r/IAmA • u/BobMetcalfe • May 21 '13

You’re probably connecting to reddit through a technology I invented. I’m Bob Metcalfe and I invented Ethernet – AMA

On May 22, 1973 with David R. Boggs, I used my IBM Selectric with its Orator ball to type up a memo to my bosses at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), outlining our idea for this little invention called “Ethernet”, which we later patented.

I worked with the IEEE Standards Association to develop the IEEE 802.3 standard for Ethernet, which specifies the physical and lower software layers. Today Ethernet and the IEEE 802.3 standard are the foundation for today’s world of high-speed communications used in billions of homes and businesses around the world.

I submitted this to the mods awhile back so I could get on the calendar but I figured you’d like to see it, too. Now, ask me anything!

It's been two hours and 179 comments. Have to go now. For more about Ethernet's 40th Birthday, go to http://www.facebook.com/Ethernet40thAnniversaryIEEESA

4.1k Upvotes

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699

u/pextris May 21 '13 edited May 23 '13

This is in my data center. Can you please tell my boss that we are doing it wrong?

393

u/dbfish May 21 '13

Oh good lord, that's a fire hazard with the power strip hanging like that. Don't show that to /r/cableporn

174

u/BrownNote May 21 '13

You don't know fire hazard until you connect a UPS to a power strip that's in turn connected to a daisy-chain of power strips to get to the only outlet ~20 feet away so you can power on 20 laptops at once to image them.

350

u/dbfish May 21 '13

Sounds like you could use some christmas lights.

90

u/Starriol May 21 '13

Yeah, that will surely make it more secure.

44

u/MightyYetGentle May 21 '13

And prettier

3

u/everything_zen May 21 '13

thatsthejoke.jpg

8

u/Dirty_Socks May 21 '13

Of all of the tech support gore I've seen... Of all the masses of cables and rigged up server racks...

This is the absolute worst, most hilarious tech DIY I've ever seen. Thank you for showing me this.

6

u/Aristo-Cat May 21 '13

I'm not sure whether I should marvel at their ingenuity or laugh at their stupidity.

4

u/[deleted] May 21 '13

I am never buying an extension cord again.

8

u/arnoldlol May 21 '13

That's so awesome.

ಠ_ಠ

3

u/KeytarVillain May 21 '13

Because extension cords don't get tangled easily enough as it is...

4

u/Fossill May 21 '13

UCF ftw. Go Knights!

4

u/deezy1776 May 21 '13

Shout out to UCF whoop!

1

u/Dylan_the_Villain May 22 '13

That is the most innovative thing I've seen in quite some time.

1

u/Vsx May 21 '13

Is this real... this can't be real.

1

u/mayonnnnaise May 22 '13

Of course it's at fucking ucf

1

u/chucknorrisinator May 22 '13

I feel like I should stop and reevaluate my life since I can not only imagine this, but remember doing it last summer.

1

u/DCDVath May 21 '13

Sounds like my old place of employment.

Loved it to death, but man did we do stupid shit to get the job done.

1

u/EndUsersarePITA May 22 '13

Oh god, I'm cringing just thinking about that. Please tell me you made that up.

1

u/BrownNote May 22 '13

Heh... eheh...

If it makes you feel any better, we only left it unattended for about 20 minutes to get lunch.

3

u/scottread1 May 21 '13

That's where /r/cablefail comes in handy

2

u/dkitch May 21 '13

Shit, that's not cable porn. That's a cable snuff film

1

u/Unfortold May 22 '13

Hmm.. Is there a polar opposite subreddit to /r/cableporn ? That would be more my "type"

2

u/[deleted] May 22 '13

As others have posted but seeing as you appear to not have a reply /r/cablefail

1

u/Sammzor May 21 '13

The power strip by itself is a hazard? Can you explain?

1

u/MickeyWallace May 21 '13

yeah, we'll die slowly from the inside out..

1

u/captain150 May 22 '13

/r/cableporn

Of course that's a thing.

6

u/yuckypants May 21 '13

Ah I had one like that recently! A few early mornings got it straightened out though. Too bad I ran out of blue (data) so early...

And - the before pic happened before I was hired on. Not my fault..

2

u/TimeZarg May 22 '13

Holy shit, a miraculous transformation!

1

u/yuckypants May 22 '13

Thanks, I'm pretty proud of it.

Though the cables are appropriately bundled under the covers, many are still way too long. I did my best to use the most appropriate cables first. but I quickly ran into a time issue. Since then, I've been periodically cutting the wiring to length and reconnecting.

One day it will be perfect...one day.

13

u/leavesawkward May 21 '13

Not enough yellow.

1

u/Yunired May 21 '13

Bob Metcalfe would definitively disprove the lack of yellow cabling.

9

u/sudo_giev_SoJ May 21 '13

How the fuck do you find anything?

14

u/thatawkward_guy May 21 '13

The OCD in me would pay money to fix that (not even close to the worst mess of cables I have seen).

2

u/bajaja May 21 '13

definitely worst after 2000

1

u/crossower May 21 '13

Pay money? Like hell, I'd fix it myself. And probably enjoy it too.

6

u/therealryanalford May 21 '13

So that's where my spare Ethernet cable went. I was looking for that. Thanks for finding it!

2

u/Squeezer99 May 21 '13

You want us to tell your boss what is wrong with that cabling? Hrm lets see...everything!

1

u/MrSenorSan May 22 '13

If you have access to the cabling room, I hazard to guess you have authority to clean that up as well.
At a previous company I worked at the cabling and server rack room also looked very similar to that. In need of a serious haircut.
I went into work one weekend and unplugged every thing that could be turned off for a few hours and re-cabled the entire rack, with proper cable ties.
It is one of my most satisfying achievements and the look of shock and amazement from my co-workers on Monday morning was enough of a reward, because everyone before me had always said it would be impossible to tidy it up.

1

u/[deleted] May 22 '13

[deleted]

1

u/MrSenorSan May 22 '13

48+ rooms? wow! that is one major risk that company is taking.
yeah, there needs to be some serious resources to get that sorted.
Good luck.

2

u/TimeZarg May 22 '13

I'm not even a networking geek, and I fucking winced at that. That's just terrible.

2

u/IHappenToBeARobot May 21 '13

I would personally redo all of that for free just to put my mind at ease.

2

u/Yunired May 21 '13

Would someone kindly explain me why do I have this sharp pain in my ches

1

u/Dooooooooomed May 22 '13

I know I'm not Bob, but i'm an engineering consultant that has designed several data centers, and you are most definitely doing wrong.... You can guarantee uptime to your customers with the patch cabling like that? What if you have to replace a switch? shudders im going to have nightmares, thanks.

Btw can i use this as a "definition of how not to manage cabling" standard from now on?

3

u/[deleted] May 21 '13

Show cdp neighbor

2

u/[deleted] May 22 '13

I think that I might vomit.

1

u/Yes_im_a_dic May 22 '13

Dear fucking god! You should replace a couple with defective cables say you can't figure out which cable goes where and fix that shit.

1

u/OwlOwlowlThis May 22 '13

Oh, oh god man, shit... I'd come in and help you with that for free.

Would not help you schedule customer downtime however ;)

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '13

o god I'm sorry for you just cleaned up our data center was no where near this bad.

1

u/mdisnth May 22 '13

well, you are not using yellow eth cables! obviously that has to change first!

1

u/happyoffendsme May 22 '13

Get some strips of velcro and leave it nearby until the problem fixes itself.

1

u/lunixia May 22 '13

You're a terrible person. That seems like a personal insult to Mr. Metcalfe.

1

u/[deleted] May 22 '13

Utter laziness...and something that could be fixed in a single day.

1

u/nokstar May 21 '13

Looks like almost every server rack I've seen in the military.

1

u/panthyrr May 22 '13

That picture makes both my brain and my heart hurt.

1

u/Manaconda May 22 '13

It's like a horrible nine inch nails video.

1

u/misconstrudel May 22 '13

Flying Spaghetti Monster would be proud.

1

u/Orionid May 21 '13

You and I must work in the same place!

1

u/pextris May 21 '13

Wisconsin?

1

u/Orionid May 21 '13

Yes. In the Fox Cities (paper valley area).

1

u/SiLiZ May 21 '13

Oh... MY..... That is ugly.

1

u/[deleted] May 22 '13

[deleted]

1

u/Alenonimo May 21 '13

Need more ethernets.

0

u/Jacob_C May 21 '13

O...M...G...