Re: [Wg-test-framework] [OSSC #87213] Hardware for Xen Project Test Lab 2nd rack

[Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ian Jackson writes ("Re: [Wg-test-framework] [OSSC #87213] Hardware for Xen 
Project Test Lab 2nd rack"):
> Yogesh Patel via RT writes ("[Wg-test-framework] [OSSC #87213] Hardware for 
> Xen Project Test Lab 2nd rack"):
> > I've attached a spreadsheet I created to track this, I'm sending this out 
> > to get bids, if we need any changes we can have them adjust it as required.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> I have committed this to "colo-for-testing.git"
>   http://xenbits.xen.org/gitweb/?p=people/iwj/colo-for-testing.git
> 
> We should move that repo to somewhere more sensible.

Also, I notice a few omissions/lacunae.  Should I add them directly to
the spreadsheet ?


Firstly:

We need one or two PDUs.  Our current PDUs are APC AP9537 and have 24
ports each.  The things on your spreadsheet add up to 12 ports.  So
one PDU would do for now.

AIUI our current PDUs have US mains connectors (NEMA 1-15).  Frankly
this is surprising to me.  NEMA 1-15 connectors are so shonky!

Are IEC C13/C14 [1] PDUs commonly available in North America ?
In Europe rack PDUs are almost invariably provided with IEC C13
sockets.  The computers are connected with C13-C14 leads.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60320_C13#C13.2FC14_coupler


Secondly:

In #87394 we had a discussion about:

>> * Arrangements for access to the serial concentrator hardware's own
>>   serial console.  Options seem to include:

I suggested various options, of which you recommended:

>>   (a) Two serial concentrators boxes back-to-back like gateshead and
>>   newcastle.  This does seem involve at least one 1U x86 box whose
>>   only purpose in life is to be a terminal server, [...]

And

> >>   (a) 1U Linux box(es) running sympathy with a Rocketport PCI card.
> >>   This is what we have in the existing rack.  (newcastle and
> >>   gateshead, each with a 32-port Rocketport card, via pci passthrough
> >>   to the VMs serial0 and serial1.)
>
> My vote goes to option (a)

In that earlier ticket I wrote:

  As I say I think we want to get at least one more "proper" server,
  with enough disk and ram and so on to be useful, making 3 "proper"
  servers.  But to do the back-to-back serial redundancy each rack needs
  2 "things", which might be proper servers, or something cheaper with
  lower power consumption.

  My inclination would be: (i) one "proper" 1U server, a bit like
  newcastle/gateshead (see below, "berwick"), with a 16-port
  Rocketport PCIE card.  (ii) a lower-power mini-itx server with a
  32-port rocketport card (stolen from gateshead) based on something
  like these:
    http://www.mini-itx.com/store/~C1-RACK-V2
    http://www.mini-itx.com/store/~D2500HN

In the spreadsheet only "vmbox" is suitable for this (and there is
only one a serial concentrator card).

What do you suggest for serial access to "vmbox" (aka berwick) ?


Ian.

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