There are many (possibly apocryphal) stories about servers lost in ceilings, locked closets, etc that just kept on serving, sometimes critical services. I thin

There are many (possibly apocryphal) stories about servers lost in ceilings, locked closets, etc that just kept on serving, sometimes critical services. I think we as an industry have gotten much better about this. In the old days, as small minicomputers and micros expanded into less and less technical businesses, wiring standards and server room design guides were not well-known or followed. Often, people just sort of winged it. Some employees are more naturally methodical, have better memories, and are longer-tenured than others. Also, many of the stories are from universities, where long-term thinking isn't guaranteed (but embarrassing stories have always been popular to share!). A quick DDG finds this story from the University of North Carolina: http://www.bradleymonk.com/wp/weve-lost-server-54/ http://www.bradleymonk.com/wp/weve-lost-server-54/ USENET archives would be a great source for more of these.