Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

simbimbo.wordpress.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 159 posts

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#131

Post by dsfyu404ed »

astrodust wrote: post #127
jsingleton wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Apple could have come up with a solution without compromising on this. What about a neat folding Ethernet port that flips out and is flush when not in use? I remember some old ThinkPads had something like that but it might have been a modem port (RJ11/RJ14 not RJ45). The rare use is what makes it a problem. It's not worth the investment to buy and always carry an adaptor for that one time you really need it.

These flip-out connectors were always the first thing to break on your notebook and would render your only useful connection (modem, ethernet) completely useless. The Thunderbolt widget is less than ideal, but it fits. Hopefully USB-C will introduce more options with a lower price-point.

Taking someone else's widget, tweaking it, rolling it out across their product line and claiming to have built it from scratch isn't exactly a foreign concept to them...

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#132

Post by scott_karana »

romaniv wrote: post #103
Artemis2 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With enterprise-ready hardware though, not consumers laptops that fail within a few years, even when they're not turned on 24/7.

Are there good reasons to believe that "enterprise" hardware is more reliable in practice? Anecdotally, most desktops I used lived much longer than most servers I worked woth. I know a Compaq desktop that worked as a server for 11 years. Still does. One hardware failure in that entire time. (Power supply.) Could be a result of lower workload, but still...

Really??

ECC RAM and redundant PSUs alone should be unquestioned advantages over standard desktops.

Not to mention hardware raid controllers, IPMIs, designs that allow fans and other parts to be serviced without downtime... :P

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#133

Post by rogeryu »

coldtea wrote: post #86
rogeryu wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That USB type-C strategy is for a laptop that is thinner than the Macbook Air. I don't think they will pull that trick for the normal Macbook Pro.

What trick? Of course they'll add USB type-C to MBP. If you ask whether they'll keep regular USB or thunderbolt, perhaps but just for a few releases more. E.g. both could be gone by 2018. That said, MPB will of course have > 1 USB C ports.

The trick - having only one connector. For normal macbooks they will probably have multiple USB-C (for power and other stuff), maybe one USB-B, a card reader, video etc.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#134

Post by FractalNerve »

bane wrote: post #57
jsingleton wrote: post #43

Only just realised from this that MacBook Pro's no longer have an Ethernet port! When did that happen? You need to buy an expensive thunderbolt adapter. I can understand removing it from the ultra portable super-thin models but not from the top end professional model.

My desktop is basically filled with an octopus of dongles these days. It's ugly and annoying, and increases the footprint of my laptop 2x. I guess USB-C is supposed to help with this?

I wish I knew why Apple's top quality engineers didn't embed or bundled a USB-C to 60GHz WiGIG Dockinstation. Having only a single USB-C port is absolutely cool, if you have a wireless 7GBps dockingstation.

Is there some reason why Apple doesn't promote WiGIG?

Here's an overview over the technology:

http://ultrabooknews.com/tag/wigig/

http://www.slashgear.com/intel-wigig-docking-station-in-2015...

http://www.cnet.com/news/60ghz-tech-promises-wireless-dockin...

Personally I wish they used Ultrabroadband-Radio (>500MHz Bandwith). There are numerous reasons fellow RF enthusiasts will recognize in UWB radio. But I am happy with whatever technology allows me to have a cable-free desktop 😌 This is the reason I loved the original Ubuntu Phone (with it's powerful specs).

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#136

Post by Kequc »

jsingleton wrote: post #120
jsmith0295 wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well the MacBook Pro's are ultra portable and super thin now. The laptop would probably have to be at least 20% thicker to make for enough room for an ethernet port. And since 90% of MBP Retina owners probably rarely if ever use ethernet, it's a good tradeoff to make. The Retina model is much lighter and easier to carry (especially with one hand) than it's predecessor.

I think Apple could have come up with a solution without compromising on this. What about a neat folding Ethernet port that flips out and is flush when not in use? I remember some old ThinkPads had something like that but it might have been a modem port (RJ11/RJ14 not RJ45). The rare use is what makes it a problem. It's not worth the investment to buy and always carry an adaptor for that one time you really need it.

Ethernet cables are huge.

I welcome not longer having a gaping hole in the side of my computer. Wifi has come a long way and if people want to use ethernet it can be run through a multi purpose more modern port with a smaller footprint.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#137

Post by falcolas »

coldtea wrote: post #130
jalons wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's shocking the amount of people that don't grasp this. "It works in my home, why isn't it the same in the office." Is it misinformation? Have people become so used to things "just working" in home they don't think of the technical differences between a couple devices and a couple hundred devices?

> Have people become so used to things "just working" in home they don't think of the technical differences between a couple devices and a couple hundred devices? Are people so used to working in inept and el-cheapo companies that they cannot fathom a company wide Wi-Fi with APs (professional, not your home router free with your cable connection) serving "a couple hundred devices"? Is that considered IT voodoo in som…

Professional APs are in the $1-2 thousand dollar range, and you need one for every 5ish users. So, for a small company of 20 people (which won't have it's own IT professional), you're looking at an initial outlay of between 20 and 40 thousand dollars (IT contractors are expensive, and you have to include the Ethernet drops, rack, routers, patch panels, labor, etc), and a few grand a month for maintenance and support.

Compared to using plain Ethernet drops, the cost is hardly negligible, to the point where it isn't worth it for many companies.

My company has been going through the process of implementing this for a new office to hold around 100 people, and the amount of planning required to provide good coverage at a reasonable price has been enlightening to observe.

> Heck, your $30/night Motel 8 can manage that...

Not in my experience. At least not well enough to support bandwidth above the 100Kbps range.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#138

Post by falcolas »

coldtea wrote: post #129
falcolas wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One AP per 5 active devices, give or take. Plus positioning them and managing their power and ensuring they do proper hand-off as you move around the office, plus... Providing reliable wifi for multiple people with multiple devices is a hard challenge.

> One AP per 5 active devices, give or take. Probably never heard of professional office routers. You can have several times that. Even if working in a 100+ person company, all such companies I've been already have all the company wide wi-fi and APs the need, so I don't see why the parent's company couldn't. As for "ensuring they do proper hand-off as you move around the office", it's much easier with APs than pluggi…

Try doing the math. Take your bandwidth expectations from such a connection, and divide the total bandwidth provided by an AP by that value. The answer is typically between 5 and 10; less if you're in an office building where each floor is providing their own WiFi network and you have to contend with interference.

Working with docker containers, virtual machines, streaming, and VOIP/hangouts... bandwidth becomes the main limiter to the number of users per AP, not the memory or other capabilities of that device.

> it's much easier with APs than plugging and unplugging ethernet cables

For the user, and only when the handoff actually occurs smoothly. When it goes wrong, folks have to power cycle their WiFi, or their entire machine. Compared to picking up a nearby Ethernet cable and plugging it in, this isn't that challenging usually. Of course, having to also pull out a dongle can get aggravating, but we were discussing that as well.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#139

Post by BuildTheRobots »

bshimmin wrote: post #98
hypron wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because 3d printing is cool and trendy.

My first thought was, "Wouldn't a folded beermat have sufficed?"

Lots of DCs refuse to let you bring cardboard into the hall _at all_, never-mind keeping some in a rack.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#140

Post by ytdht »

jsingleton wrote: post #43

Only just realised from this that MacBook Pro's no longer have an Ethernet port! When did that happen? You need to buy an expensive thunderbolt adapter. I can understand removing it from the ultra portable super-thin models but not from the top end professional model.

For the ethernet port, it is very much Apple's style... but either way, using consumer Apple devices for servers only make sense if you get them for free (civil forfeiture for example)...
Post reply on HN