Ask HN: How to make a photogenic server room • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How to make a photogenic server room

#51

Post by acoard » Fri, Jun 17, 2022, 4:48 PM UTC

the_biot wrote: post #32

oakwhiz wrote: post #10

Wide racks, structured cabling, cable combs, "real" overhead tray, clever lighting. Buy multiple exact lengths of cables instead of using service loops. Use the right kind of PDUs to minimize power cable lengths. You can order custom racks and have them use any metal or paints that you want. Hire good electricians, get them to bend hard metallic conduit instead of flexible or plastic, have it bundled instead of just…

I think this is bad advice, frankly. Such things are not unusual, non-tech suits always want blinkenlights and such, because they think it'll impress prospective customers. The stories I could tell, datacenters like circus acts. The key is to keep the blinkencrap away from the real network/servers/patch panels, because those things have to actually work at all times, and it's your neck if it doesn't. When you start a…

Did you mean to respond to OP? OP is the one requesting decorative server equipment.

Re: Ask HN: How to make a photogenic server room

#52

Post by rambojazz » Fri, Jun 17, 2022, 10:15 PM UTC

rsync wrote: post #25

If you want some bling in your server racks you can add 1U and 2U multi-monitor displays and show status and/or visualization on small displays that most people aren't aware even exist: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/1U-2-Rackmount-LCD-Pa... https://www.pimfg.com/product-detail/RACK-LCD-35-4 https://www.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Design-Smartview-Rackmount...

Very useful in a server room

Re: Ask HN: How to make a photogenic server room

#53

Post by drewzero1 » Sat, Jun 18, 2022, 3:27 AM UTC

h2odragon wrote: post #50

drewzero1 wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's awesome! I've been thinking a lot lately about ways to combine fish and computers. When I built my desktop shelving unit/staging area at work, I designed it around our fleet PCs but also (secretly) to fit an aquarium. Coworkers have joked that I could circulate aquarium water to cool PCs and heat the tank, but for a number of reasons I really don't think that's going to happen.

I helped build an aquarium into the shell of a big old "console" TV, long ago. I could see something like that done with say an iMac G3. [1] or a Televideo 9xx [2] [1] https://techblog.se/files/2021/03/iMac-G3-Top-2048x1973.jpg [2] http://i.pinimg.com/736x/ed/9c/c9/ed9cc9212826f8d9ada039478f...

I do have an iMac G3, but it would kill me to turn it into an aquarium. Not only is it an elegant computer for a more civilized era, but it wouldn't hold enough water to keep most fish happy.

Re: Ask HN: How to make a photogenic server room

#54

Post by h2odragon » Sat, Jun 18, 2022, 1:59 PM UTC

drewzero1 wrote: post #53

h2odragon wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I helped build an aquarium into the shell of a big old "console" TV, long ago. I could see something like that done with say an iMac G3. [1] or a Televideo 9xx [2] [1] https://techblog.se/files/2021/03/iMac-G3-Top-2048x1973.jpg [2] http://i.pinimg.com/736x/ed/9c/c9/ed9cc9212826f8d9ada039478f...

I do have an iMac G3, but it would kill me to turn it into an aquarium. Not only is it an elegant computer for a more civilized era, but it wouldn't hold enough water to keep most fish happy.

I was looking at the one on my pile and thinking "betta tank". I think it'd have to sit with he front of the screen at an angle, tho; to make the most of the volume. Put it on a high shelf and let the fish look down on your desk.

Re: Ask HN: How to make a photogenic server room

#55

Post by logicalmonster » Sat, Jun 18, 2022, 2:15 PM UTC

> We’re told it’d be nice if the racks looked nice through the glass.

> Something useless with a bunch of blinky lights?

Now I'm realizing what the purpose of all of those random blinking lights on the Star Trek bridge were for.

Re: Ask HN: How to make a photogenic server room

#56

Post by focusedone » Mon, Jun 20, 2022, 4:35 PM UTC

DamonHD wrote: post #49

chrisMyzel wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have any pictures of such an installation?

https://vismedia.agency/digitalcatapult-360tour/

Woah, love that idea and it looks really cool. Thanks!

Re: Ask HN: How to make a photogenic server room

#57

Post by xtiansimon » Wed, Jun 22, 2022, 12:04 PM UTC

I’ve been fascinated with this idea of photogenic spaces such as restaurants and other spaces where people want to take selfies or group photos, though I have no formal training in interior design or architecture.

I’ve enjoyed visiting the end of year show at the Cooper Union in NYC and it’s clear the architecture students are also interested to envision, qualify and quantify what the viewer and your basic mobile device ‘see’ from different vantage points. For example, lenses have a field of vision which is also effected by distance. Right?

So if you’re asked to have input, you might consider seeing the space and taking some reference photos. What will you see (area) and what can you see (resolution) of the space?

If the space isn’t built yet, and architects are involved, they should have 3D walk through models. They might also have input, though their advice might be to align the server racks at a 20degree angle to the wall or something that would make an engineer scratch their head for the wasted space (space=money).

Of course manufacturers put a lot of design considerations into the bezels and plastic farkles of their products because it does look impressive.

Lacking the budget for a premier brand server, just look at Reddit electricians to see some impressive ‘cable management’ which is pretty to look at.

But honestly, my first reaction to photogenic servers behind glass? Reflections will wreak havoc with the image—you might not see diddly in the photo. Another reason the architect should be consulted.