When you go into the data center, either for rack’n'stack or maintenance, there are a couple of things that can make your life easier. You want to go light, of course, but also have everything you need so that your not going to have to post-pone work due to lack of gear.
Common must-haves include:
- A very capable laptop. This is your primary tool. I prefer to 15″ MacBook Pro, but whatever you use you’ll want gigabit ethernet, wifi, serial capabilities, etc, etc.
- An RS-232 serial to USB adapter. I use a Keytronics adapter with my Mac. For software I use the Keyspan Serial Assistant and ZTerm.
- Several different serial cables and gender benders.
- A good bag. I prefer the Ogio Hip-Hop or Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 but many like backpacks or other types of Messanger bags.
But those are boring essentials… here are my not-as-normal must-haves.
1. Leatherman Skeletool CX Multitool
The perfect evolution of the Leatherman. The CX is made from carbon fiber and is extremely light, but feels solid. I love the Carabiner which I clip to my front belt loops, which means its not on some sheath I’ll loose or in my pocket scratching my phone. Clipped in front I forget that its there, its that light. It also has a pocket clip if you prefer.
The blade is excellent and it has all the right features. The universal bit driver is great if you want to carry an optional sheath with a variety of bits, but on the tool there is a single storage slot, which means you always have 2 bits (dual sided) on the tool at all times.
The only downside to the tool is that because it is so light and small that if you take if off your person you can easily forget it. I did this once and went nuts until I got another one a week later.
2. Contigo Autoseal 16oz Mug
Everyone knows that liquid is forbidden in the data center. Everyone also knows that its hard to enforce and rarely is. Never the less, no one wants to let you do it and no one wants to cause a problem. Furthermore, coffee in a Starbucks paper cup goes cold due to HVAC in the data center in 15-20 minutes.
The Contigo mug is the best coffee mug I’ve ever seen. It feels good in your hands, good to drink from, and fits easily into your bag. But most importantly, it is completely split proof. It is the only coffee mug I’ve ever trusted so much that I would put it inside my bag. It keeps your coffee hot and won’t spill… what more can you want? If I’m warned by others in the data center I will take it and flip it in the air and catch it, just to show how solid it is.
$20 is a lot for a coffee mug, but its worth it. I have 6.
3. Contigo Autoseal 24oz Waterbottle
This is somewhat redundant, but when your in the DC for a long time, you need water. A refillable water container is best. The Contigo Autoseal is just as robust as the mug, but adds an excellent clip that allows you to attach it to your bag.
I should also note that the flow from both the mug and the water bottle is really good, unlike many others. You get a solid gulp, unlike drinking from a straw.
4. Apple iPhone 4
The iPhone is the ultimate tool. Take photos of servers or critical screens, take walk-around movies or record screens for later review, listen to music, make calls, send email, etc, etc, etc. Working in the DC is definitely much improved thanks to the iPhone 4.
5. IntelliScanner Pro 200 Barcode Scanner
For all the great things that the iPhone can do, its various bar-code reader applications are horrible. They certainly aren’t quick and they have trouble with small barcodes. The IntelliScanner is easy to use and fast. Your laptop will register it as a keyboard, so when you press the button to scan the contents of the barcode are “typed in” where ever you like, which means you can use it with Excel just as easily as my prefered auditing format, CSV’s created in vi. 
hate to tell ya, but the Skeletool CX is NOT made from carbon fibre, it just has CF inserts.
Also, don’t leave 1 in your pocket when catching a flight. Customs/security really like to keep them.
Right, the backing structure is CF the blade and frame are not.
Must have: all the chargers, for laptop and mobile; screwdriver, a real one.
I personally like noise reducing earphones;
something warm.
All the supermagical bottles, I have not found any use for them. But then, I am probably the only one, who has washed the floor of a very high classification and working server room from a fire hose from the red box in hallway. The air conditioner had leaked some hundreds of L of green goo. We have no cables under the floor, so no problems, only had to watch the direction and splatter. Yes, I thought it through and also tested using the fire hose. But still
Not only do the guys at the security checkpoint like to keep them, the baggage handlers and TSA inspectors do, too. If you put one in a checked bag you can pretty much count on losing it.
Endorsement of Apple products (especially labeling one the “ultimate tool”) is disappointing from such a respectable and skilled IT professional. Why not do society a favor and use and improve open, or better yet free software?
You bring liquids into your cage? I leave mine in the break area.
I like to keep a proper toolbox on site.
Cables in a variety of sizes that match your color scheme.
A supply of velcro cable ties.
A Wifi access point that lets you onto a DMZ or sandbox.
Also a specific, well-known port on a switch configured for your guest network. Dynamic DHCP. A long, colorful cable to connect to that port.
A USB DVD-ROM/CD burner is fricking handy.
Noise-cancelling earphones AND earplugs. You can then sneak earbuds between the two to listen to music.
Not sure if iPhone supports VoIP over Wifi, but signal is often hard to come by. I’d either install a VoIP desk phone with a very long cord in the cage, or if you’re going to rely on a mobile device make sure it can get a signal. Conventional phones fry your brain less, anyway.
As for the camera function, mobile phones tend to have shutter lag, long focal length, and crappy flashes. I’d get a cheap pocket camera that can take lots of closeups fast, and I’d stash it in the toolbox in case your datacenter is at all vigilant about intercepting cameras.
Sincerely,
-daniel
Also, a sweater.
Your list looks like a minimum of must haves for the DC. I agree with the Mac Laptop. They just work. I arrive at the client’s site, boot the laptop, and am logged into the servers before the guys with the windows boxes are through their first network config reboot.
Additional really handy bits to have are a couple of rolls of colored electrical tape, so you can ID different cables that may have different colors, a label printer, I have a Brother pTouch that I’ve used a LOT, and a good battery-powered screw gun/drill. Makita cordless drill is my weapon of choice. They’re great for building/disassembling a rack, or taking the faceplate off a server for service.
Regards,
Gene Beaird
How is cleaning the mug?
If you use cream in your coffee, this can be an issue with so many otherwise nice devices.
I should have added to that list, I now always carry a C14 to NEMA 15R adapter cable. That way if “wall power” isn’t available I can plug my Mac charger directly into the rack PDU’s.
http://www.tripplite.com/en/products/model.cfm?txtModelID=2191
@Ronald: No worse than any other coffee tumbler. Because its stainless steal you can at least scrub it hard, unlike plastic mugs. I normally use a bottle brush to clean mine.
One trick I learned a while back for cleaning steal thermoses that applies to coffee tumblers as well, is to fill it up 2/3rds with really hot water and then add just a drop of Dishwasher Soap (not normal dish soap, dishwasher liquid). Seal it and shake it hard for about 60 seconds then walk away for about 5 minutes, come back and give it another good shake. Do this 3-4 times and then rinse. Works really well for hard-to-clean stuff.
I look forward to reading what you’re planning on next, because your blog is a nice read, you’re writing with passion.
“$20 is a lot for a coffee mug, but its worth it.”
You should try getting one in the UK more like £25
Hell of an exchange rate
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if you want to keep Super BigGulps and Starbucks cups out of the datacenter, just warn, then fire people who bring them in.
no cameras or cell phones with cameras in some datacenter environments, e.g. classified or Intellectual Property issues. So leave your &^%^% iPhone in your desk, or it will be crushed under my boot.
I find a bright LED flashlight is useful for reading barcodes / serial numbers / asset tags in hard to reach places.
a terminal server (choose your own favorite brand) goes a long way to obliviating the need for laptops to be lugged around the datacenter. There is nothing you cannot do from an ssh session to the serial port of a high end server.
+1 on Brother ptouch labelers
+1 on Leatherman, I use a Wave (discontinued, indestructable, but still the best)
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+1 for the macbook pro. But instead of zterm, I just used the “screen” utility instead.
I prefer better SECURECRT for mac or ZOC. Definitely since my change to macbook pro I´m a happy SA. I don’t use almost anything on windows so with my office for mac and Terminal service client I can do everything!.