[geeks] IBM rant

[Dan Duncan]

So why exactly is it that when I call for replacement of a failed
drive on an IBM-manufactured server to replace an IBM-labelled
drive (although it's manufactured by Fujitsu) when I give them the
machine type and long-ass IBM model number reported by the drive
they don't know the actual type of replacement drive because they
need some made-up FRU that's only printed on the front of the
drive carrier instead of being somehow accessible from the system
itself?  They don't even know the interface type, size, or speed
of the drive which I found easily enough in google.  They have a
utility on their website that will supposedly ID the drive which
I ran on an identically-configured system (because the first is down
because it's the boot drive that failed) which promptly drops the
network on the WORKING server.  I have 2 options to find the FRU
for the server.  1) Trudge my ass 100 miles in a snowstorm to LOOK
AT THE FRONT OF THE DRIVE or 2) Let IBM's field engineer trudge
his ass out in the snow to look at the front of the drive and then
obtain a replacement.  Of course I chose option 2, but either one
means a day's delay in getting my damned drive replaced.

-DanD

-- 
#  Dan Duncan (kd4igw)  dand at pcisys.net  http://pcisys.net/~dand
#  Never pet a burning dog.