datacenterdeconstructed

I’m a backstage, behind-the-scenes kind of person. I find it fascinating to observe things from somewhere other than where the audience normally sits.  Watching from the side of the stage or perhaps seeing a rehearsal often reveals something unexpected or amusing. Years ago I was at a professional v…

I was at a movie theater recently, seated comfortably and waiting to see the latest chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, when I overheard a friendly debate among three young men in the row ahead of me. “If you could have one superpower, what would you want?”  It’s impolite to eavesdrop, but I h…

If you share your secret sauce recipe with a lot of people, is it still secret sauce? I recently co-hosted a televised Data Center tour alongside Cisco IT distinguished engineer Jon Woolwine. A camera crew shadowed us as we walked the company’s Data Center in Allen, Texas and discussed the site’s in…

Cisco IT has, as you may have heard, been shutting down some of its Data Centers. We’ve closed dozens of older facilities – some large, many small – in the past 10 years, consolidating into purpose-built rooms that better enable our business. The latest to close was the company’s longest-running De…

As I’ve mentioned in more than one post, I enjoy touring Data Centers.  One detail I pay attention to during these visits is signage. Are patch panels and structured cabling labeled, so it’s easy to trace connections between devices? Is electrical circuit information provided at each cabinet locatio…

What’s the klutziest thing you’ve ever done in a Data Center? Over the years I’ve seen people drop tools, tangle patch cords and step into notched floor tiles.  Once when I was giving a Data Center tour a fellow was so intent to see how outside air was drawn into the HVAC system that he whacked his…

I like touring Data Centers. Whether it’s a makeshift space with out-of-control cabling or a state of the art, innovative facility, I’m always curious to see how companies accommodate their computing equipment and tackle the inevitable challenges of space, power and cooling. Ten years ago I visited…

More and more businesses these days are taking steps to reduce their carbon emissions.  (Cisco is one of them, as the company met a 25% greenhouse gas reduction goal last year and subsequently upped it to 40%.) There are several compelling reasons for doing so – some philosophical and others pragmat…

Saturday morning wasn’t complete for me as a kid if it didn’t include a bowl of pre-sweetened cereal and time watching cartoons.  Challenge of the Super Friends was my favorite, thanks to its unforgettable opening sequence and the chance to see Superman, Batman and other heroes overcome the latest s…