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96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

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Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#141

Post by s73v3r »

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.

They did come up with a solution. Thunderbolt. As a bonus, it can be used for several other things when not being used for ethernet.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#142

Post by bgaid »

JosephRedfern wrote: post #122
bgaid wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any Mac hardware will do like Mini's, xServes, and Mac Pros. Mac Pro's work really well and if you just rent them from a data center, the capital expenditure isn't there so you don't get hit with the $3k price tag.

Without knowing what product is being testing, how can you say that "Any Mac hardware will do"? Like I said - if they're wanting to test on the specific hardware that their customers are running the software on, you can't know that for sure. A Mac Mini has a different CPU/GPU to an XServe, likewise a Mac Pro, likewise a Macbook Pro.

Sorry to offend; I was referencing the "We require Mac OS X" part more liberally. It looks like this author could use any hardware as long as they had HDMI enablers to enable the GPU's in headless servers like the Xserve and Mac Pro.

I don't think they're opening up each row of MacBook Pro's continuously for they're software though. I think they've just got the lids open to make sure the GPU is enabled for better performance in remote sessions.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#143

Post by rvalue »

tim333 wrote: post #35
rhaps0dy wrote: post #5

What kind of testing do you do with this?

This seems to be the author https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/viewProfile.html?userID=... and the products http://uk.mathworks.com/products/?s_tid=gn_ps

Thanks for this.

Now i feel the OP's usage justified

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#144

Post by astrodust »

dsfyu404ed wrote: post #131
astrodust wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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...

Are you going to make baseless accusations or are you going to cite an example we can debate?

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#145

Post by skuhn »

coob wrote: post #90
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.

You don't 'need' the thunderbolt adaptor. Any old USB NIC will do. Like this $15 USB3 Gigabit ethernet adaptor: http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Ethernet-Chromebook-Specific-...

You don't need the thunderbolt adapter, but if you want gigabit Ethernet it's either thunderbolt or USB3 (as you mentioned). One of the perks of the thunderbolt adapter is that it doesn't require any third party drivers, which tend to be hit or miss with the USB3 adapters.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#146

Post by skuhn »

bgaid wrote: post #142
JosephRedfern wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Without knowing what product is being testing, how can you say that "Any Mac hardware will do"? Like I said - if they're wanting to test on the specific hardware that their customers are running the software on, you can't know that for sure. A Mac Mini has a different CPU/GPU to an XServe, likewise a Mac Pro, likewise a Macbook Pro.

Sorry to offend; I was referencing the "We require Mac OS X" part more liberally. It looks like this author could use any hardware as long as they had HDMI enablers to enable the GPU's in headless servers like the Xserve and Mac Pro. I don't think they're opening up each row of MacBook Pro's continuously for they're software though. I think they've just got the lids open to make sure the GPU is enabled for better per…

There are ways around the lid opening thing as far as activating the GPU (same issue applies to Minis and Pros that have no monitor attached in a datacenter environment).

The big requirement for keeping the lid open is probably to control the temperature. You can run a MBP with the lid closed, but it will get pretty toasty, and these aren't being used for a typical laptop workload one presumes.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#147

Post by skuhn »

adriancooney wrote: post #4

That's an expense rack. If the average MBP cost $1500, that's a total of $144,000 in the one rack. They must have some serious reasons to create something like this.

A standard server rack (fully populated, just regular app or web servers) can easily be 400k+. Everything built to run in a datacenter is pretty expensive, even if you've done your negotiating work and aren't foolishly paying list.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#148

Post by rkroondotnet »

coob wrote: post #90
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.

You don't 'need' the thunderbolt adaptor. Any old USB NIC will do. Like this $15 USB3 Gigabit ethernet adaptor: http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Ethernet-Chromebook-Specific-...

If you stay within the Apple ecosystem like they really want you to, then you don't need that because your thunderbolt display has an ethernet adapter as well as some extra usb ports. The Apple monitor is their replacement for the docking station. Power and connectivity, as well as a place to put the laptop for reasonable space efficiency.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#149

Post by skuhn »

helb wrote: post #28

Also, Mac Minis and Pros in a rack: http://photos.imgix.com/racking-mac-pros (still seems weird to me, but makes a bit more sense than racking laptops…)

(I wrote the imgix post you linked to)

I think Steve has done a great job on his MacBook Pro rack design, but I do wonder about the advantage the MBP has over the Mac Pro for their workload.

It may be that the GPUs of the Mac Pro don't matter to them, which would reduce the value proposition of those systems by a fair amount. The MBP also has an advantage in that it was just updated, and the current Mac Pro is a bit older. That advantage is hopefully just temporary, but it is pretty likely that the MBP will continue to receive more frequent updates in the future.

You can definitely squeeze more systems into a rack with the MBP, but my preference would still be to go with the Mac Pro:

  No batteries on your datacenter floor
  No power bricks
  Better airflow
  No screen burning electricity (although this is minimal)
The batteries particularly worry me. They're a potential fire hazard, and over time you'll need to replace them (even though they don't matter) before they expand and deform the system chassis. They also make power outlet control over a system annoying, since you'll have to wait for hours after the outlet is cycled off and the battery has discharged to cycle the outlet back on.

Re: 96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack

#150

Post by skuhn »

taspeotis wrote: post #6
adriancooney wrote: post #4

That's an expense rack. If the average MBP cost $1500, that's a total of $144,000 in the one rack. They must have some serious reasons to create something like this.

It would make sense to try the refurbished ones. I doubt you'd get 96 of the same model, though. http://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbo... Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.7GHz Dual-core Intel i5 with Retina Display $1,099.00 Save $200.00 15% off

The refurbished machines are a decent deal and I haven't had any problems buying them for personal or business use in the past, but the big limitation is on supply at any given time and the configs offered. Refurbs are largely stock configs and you can usually only buy 5-10 at a time. There are big benefits to config uniformity and bulk purchases, so refurbs can be tough in that respect.

Also, no one buying in this quantity should be paying list price to Apple, which cuts into the refurb discount considerably (if not outright eliminating it).

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