Server handling during shipment

[Server handling during]

I am planning to build the server with standard configuration & then later ship it to the branch offices, the reason behind doing this is to have control over the image & put the system under test in staging environment before hosting into productions environment. I have heard before moving servers physically we sud always remove the harddisks out from the box & later reinsert them back after fixing them in Racks.

[Oleg Koroz]

Possibly someone had problems after, but with proper handler and good packaging materials there should be no problem, however it make sense if you worry, as stress can cause problem to heads and platters

[Prashant (I am Back)]

Hi,

Yes, removing the Hdd from the Server is valid. Think about a part plgged in, and in transport due to shakes and all, there can be some issues with the contact also. which may effect later on.

So best option remove it put in a diff box then ship it.

Regards,
Prashant S.

[Allan Bowman]

In the past 5 years my company has had at least 400 servers (mostly DL360's and DL380's with multiple disk drives) that were loaded with software and tested in our office and then shipped to customer sites for installation in their racks. I don't believe we have ever had a disk go bad - worst case has been needing to reseat a board or cable. Of course this assumes that the server is shipped in it's original packing material...

Allan in Atlanta

[Jerry Leinsing]

A caveat about packaging
We integrate about 10 servers a year (install hdwr, application, test run for a week then place back in same packaging (sometimes drives removed) and send to customers in US.

In 9 years I saw two problems both had to do with damage to frames. One was obviously speared by a fork lift and the other (a Compaq 5000) must have been dropped off the back of a commercial carrier semi.

When we had the claims adjusters of each company look at it, they both said it was reused packaging and that that is not covered in the tariff. The commercial carrier said, 'because of the classification, if it had been covered we would only be able to recover 50 cents a pound for a 100+ lb Compaq 5000.'

Everything is FOB Shipping Point. Regardless, wn both cases we ate the servers because the customers said they would not pay for something they didn't damage. I don't blame them.

We still have not come up with a better way of doing business. It's a crap shoot and we win more than we lose.

Shipper beware.

[Andy_180]

you could set up RDP in the field offices and have HP drop ship the servers to the offices. I ship over 75 HP servers to our field offices a year and occasionally have to file a claim. but it is usually becasue UPS left the box out in the rain. thats why we went th eDRP route. no more packing and upsing out serversm. tight control over images. win-win.

[Allan Bowman]

Due to the number of shipments we had and the cost of add-on insurance from the carriers, we always took just the standard $100 insurance. The balance was handled as a rider to our commercial insurance - it is pretty cheap if you keep it at about a $500 deductible. The only claim we ever needed to make was for a $40,000 Cisco switch dropped off the back of a truck (I was ready to install it at the customer site in Phoenix when I discovered the damage on Sept. 10, 2001 - needless to say, it took quite awhile to get a replacement delivered).

Allan in Atlanta