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96 MacBook Pro’s in one server rack
- sudhirj 11y agoHow on earth do you test retina displays when inside a server a rack? What are they doing here that can't be done with Mac minis?
- chkuendig 11y agoNo idea what they do, but they had a mac mini setup in the past: https://simbimbo.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/in-production/ https://simbimbo.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/in-production/
- cosmolev 11y ago- These systems run 24/7 in our Build and Test environment constantly building and testing the software we produce. - Can you say who you work for? - Sorry, unfortunately no.
- comeonnow 11y agoPotential reason is that they need see how their tests affect screen burn. They mention they specifically need Mac hardware so this could be why they specifically need retina screens.
- nrzuk 11y agoWouldn't the high temperatures void that test though? I'd have thought screen burn will differ depending on screen temperature.
- bgaid 11y agoIt might have more to do with running GPU-assisted tasks through remote sessions. You need to either leave a screen attached and on or trick the device into thinking one is attached and on to take full advantage of the GPU on Mac hardware. You can actually do it with any mac hardware (even headless devices like Mac Mini's and Mac Pro's) but it's not advertised well enough. For example, with mac Mini's in a server environment, you need to plug in a hdmi enabler to get full GPU performance front the system while using it over remote access. Here's more information: http://www.macstadium.com/blog/osx-10-8-10-9-headless-gpu-enabler-comparisons/ http://www.macstadium.com/blog/osx-10-8-10-9-headless-gpu-en...
- skuhn 11y agoThe HDMI dongle is a good solution for most users. It can also be worked around in software (although it is not trivial). It's kind of annoying that OS X requires jumping through these hoops, but at least there's a few solutions out there.
- jacquesm 11y agohttp://www.mathworks.com/ http://www.mathworks.com/
- JosephRedfern 11y ago"We require Mac OS X because the products we make run on OS X and we believe in testing on the same hardware our customers use, this helps produce a better product". If the software they're testing is used mainly on Macbook Pro's, then they're wanting to test on Macbook Pro's. Things like GPU and CPU differences may make a difference to how their software performs.
- austenallred 11y ago"We have data centers with thousands of machines configured with all 3 OS’s running constant build and test operations 24 hours a day 365 days a year. This is just a small look at the Mac side of things." Seems safe to say this is not a small company
- moftz 11y agoHe works for MathWorks, the company behind MATLAB.
- bgaid 11y agoAny Mac hardware will do like Mini's, xServes, and Mac Pros. Mac Pro's work really well and if you just rent them from a data center, the capital expenditure isn't there so you don't get hit with the $3k price tag.
- JosephRedfern 11y agoWithout knowing what product is being testing, how can you say that "Any Mac hardware will do"? Like I said - if they're wanting to test on the specific hardware that their customers are running the software on, you can't know that for sure. A Mac Mini has a different CPU/GPU to an XServe, likewise a Mac Pro, likewise a Macbook Pro.
- bgaid 11y agoSorry to offend; I was referencing the "We require Mac OS X" part more liberally. It looks like this author could use any hardware as long as they had HDMI enablers to enable the GPU's in headless servers like the Xserve and Mac Pro. I don't think they're opening up each row of MacBook Pro's continuously for they're software though. I think they've just got the lids open to make sure the GPU is enabled for better performance in remote sessions.
- adriancooney 11y agoThat's an expense rack. If the average MBP cost $1500, that's a total of $144,000 in the one rack. They must have some serious reasons to create something like this.
- taspeotis 11y agoIt would make sense to try the refurbished ones. I doubt you'd get 96 of the same model, though. http://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro http://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbo... Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.7GHz Dual-core Intel i5 with Retina Display $1,099.00 Save $200.00 15% off
- mcintyre1994 11y agoTheir requirements apparently include "i7 CPU’s, 16GB RAM" so I imagine the selection of refurbished and good enough is limited at best.
- jeeva 11y agoThough in a business environment, if this is going to be used for any significant length of time, the (presumably) shorter warranty might be an issue.
- UntitledNo4 11y agoRefurbished Macs have the same warranty as non-refurbished.
- skuhn 11y agoThe refurbished machines are a decent deal and I haven't had any problems buying them for personal or business use in the past, but the big limitation is on supply at any given time and the configs offered. Refurbs are largely stock configs and you can usually only buy 5-10 at a time. There are big benefits to config uniformity and bulk purchases, so refurbs can be tough in that respect. Also, no one buying in this quantity should be paying list price to Apple, which cuts into the refurb discount considerably (if not outright eliminating it).
- kevinbowman 11y agoI wonder why all of the display backlights are on? I understand having the laptops open to stop them going to sleep without an external display, but I'd've thought you could turn the backlight all the way to "off".
- jabbernotty 11y agoPerhaps the light is on so that they can spot dead devices at a glance?
- kevinbowman 11y agoYeah perhaps, but I'd've thought some software mechanism (regular pings etc) would be easy enough to offset the power / heat of having the backlight on. Although I guess backlights are just a few LEDs these days, so probably actually not too bad to keep on.
- provemewrong 11y ago>I understand having the laptops open to stop them going to sleep without an external display, but I'd've thought you could turn the backlight all the way to "off". You can even disable sleep with closed lid[1], but addmiteddly that might intefere with ventilation, since there are vents in front of the hinge. [1]: https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man8/caffeinate.8.html https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin...
- ceejayoz 11y agoMaybe it's just that it makes a cooler photo.
- rhaps0dy 11y agoWhat kind of testing do you do with this?
- nstart 11y agoAn answer to this would be great. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to stop thinking about that question for a while.
- Matheus28 11y agoHow much money the VC is willing to waste
- MrDosu 11y agoThis made my day. Unfortunately, it's probably accurate...
- Ianvdl 11y ago96(!) macbooks, 3D printing and thermal imaging. I think you're spot on.
- theklub 11y agoMeh, you could resell them and get most of your money back.
- tomsun 11y ago>"Synergy, You know what that means?" >"Does it mean take a stack of cash and light it on fire?"
- tim333 11y agoThis seems to be the author https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/viewProfile.html?userID=6326 https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/viewProfile.html?userID=... and the products http://uk.mathworks.com/products/?s_tid=gn_ps http://uk.mathworks.com/products/?s_tid=gn_ps
- rhaps0dy 11y ago
- jchomali 11y agowhy creating something like this?
- jacquesm 11y agoTest farm.
- golergka 11y agoAny idea who's that Steve and what he's testing? Parallels?
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- fla 11y agoRacking portable devices. The circle is complete
- jbverschoor 11y agoHow much power does this draw?
- pdpi 11y agoI think those are 15" MBPs, their stock power supplies are rated for 85W, so we're looking at a maximum draw of just over 8kW for the laptops alone.
- ins0 11y agoHere is a QA where he answers some of the main questions we all have in mind. https://simbimbo.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/102/ https://simbimbo.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/102/
- thraxil 11y agoIs it really simpler and more efficient to have 96 individual power bricks with custom mounting hardware rather than one (or a few) larger, high-efficiency AC to DC converters and just distributing DC within the rack?
- konradb 11y agoYou would have to terminate in magsafe connectors. You'd either have to butcher the wiring on all the power bricks or come up with some frankenstein thing with airline adapters, which I believe are now discontinued for some reason.
- zwily 11y agoI'm guessing it's because airlines are moving toward just having standard power jacks. In fact, I can't remember the last plane I flew on that actually had the power jack the airline adapter needed.
- helb 11y agoAlso, Mac Minis and Pros in a rack: http://photos.imgix.com/racking-mac-pros http://photos.imgix.com/racking-mac-pros (still seems weird to me, but makes a bit more sense than racking laptops…)
- skuhn 11y ago(I wrote the imgix post you linked to) I think Steve has done a great job on his MacBook Pro rack design, but I do wonder about the advantage the MBP has over the Mac Pro for their workload. It may be that the GPUs of the Mac Pro don't matter to them, which would reduce the value proposition of those systems by a fair amount. The MBP also has an advantage in that it was just updated, and the current Mac Pro is a bit older. That advantage is hopefully just temporary, but it is pretty likely that the MBP will continue to receive more frequent updates in the future. You can definitely squeeze more systems into a rack with the MBP, but my preference would still be to go with the Mac Pro: No batteries on your datacenter floor No power bricks Better airflow No screen burning electricity (although this is minimal) The batteries particularly worry me. They're a potential fire hazard, and over time you'll need to replace them (even though they don't matter) before they expand and deform the system chassis. They also make power outlet control over a system annoying, since you'll have to wait for hours after the outlet is cycled off and the battery has discharged to cycle the outlet back on.
- yuvadam 11y agoWhy are you keeping the lids partially open and drawing excessive power for the displays + backlight, instead of just using InsomniaX [1] ? [1] - http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/22211/insomniax http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/22211/insomniax
- hypron 11y agoBecause 3d printing is cool and trendy.
- bshimmin 11y agoMy first thought was, "Wouldn't a folded beermat have sufficed?"
- BuildTheRobots 11y agoLots of DCs refuse to let you bring cardboard into the hall _at all_, never-mind keeping some in a rack.
- skuhn 11y agoIt is a complete no-no, even if your DC doesn't say anything to you about it. Just think of the potential loss of equipment if the sprinklers were to activate in a datacenter suite -- and if the flammable material is located in your cage, it's going to be you or your insurance covering that.
- Tiksi 11y agoUsually the fire suppression is halon-like gas systems (can't use halon anymore), sprinklers are an absolute worst case last resort. But yeah, there's plenty of NO CARDBOARD ON THE DC FLOOR NO CARDBOARD ON THE DC FLOOR NO CARDBOARD ON THE DC FLOOR At every multi-tentant dc.
- 11y ago
- jsingleton 11y agoOnly just realised from this that MacBook Pro's no longer have an Ethernet port! When did that happen? You need to buy an expensive thunderbolt adapter. I can understand removing it from the ultra portable super-thin models but not from the top end professional model.
- pilif 11y agoA $30 adapter for a $2000+ machine isn't what I would call expensive. It does make the machines a lot thinner though and normally, you don't need wired Ethernet any more. I easily reach 60+ MB/s now over WiFi, so for the times where I really need the additional power I don't care about having the additional dongle with me.
- Daishiman 11y agoWhen you work in an actual office with several dozen machines besides you, interference becomes important. Also, the profit margin on those adapters is pretty astounding.
- pilif 11y agoIn the office, all I plug into my MacBook Pro is the Thunderbolt connector to the monitor and the power adapter. The monitor is connected via wired ethernet. This way I only have to plug in two cables instead of an array of cables. This is why I really don't miss the Ethernet port directly on the machine. For me personally, the gains in portability due to smaller size (and weight) are way more relevant than the theoretical ability to plug in an ethernet cable which I never need.
- snorrah 11y agoIt's not expensive, it's inconvenient. Being able to quickly jack in to a gigabit network and not have to worry about fiddling about with wifi keys and unreliable speeds is something you should get with a high end laptop like an MBP.
- 11y ago
- titzer 11y agoThis is pretty neat, but I wonder how much more dense this configuration could be made if one took away the display, keyboard, battery, and chassis of the laptops and just had the motherboard, which (presumably) is fully integrated with a DIMM connector.
- bgaid 11y agoIf you switch to Mac Mini's and assemble mutiple mini's in a private cloud running VMware, you can have a much more efficient setup. You can do it with xServe's and the latest Mac Pro's as well.
- jkot 11y agoThere was similar post with ARM Chromebooks. A few years ago it was impossible to find stable ARMs which could sustain decent load without crashing. Company had to buy bunch of Chromebooks, strip batteries and put them into rack.
- akhilcacharya 11y agoDo you have a link? This sounds like an interesting problem.
- jkot 11y agoIt is a few years, no link, sorry.
- keenerd 11y ago> There was similar post with ARM Chromebooks. A few years ago it was impossible to find stable ARMs which could sustain decent load without crashing. Company had to buy bunch of Chromebooks, strip batteries and put them into rack. Well, no. The guy putting that rack together didn't know what he was doing and insisted on using the stock AC adapter for the devices. You NEVER use the stock AC adapters in a cluster. They are (usually) made to be cheap and not operate at full load. Maybe 5% will fail under continuous full load. Put 16 in a cluster and now you are looking at a 60% chance of a single failure. ALWAYS ditch the bundled AC adapter and use a single, good quality, high power PSU that branches out to all the boards. 5 volts and 40 amps, for example. These PSUs are more like 99.9% reliable, and as a bonus output much cleaner power. The only reason that this guy had success with Chromebooks is because laptop PSUs are typically sized at 3x capacity (for battery charging). Running a stock PSU 24x7 but only at 30% output greatly reduces the failure rate. edit: http://www.systemcall.eu/blog/2014/06/trashing-chromebooks/ http://www.systemcall.eu/blog/2014/06/trashing-chromebooks/ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7876235 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7876235 Besides ignoring the power supplies, the original author used SD cards on the HK boards instead of eMMC, which is another reliability no-no. Though HK is pretty good about shipping quality PSUs with their hardware, so I suspect it was uSD being flaky in this guy's case.
- chatman 11y agoWhy all this stupidity?
- sudioStudio64 11y agoThat's pretty amazing. It would be interesting to hear more about the testing they are doing.
- k8tte 11y ago> I know some of you will reply with the standard “Why didn’t you just use Linux?” No, i ask myself why dont you just use the Mac Pro (ie the one which isnt a laptop?????)
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- artsandsci 11y agoAt first I thought the headline meant he was using MacBook Pro's from 1996.
- ta223 11y agoThat would be "'96 MacBook Pros..." or I guess, since it was written by a Mac user, "’96 MacBook Pros..."
- shoover 11y agoI've have the distinct pleasure of opening an Apple package twice in my life. Looking at that cart full of boxes, 96 in one day/week/whatever... I don't know what to say about that.
- rvalue 11y agoThis is ridiculous! Is there no other way to test features on OSX ? or like a cloud environment? Not only is this waste of money but also non eco friendly buying all that hardware