diff --git a/content/blog/wk8day4.md b/content/blog/wk8day4.md index b59419d..22afc26 100644 --- a/content/blog/wk8day4.md +++ b/content/blog/wk8day4.md @@ -1,7 +1,98 @@ --- -title: "Week 8, Thursday:" -date: 2024-09-19T21:55:00+02:00 -draft: true +title: "Week 8, Thursday: Stollen - Day 2" +date: 2024-09-19T19:55:00+02:00 --- -{{< image frame="true" width="17em" float="right" src="/img/headline/todo.png" alt="Credit: " >}} +{{< image frame="true" width="17em" float="right" src="/img/headline/orion.png" alt="Credit: Orion, YouTube" >}} + +For some strange reason I did not have problems getting up this morning. Marina was still on one ear +as my alarmclock went off at 08:00. I brushed the teeth, drank the coffee, and started my morning +BIOS routine. There's a few things that I have on a keep-list, some small things that we wished we +would've had yesterday, but while Fred is in a hotel in Luzern, I am able to bring some more stuff +with me to continue our work in the Stollen cavern. + +I drive to Luzern and arrive there at 10:10 or so. Fred is already hard at work, and he has good +news. The link to Zurich was working all along - it's just (and we are a bit embarrased to admit +this), it was _shutdown_ on the other side, and in such a state, there will be no link! The remedy +is quickly found, and Fred creates the LACP bundle to Zurich, with one member in it, and it shoots +to life. This new POP is starting to take shape! But luck is not with him, and for the longest time +in the morning, he tries to find out why the management network is not doing what he wants. + +It turns out, this POP is a bit different than the others; here, we use the `MgmtEth0` port to +create a HSRP pair, but seeing as these are not _router_ ports, but just _management_ ports, it will +not budge. In the end, he reconfigures the whole lot to be a _BVI_ on the 20G LAG instead, and +everything comes up as expected. But, he complains bitterly: a whole morning wasted! + +Marco is taking us out to lunch, by which I mean "a cross connect seminar", and we make our way with +the Stollen and EWL crew to a local italian joint. I have a pizza Quattro Formaggio, Fred enjoys a +Lasanga, and the entire Stollen crew eats the same: roastbeef. Fun! + +We get back at 13:30 and decide to step up the tempo. We still have a tonne of work to do. I take +the cabling as my mission, and lay trays and fiber trunks and MPO cassettes everywhere. Fred starts +work to get the customer connections terminated in this room. In a spare moment, he helps me rack my +machines. They are in the top of the rack, and we need to hold them above our heads to be able to +put them in their rails. But, we do not crack open any skulls on this exercise, and the machines +are energized quickly enough. + +Now that the IP-Max management network is up, I can reclaim my APU and put it back as it was +originally: it takes one IPv4 and IPv6 from IP-Max space, and then has an internal LAN for IPMI, for +WiFI, and for IPng Site Local. I use the WiFi to log in to the APU, and from there I can use IPMI +serial-over-lan to power on and configure the VPP machine, Hypervisor and Centec switch. + +When they're sufficiently UP, I turn my attention back to another task: cleaning up the room! We +have a few dozen plastic baggies from the fiber patch cables, a bunch of cardboard and plastic and +other junk. It all goes into one big bag and off to the bin. Today, we take a little bit better care +of ourselves, and we go outside to breath oxygen (and Fred a bit of nicotine also!) every ninety +minutes or so. This really does help in this _oxyreduct_ atmosphere. + +The good news is: all physical connections are done, up, and running. The room has been completely +cleaned and all junk and wrappers/plastic/cardboard removed. This means: we can bounce! At 18:00 we +ask Marco to help us bring our cart with the remaining stuff (our bags, leftover optics, cables, and +whatnot). He opens the goods sleuce and we're quickly outside. Byebye, Marco! It was really nice +working with you these last two days. + +We go to Fred's hotel. I hear there's a good resto there. But, we first need to sillybrate our +accomplishments, as within the span of the last ten to twelve working hours, we transformed this +empty cage with 14 racks into a carrier-quality point of presence for IP-Max AS25091, with 2x10G to +Lausanne, and 2x10G to Zurich, and all customers moved into the new infrastructure (except for one, +which will be done soon!). + +Working from the hotel is so much more relaxed (quelle surprise), and we clean up bits and bobs, do +our bookkeeping, things like DNS and IPAM, document which patch panel and cassette goes where, which +fiber is connected where, and send a few e-mails to follow up with suppliers and customers. I am +tempted to construct the L2VPN MPLS backhaul for IPng's VPP router and Centec switch, but I decide +in the end to do this tomorrow from my place: bigger screen, better music, and less enthusiastic +interruptions from my hard working buddy, Fred. + +But there' another reason why: we're hungry! Somewhat unimaginatively, I order roughly the same +thing as yesterday. It does not go unnoticed, a couple sits next to us and says "that steak must be +very good, you had it yesterday!". But!! I also took a salad this evening :-) It's then 21:00 and I +decide to drive home, leaving a tired Fred who is still floating on clouds due to the turnup. He +will go back tomorrow morning and do some labeling/stickering work. Tomorrow, I will make the L2VPN +stuff for IPng and do some tests with these new 20G pipes, just to make sure that end-to-end the +connectivity is as we'd expect, before we put more customers onto this POP. + +Oh, also, on Saturday I appear to be on a flight to Oslo, Norway. It may be a good time tomorrow to +finish that presentation for NONOG. I have it ... 75% done, but I'd prefer for it to be 100% done so +that I don't have to be in a hotel in Oslo while Marina is out on the town without me. So I have my +action plan for tomorrow. Good night, and may the packets flow and our pagers forever be quiet. + +## Pictures of the Day + +{{< gallery-category >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1384.JPG" caption="The stuff we wished we had had yesterday. Fiber guides with brushes, an APU6 for IP-Max, a WiFi kit for IP-Max, and a label printer." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1386.JPG" caption="Fred and I make an enthusiastic selfie in the room, as it's almost ready for production use!" >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1388.JPG" caption="One of the two ASR9k+Nexus combos. There are two of these racks in the room, and each has its own management switch and terminal server, and also each has 2x10G to other datacenters. I don't expect much downtime inthis room..." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1389.JPG" caption="The rack that I'm moving IPng into, as seen from the back." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1392.JPG" caption="The VPP router (top), blank (the Centec is a R-to-F device, so it's in the back), and hypervisor (below). IPng will soon be open for business here!" >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1404.JPG" caption="The IP-Max footprint up close. There's already quite a few fibers breaking in- and out of this router." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1406.JPG" caption="The back of IPng's small footprint. Could you believe this VPP router does 2x25G + 4x10G and easily handles 200Mpps on about 120W of power??" >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1409.JPG" caption="Cheers, Fred! We had a tough two days, but we delivered the room ahead of schedule, and that deserves a beer." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/cheers.png" caption="Cheers, Pim! Fred took this nice under-beer picture. We worked hard, and now we get to relax a little bit." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1410.JPG" caption="Look, Marina! I ate a salad today! And a second 350g steak. Sorry for being boring :-)" >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1411.JPG" caption="The beef is sizzling on a hot stone, and it really hits the spot after such a day of POP building." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1412.JPG" caption="On the way home, the full moon was shining bright over A14. The drive home was 50min or so, which is totally cool! I an be in this place pretty quickly in case of emergencies" >}} +{{< /gallery-category >}} + +{{< gallery-modal >}} +{{< gallery-script >}} diff --git a/content/gallery.md b/content/gallery.md index 164723d..a438bcc 100644 --- a/content/gallery.md +++ b/content/gallery.md @@ -550,6 +550,18 @@ menu: {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-18/IMG_1378.JPG" caption="A view of the top of the racks with the cold aisle roof in front of us, and a bright yellow fibertray that will carry the fiber trunks between the racks." >}} {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-18/IMG_1382.JPG" caption="I order a Farmer's Size (350g) beef filet, and it smells godly. Also: Röstikroketten, just sayin'" >}} {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-18/IMG_1383.JPG" caption="Fred took a candid camera shot of me seasoning my steak. I'm in a happy place, clearly" >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1384.JPG" caption="The stuff we wished we had had yesterday. Fiber guides with brushes, an APU6 for IP-Max, a WiFi kit for IP-Max, and a label printer." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1386.JPG" caption="Fred and I make an enthusiastic selfie in the room, as it's almost ready for production use!" >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1388.JPG" caption="One of the two ASR9k+Nexus combos. There are two of these racks in the room, and each has its own management switch and terminal server, and also each has 2x10G to other datacenters. I don't expect much downtime inthis room..." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1389.JPG" caption="The rack that I'm moving IPng into, as seen from the back." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1392.JPG" caption="The VPP router (top), blank (the Centec is a R-to-F device, so it's in the back), and hypervisor (below). IPng will soon be open for business here!" >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1404.JPG" caption="The IP-Max footprint up close. There's already quite a few fibers breaking in- and out of this router." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1406.JPG" caption="The back of IPng's small footprint. Could you believe this VPP router does 2x25G + 4x10G and easily handles 200Mpps on about 120W of power??" >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1409.JPG" caption="Cheers, Fred! We had a tough two days, but we delivered the room ahead of schedule, and that deserves a beer." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/cheers.png" caption="Cheers, Pim! Fred took this nice under-beer picture. We worked hard, and now we get to relax a little bit." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1410.JPG" caption="Look, Marina! I ate a salad today! And a second 350g steak. Sorry for being boring :-)" >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1411.JPG" caption="The beef is sizzling on a hot stone, and it really hits the spot after such a day of POP building." >}} + {{< gallery-photo fn="2024-09-19/IMG_1412.JPG" caption="On the way home, the full moon was shining bright over A14. The drive home was 50min or so, which is totally cool! I an be in this place pretty quickly in case of emergencies" >}} {{< /gallery-category >}} {{< gallery-modal >}} diff --git a/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/IMG_1406.JPG b/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/IMG_1406.JPG new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b786576 --- /dev/null +++ b/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/IMG_1406.JPG @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:03e4ed71bf45a7fdfad346a281045ee8ac7c180129d6d655c9cf4f356f11d0f6 +size 1284453 diff --git a/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/IMG_1410.JPG b/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/IMG_1410.JPG new file mode 100644 index 0000000..722c446 --- /dev/null +++ b/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/IMG_1410.JPG @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:22c172a5c033082f1a16746718626689f847591ac754fcf90484f829d3d01ac5 +size 1289417 diff --git a/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/IMG_1411.JPG b/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/IMG_1411.JPG new file mode 100644 index 0000000..69c142d --- /dev/null +++ b/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/IMG_1411.JPG @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:e9394fabf4fcc56f9dfefa8b406c91e876be8968d7bd308ae15f24d5a780a0d4 +size 780975 diff --git a/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/cheers.png b/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/cheers.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2ed7492 --- /dev/null +++ b/static/img/fullsize/2024-09-19/cheers.png @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:e000bf22bd1d3570298a05651a25c84ef9c8d9835cf1bbbf6f746f58e21ef2c0 +size 1323750 diff --git a/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/IMG_1406.JPG b/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/IMG_1406.JPG new file mode 100644 index 0000000..715b759 --- /dev/null +++ b/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/IMG_1406.JPG @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:69fba7a88c4bd8de741c7f4c3768e7f328dd1f9808a07afee1a43c8d426bd4cb +size 54672 diff --git a/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/IMG_1410.JPG b/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/IMG_1410.JPG new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cacf9ca --- /dev/null +++ b/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/IMG_1410.JPG @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:db2a0f4938a25cf04a6a97c1de7ae19289c9f0e146d022245538c4c241d84456 +size 40899 diff --git a/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/IMG_1411.JPG b/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/IMG_1411.JPG new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2ad34eb --- /dev/null +++ b/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/IMG_1411.JPG @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:69478ba502be2f571b06926820773a2f320e682598ebb24a528e7f11e18865e8 +size 41264 diff --git a/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/cheers.png b/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/cheers.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..65d3ea2 --- /dev/null +++ b/static/img/thumbnails/2024-09-19/cheers.png @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1 +oid sha256:7437a52c77cb6bbdc94e0f6b344cc1e46a0aa127a46a6c8504ec41fbefab07af +size 185375