http://www.serverlift.com/

Has anyone had any experiances with this or knows anything similar?

The only distributer for this particular machine is UK and they've quoted $15,000~ AUD inc shipping with a 6-8 week wait on stock as well.
It's basically just slightly over what is budgeted for it. If there was a more local distributer to get the shipping costs down then that would make it within budget I'd think.

Just looking for something more local?

Hey mate,

Usually the cheap way we take care of things is hire some Islanders.

Low maintenance, good people and can lift a tonne between them.

Regards
Phillip

They're just servers Phil, not car engines.

Latest DELL weigh almost half a tonne

Choppy,

Try the Dell M600 Blade Chassis. When they're empty they're nice and light (unlike IBM Blade chassis). Cost efficiency only works out at about blade 7-8.

Other than that I only have to deal with 1RU servers now. I remember once having to get a 4RU HP monster up to RU36-40. Being so tall though I managed to sit it on my head while I did the screws it. Had to goto the chiro but hey, it's racked....

Stu

Realisticly though, sometimes it's very awkward to get people to lift a Blade, Large Juniper, Foundry, or Cisco switch into the rack, especially if you want to have it at a certain height. I also don't see the point of stressing someones body that could cause potential injury when there is a budget set aside for such thing. Perhaps it could go towards a Gym?

Additionally, not everyone is as strong as the other. I've found that in I.T. there are some that are very very flimsy whereas others are wannabe superheroes.

And others just need to get a job done so they can get down to the real task of doing what they are paid to do.

This is headed a little off topic.

Stu

The only half response I've had is 'Hiring Islanders' so I haven't actually had a real proper answer yet.

Well, if you have more then one technician, why don't you ask another tech to give you a hand, or 2,3,4,5.

if thats what they do and want 15k for it it would wanna be OK.

Crown might be able to offer something + a more local repair would be available?

how much weight can a data centre floor take? the thing is about the size of 1 floor tile and weighs almost 180kg

not a proper answer mate i know but its all i have

A lot... apparently. Consider 20 x 50KG servers in a single cabinet spread over two floor tiles. That would be 500KG on a single floor tile (excluding the cabinet's weight itself). Doesn't seem like 180KG would even put stress on it.

i would have thought the floor under the racks be re enforced somehow? and the weight is not resting on the tile itself

i should have said DC floor tile

If you lift up a tile you'll see it is re-enforced by some metal framing, so 180KG isn't that heavy for it.