Bye bye uptime :(

[Garp]

For posterity:
bash-2.05a$ uptime
2:28PM up 2077 days, 21:54, 1 user, load averages: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

That one server has been running just over 5 1/2 years, but sadly the time has come to move it around the data centre. Its still in active use, and still works fine, running FreeBSD 4.6-RC, but due to a massive rationalisation and re-organisation of equipment it needs to be moved into another cab. My boss is trying to work out if we can re-rack it without shutting it down (theoretically possible if its got two PSUs)

[Mark]

Aye - two PSUs and a UPS could prove very handy. ;D

[Stan_Lite]

For posterity:
bash-2.05a$ uptime
2:28PM up 2077 days, 21:54, 1 user, load averages: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

That one server has been running just over 5 1/2 years, but sadly the time has come to move it around the data centre. Its still in active use, and still works fine, running FreeBSD 4.6-RC, but due to a massive rationalisation and re-organisation of equipment it needs to be moved into another cab. My boss is trying to work out if we can re-rack it without shutting it down (theoretically possible if its got two PSUs)

That's an awesome amount of uptime. I would definitely investigate how to move it without switching off. If it has two PSUs could you use a long extension lead from it's new home whilst moving it if it's not on another floor? Or a succession of leads if it has to go upstairs.

[Jasper]

also, gaffer tape a piece of cardboard over the power button so someone doesn't knock it during the move

[Daz]

You gotta keep it up dude. Daisy chain UPS leads if you have to.

[Dymetrie]

You gotta keep it up dude. Daisy chain UPS leads if you have to.

That statement is just so wrong :p

[Garp]

Cool ideas. Personally I'm convinced it'll be possible, Given the box it is I'm about 75% certain its dual PSU, and we're moving it just across the suite, two facing rows (about 15ft of space between them.) We shall see what they manage in the DC tomorrow :D

[Wossi]

Stuff health and safety just do whatever is possible to keep it running.

[Davey_Pitch]

Definitely get a UPS or two on there and shift it quickly. Something like that needs to stay up :)

[Tak]

You do realise they will successfully move it, get it all happy in its new home, and then something will break? :evil:

[Goose]

Unplug it, move it and plug it back it. Do it quick enough and maybe it won't notice.

[Garp]

You do realise they will successfully move it, get it all happy in its new home, and then something will break? :evil:

:'(:'( probably will happen.

[Daz]

You know, to put that into context, this machine was booted around the time XP SP1 was released :D You would never think of keeping a doze box running for that time, what with all the patching etc.

[Feek]

You know, to put that into context, this machine was booted around the time XP SP1 was released :D You would never think of keeping a doze box running for that time, what with all the patching etc.

Don't you believe it - I commissioned a packet radio node on the 19th December 2002 using Windows 2000. It's still running, has never been revisited and as far as I know never rebooted. One day I must go and plug a screen and keyboard into it and see what it's uptime is.

[LeperousDust]

Don't you believe it - I commissioned a packet radio node on the 19th December 2002 using Windows 2000. It's still running, has never been revisited and as far as I know never rebooted. One day I must go and plug a screen and keyboard into it and see what it's uptime is.

Not quite sure what the hell you're talking about there Feek, so i'm not sure how much work that doze machine has to do, but i'd hazzard a guess, the little beastie Garp was talking about has been doing a lot more work over the past 5 years ;D I could boot a doze machine up and leave it for 5 years (well i hope so, blaster worms aside :D) but thats no fair comparison...

[Daz]

Don't you believe it - I commissioned a packet radio node on the 19th December 2002 using Windows 2000. It's still running, has never been revisited and as far as I know never rebooted. One day I must go and plug a screen and keyboard into it and see what it's uptime is.
'kin ell!

It must be in a secure network though - a machine that old will be vulnerable to a large collection of remote code execution exploits!

[Feek]

Alex, it's doing a fair bit of work, it's reading data in through a couple of serial ports, processing it and outputting it again, even though there's no screen attached it's got a GUI client running with a hacked DOS TSR program in the background! I think it's a P2-200 with something silly like 64Mb RAM so it is working quite hard. It's a machine I was given by one of our users when they upgraded.

Daz, it's not on a network so it's safe.

I wasn't saying that it's doing as much work as the one Garp is talking about (although I'm sure it's swapping a heck of a lot and the CPU doesn't sit anywhere near idle) but just pointing out that Windows boxes can run and be doing stuff without reboots for a long time.

[Mark]

Feek - Just as well it didn't have this (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216641/en-us) to worry about then. Though how anyone could get a Win 95/98 machine to run that long is beyond me :shocked: :)