get into the tight places) , level your cabinets, vice grip clamps (a few) to get pesky cabinets to meet / match to bolt them together . . over the years my Datacenter tool bag would fill a cabinet, cat6 , fiber, telephone testers, meters, IR thermal probe, quick temp humidity pocket tester, oh , and buy your velcro in bulk rolls for strapping down cables . . after 35+ years in the business you learn alot to replace the tool set I have , $9k to $11k $600 will get you started with the basics
a plasma torch is nice to have when the rails are just a little too long
I recommend the following:
1.) Stop by any hardware store and pick up a small toolkit that Black & Decker makes, they sell for ~$8 USD and have multiple bits for phillips head, flat head, hex, and so on. It comes in a sturdy orange plastic case that holds up extremely well. Every time I start a new contract this is the first toolkit I buy to keep at work. In addition, pick up: one heavy duty phillips head screwdriver and one heavy duty flathead screwdriver.
2.) Label printer. Preferably a hand-held one that uses regular AA or AAA batteries. Keep a spare set of batteries on hand as well as a spare tape cartridge. Label EVERYTHING at BOTH ENDS. It helps to also label each server with the network ID, model and serial number for those quarterly/bi/annual inventory audits when you're asked to verify what's actually in the server room.
3.) Small shears (heavy steel scissors) for cutting zipties off large cable bundles and opening god-damned plastic packaging.
4.) Pliers & needle-nose pliers, quite often things get bent that need un-bending.
5.) Cable tester. You'll want a reliable one that uses separate sender and receiver modules so you can leave the cable in place for testing.
6.) Smartphone. Install the best flashlight app available and keep the flashlight, camera and notepad apps on the 1st app screen.
7.) A server jack/lift if you can get the company to pay for it. Some servers can be a ***** to lift into place and sometimes it's hard to find someone to help you get something racked.
8.) Plastic bins that are stackable and have openings on the front that are easy to reach into. You'll want to keep a good supply of different length cables on hand and these will make it easier to keep them organized. Might also want to consider a large tackle box for fibre optics components and rack mount screws/retainers. If you get a large enough one, you can store all of the tools in it as well.
9.) A large flat crowbar (pry bar), you'll rarely use it, but damned if it doesn't come in handy when you need it. Might want to pair this with a large rubber mallet or sledge hammer
10.) Crimper, really not that important these days as most places use pre-made cables. In the last 7 years i've only needed to crimp 1 cable. Your situation may be different.
11.) Cordless screwdriver with a spare battery fully charged at all times. Last place I was at we kept 2 spare batteries fully charged and often went through them. These come in really handy when you need to swap out a dozen or more servers and have to undo a lot of screws or assemble/disassemble the racks themselves.
12.) Ear protection, either the big over the ear kind or just a box of disposable ear plugs.
-==- Buy a Mac and leave me alone!
Thousands of zip ties. And lots of clippers for trimming / removing them.
Mission: To provide products that consume time and energy as entertainingly as permitted by the laws of thermodynamics.
Re: your sig: we had dozens of districts in Philadelphia vote 100% for Obama in the last election. Dozens. You'd think at least one would accidentally vote for Romney. This happened in 2008 as well, in slightly fewer districts. It's over in the USA.
Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
Sure, you have a first-aid box, but that's tucked away somewhere. The toolbox is right there.
Tools/equipment I use regularly: Phillips head screwdriver Flathead screwdriver Ratcheting screwdriver with multiple bits Small socket set (1/4") Flashlight Antistatic mat and wrist strap Server lift (especially for getting servers racked in tight spaces or up high) Appropriate cables for console connections Ethernet tester Fibre tester Label maker
For what it is worth I am glad you asked the obvious. There have been many non-obvious answers here that made my day. I just asked some locksmiths (I have been doing it on the side for 15 years) what I should get a newbie for Christmas. Some scoffed like the AC above, other gave me some amazing advice and I bought a couple previously unknown tools for myself along the way.
All of the usual tech tools plus:
Hang up placards (the size of a sheet of paper) at the end of each column and row of tiles along two adjacent walls so you have the grids labeled. In your CMDB you should have the server location (Grid H15C would mean the front side of rack H15, third up from the bottom.) I mentioned a CMDB. You do have an ITIL-compliant (or at least ITIL-resembling) CMDB, don't you?
Bandaids. For that inevitable minor laceration as you pull a drive out of a badly designed case. Also, document every 'minor' injury to HR - chances are you'll find 90% of them are coming from one type/brand of gear, and you can use the documentation trail to justify switching to something better rather than just putting up with a string of painful minor cuts for years.
+1 for the second battery, and a third if you can afford it.
A Jensen Lan Manager tool kit in the locking case, and a Fluke Networks MicroScanner2 ought to keep you in business...
http://www.stanleysupplyservices.com/ is a one stop shop for all of the above.. and their prices aren't too bad.
If you need more than that you probably need to bring in a tech that has them...
A BIG, HEAVY, LOCKING tool cabinet wouldn't be a bad idea after you've put a couple of grand in easily portable tools and test equipment..
Get one of those tools that's like a telescoping radio antenna with a small magnet on the end. Eventually you are going to drop a screw into an awkward place where you can't just leave it because it could short something out.
No, I'm rather serious!
When you have a board that is flaky, that works "most of the time" and fails intermittently, 10 seconds in a microwave is a wonderful way to make sure that the part fails as expected without causing any of the visible damage that might get your RMA rejected.
Few things suck worse than sending in an RMA and getting the same item back. (I've verified that this was happening by putting a few very discreet marks on the edges of the card with a permanent marker)
No, it doesn't have nearly the satisfaction of a hammer, but you can still cackle inwardly while you count to 10...
I have no problem with your religion until you decide it's reason to deprive others of the truth.
And a hammer.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Of note for the screwdriver:
Having a "ratcheting" variety is quiet helpful for when you need to get into tight spaces and for saving wrist-strain in some cases.
Extra-long bits are also quite nice to have
I'd also keep around a few extra pieces of rackmount stuff. It seems you can never find proper rackmount screws when you need them.
Oh, and try to keep all your bits the same. It's usually not quite so much an issue in a DC, but if nothing's more of a PITA than a piece of equipment where you have 4 different types of bolt/screw bits and keep having to cycle through screwdrivers.
+ freaking 100!! isostick.com; I think I read that the next production batch was due mid December.
For pooping! No, wait, that's a buttfour...
Is 1563649 a prime number?
http://sogknives.com/store/S66.html
I've spent many years walking the rows of data centres and I personally think that the one tool you can't do without is a clue-by-four. Most problems disappear when you produce the clue-by-four and give them a few good whacks. It is especially good for dealing with those pesky vendors.
Wire Lube
At some point you or management will want to know what kind of amperage or wattage the system use so a clamp on amp meter and short extension cord with the bundle insulation removed will give you access to the each insulated wire to check power usage.with your new clamp on amp meter
A good flash light as well.
And one of those headlight flashlights, for when you're working in a dark cabinet or up in the ceiling.
crimping tool
Don't go cheap. We have a ratcheting crimping tool that is awesome.
No need for anything else. It'll even fix software problems.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
It is interesting to read people's responses. A lot of people don't seem to get that we don't all do their job. I would never buy a soldering iron. I suck at soldering and, at my hourly rate, it would be criminal to bill a client for having me try to fix something.
A few things that I have found.
A headlamp is generally better than a flashlight. You can take a headlamp off and use it as a flashlight, but it is a lot harder to mount a flashlight on your head. I have a great big thing that is designed for construction workers. I look like a fool when I wear it, but it works great.
The "network testers" that are really continuity testers annoy me. They cost a lot for not much information. I use a Byte Brothers Real World Certifier. http://www.bytebros.com/bb_pdf/RWC1000K_Real_World_Certifier_RS.pdf It gives you a lot of information for not a lot of money. Their LowVoltage Pro looks even better, but I haven't ever used one. I don't know what they mean by "pass/fail" on the cable test.
ifixit's 54-bit driver kit is nice to have around. http://www.ifixit.com/Tools/54-Bit-Driver-Kit/IF145-022 It doesn't replace real screwdrivers, but it is always there when I need it. I'm embarrassed by the number of times I have used the #2 Phillips out of their kit because I can't find a real screwdriver.
I believe in PC attached label makers. I am much more likely to label things when I don't have to find the labelmaker and type on a chiclet keyboard. I still have a Brother 1500pc, but there are current models. Get one that does 1" labels. You don't use them often, but when you do you are happy to have them.
But it all depends on what you do. For me, a USB to PATA/SATA adapter and an external power supply that will spin a HD is invaluable. Maybe not so much for you.
In my work, I primarily use
A sturdy cart with an LCD monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
A label maker
An electric rechargeable screwdriver and assortment of bits
A rechargeable flashlight
A magnetic pickup tool and/or a claw tool for dropped kit.
A well-made phillips #2 and #3 manual screwdriver, for loosening screws that are too tight for the electric screwdriver.
A large pair of channel lock pliers for loosening screws that have been rounded out.
Needle nose pliers for removing stubborn cage nuts.
A box cutter for opening boxes.
Hearing protection.
Wire cutters
A 6 foot ladder.
An inexpensive hand-cart for moving boxes.
My preferences for manufacturers are Klein screwdrivers, Channel-Lock pliers and wire cutters, and Dymo labelers. I don't use the specialty made-for-cables labelers, as I can't justify the extra cost. For the crash cart, I like the composite plastic one made by rubbermaid.
The Crash Cart:
Get a power strip with a long power cord and mounting holes.
Permanently mount the power strip to the cart.
Secure the LCD Monitor stand to the cart to prevent tipping.
Get long MtF extension cables for the LCD, Keyboard and mouse. Bundle them together in an umbilical and secure one end to the cart. Remove the screws from the server end of the umbilical. You want this cable to fall off if someone knocks the cart away from the servers.
I used a stack of 4 Plastic Drawer Bins screwed to the cart bottom shelf to hold tools, USB sticks, labeler cartridges, spare cage nuts, a small stock of patch cables, and a CD case that held _copies_ of commonly used install medias.
If you manage a number of servers without CD/DVD drives, permanently mount a USB DVD drive to the cart.
Permanently mount the screwdriver and flashlight chargers to the cart.
Find a comfortable stool or rolling chair at an appropriate height for the crash cart.
Other notes:
I occasionally use a tone and probe to trace wires. I would not buy one if I didn't already have it.
I used a multimeter to check the wiring when we moved in and when we upgraded UPS. Haven't needed it since.
An Ammeter (the clip on kind) will help you if you don't want to track your power budget properly^W in a spreadsheet.
I used wrenches and a socket set to assemble our racks. Haven't needed them since.
I used an impact drill to drill holes for concrete anchors to bolt down the 2 post racks. Haven't needed it since. The concrete floor was not level, and I used washers to shim the racks level.
For full racks, level them with the adjustable feet before tightening everything up.
If your racks lock, put a spare key outside the DC. You will forget/lose the primary key at an inopportune time.
I painted the plywood where the other telecom kit mounts. It looks neater.
You may be tempted to make your own Ethernet cables. Don't. The TCO is significantly higher vs. maintaining a stock of patch cables.
Don't use zip-ties for cable management. Get a big roll of the velcro wire ties instead.
Put a trash can, broom, and dustpan in the DC.
Put a "no food or drink" sign in the DC.
Put a rat poison bait station in the DC.
Drywall dust is very very bad for servers and UPS. Don't remodel without protecting your boxes.
If you don't have any monitoring infrastructure, setup a PC to monitor and record temperatures. Have it monitor a mains powered device so you'll get a page if the power goes out.
A phone in the DC is nice _if_ you can be heard over the fans and HVAC.
Tape off a parking place for the crash cart near an outlet so you don't forget to plug it in/charge the light and driver.
If you have a raised floor, get a tile lifter. If you don't have budget, get a suction-cup-dent-puller from an auto parts store. Also, please don't leave the floor open and unattended.
A quality cable tester exceeds your budget severalfold. If you suspect a bad cable, test by substitution. If the cable is confirmed bad, cut the ends off before you throw it away. Otherwise, someone (probably you) will grab it and use it again.
Of you can use the good-old "CTV" shortcut...
1. Highlight the link (Instructions for doing this posted in parent)
2. Hold "ctrl" and type "CTV" (Then release "ctrl", you insensitive clod!)
3. Press enter.
4. Profit!!!
...Had this been an actual emergency, we would have fled in terror, and you would not have been informed.
Ever try a 3 pound hammer with a 36 inch handle?
Many years ago (when dinosaurs roamed the earth) I was installing a cd rom drive in a computer that didn't have one. This is back when cd roms drives were a new thing and cost a pretty good chunk of change (and so did the computer).
The computer had a drive bay to install this into, but there was a piece of metal that was spot welded over the bay. Lovely.
Since I couldn't pry it off with a screwdriver, I ended up having to use a cold chisel and a hammer to beat that metal cover plate off of the frame. Which did the job but as I was doing it I remember thinking, "Boy, I hope nobody walks in on this little scenario."
If you're a zombie and you know it, bite your friend!
I was dealing with some balky expletive packaging and instructed the datacenter manager to bring in a "5-pound sledge and a short wrecking bar (aka crowbar to some)". He came back with a 2kg sledge. They seem to find use on every trip to the datacenter now.
Also turns out cordless screwdrivers are not up with real screwing around - probably best to maintain a decent drill with a wide assortment of good-quality bits.
At another site the HVAC tech tried to kill me with some threaded rod, so I treat it like a construction site now. hard hats.
The Cybertool series from Victorinox has been a great addition to my kit for years. Sometimes it does better than dedicated tools. Model 29 is small an light enough to have in your pocket for daily use. Much lighter than the Leatherman, it is more tuned for tech use than outdoors.
http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Cybertool-Pocket-Knife/dp/B00005ML8H/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354234788&sr=8-1&keywords=cybertool+29
The nearest thing to that, in my experience, is a railroad spike hammer. And, I think they were just a little more than three pounds, maybe 3 1/2 or 4 pounds. I never had a use for one, but I thought it looked cool!
"Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
Aha! I like the 'Stamina Training Unit'; if it has a network port I might get away with calling it an STU an have it approved on the budget. Now that's a thought.
According to my comprehensive French dictionary:
dicfour, 'dicque fourre': a game of skill and manual dexterity, popular in boy schools in France around the beginning of the 20th century.
According to my comprehensive French dictionary:
dicfour, 'dicque fourre': a game of skill and manual dexterity, popular in boy schools in France around the beginning of the 20th century.
Manual dexterity? Possibly.
Skill? Possibly for the French.
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
Just to say... I have a 6lb sledge. Of course it is at least 80 years old, probably a good deal more, and on it's umpteenth handle...
My favourite server room tool is a saws-all.
1. Fallopian tubing
2. Bit Buckets
3. Electron Hole Generator
4. Portable Ground
5. Electron Gun (for protection)
good man(1), strong grep(1), sharp vi's
10 mil polythene sheeting for when the plumbing in the overhead fails Several rolls of duct tape First aid kit
There is nothing wrong with yr Internet. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling the transmission - NSA
You better get yourself a set of Channellock tongue and groove pliers buddy. The come in real handy for bent screws and rackmount kits.
My set has screw drivers, small pliers, a pair of dikes, crimper for putting on connectors, xacto knife, small hammer and mallet, chip lifter, soldering iron, RS232 to USB adapter (beware. Not all are equal, many don't allow you to issue a termination signal, vital for doing some stuff on Cisco units), PoE tester and a Ethernet port tester. My systems at work will have ports die every now and again, so that's where the testers come in. The hammer and mallet are for dent removal or straighten tabs (equipment sometimes comes in a bit tweaked in shipping or mishandled by warehouse folk). Chip lifter is an awesome little mini prybar for getting things open. I have only popped open a handful of ICs with mine, but cracked open countless other things. Using this stuff, i have cobbled many working systems out of total trash.
Here's what I've got in my tool set. This is a personal set of tools that has been accumulated over many years. I wouldn't expect a company to buy all of this at once, but this will take care of most any tool needs in your server room:
A GOOD label maker and appropriate qty of labels
Bulk rolls of velcro
Zip ties of various sizes (both the normal type as well as the type with a screw hole that can be screwed to a wall/telecom backboard)
A good LED flashlight as well as a good LED headlamp with extra batteries for both
RJ45 crimper, bag of 100 RJ45 connectors, cat5 stripper and a quality pair of telecom scissors
Punch down impact tool with 66 and 110 blades
Tone generator and cable tracer
Cat5 tester (minimum a cheapo $30-40 unit or more expensive if budget permits)
Butt set, banjo (google banjo telecom), and a bag of 100 RJ11 connectors and a few RJ11 modular jacks if you support any type of analog telephony
If you support any type of CaTV you'll also want an RG6/RG58 stripper, crimper and a bag of coax connectors
Hammer, screwdrivers (slotted, phillips, torx, safety torx and star drive in appropriate sizes), tape measure, electrical tape, double sided tape, crescent wrench, a small socket set with both standard and metric sockets, pliers (needle nose, and standard), wire cutters / lineman pliers, wire stripper, cable fish tape, cable fish sticks, duct tape, loopback plug, ethernet crossover adapter.
Cordless drill (nice to have on occassion)
Box of Cat5e jacks
Spool of telecom cross connect wire
"1 13-amp plug with earth pin connected to a wrist strap and two alligator clips"
Guess you missed that, huh?
Operation Guillotine is in effect.
brilliant.
I learn something every day from /. :)
There are a lot of truly good lists in this thread. To keep my posting brief, I Iimited my response to ten items I use but did not see on the other postings.
1. A cabinet with a combination lock big enough to hold your tool box so your tools are actually there when you need them.
2. Duct tape and electrical tape. - Seriously. In multiple colors.
3. Cable ties and scissors to cut old ones. (No, not a razor knife. You also need one of those.)
4. A label-making machine (like the Brother P-touch to label every device and cable)
5. Gauze, medical tape, and band-aids. Small wounds should not slow down large repairs.
6. A telescoping magnet. Screws will fall!
7. Extra multi-outlet strips and extension cords to hold you over until the electrician shows up a week from now.
8. Fine point sharpies in multiple colors.
9. Wrist-wrapped grounding wires
10. A magnifying glass to read service tags mounted far away with tiny serial numbers. (Although there are now phone apps that sort of work ok.)
Live Long and Prosper - Thanks Leonard. You are missed.