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Is it safe to mail the fully equipped server to colocation ds?
Almighty LETers:
Is it safe to mail the fully equipped server to colocation data centers? Or should I drive if there is a 10-hour driving distance? With the current gas price in US, probably the two way trip will take 500 dollars gas fees.
Where can I find packing materials, usps, fedex? or some special shops?
Comments
Use GasBuddy to calculate gas cost.
https://www.gasbuddy.com/tripcostcalculator
If it's for business, you can deduct mileage at current rate.
As long as the server is in a proper box with proper fitted foam it'll most likely be fine, just insure it. Choose air shipping if you want to be a bit safer since it'll be in a plane instead of between more trucks. Cut and use Polyethylene foam in the server to fill any spaces where you think anything might become loose and ask the DC to open it and remove it before racking.
Don't send anything to Texas, that's where the scammers are at. Be wary of anyone whose name starts with J and is from Texas offering any web services. It's a known "Prout" scam.
Thank you for the experience sharing. Where do you get those special server boxes?
Thank you very much for the reminding. I was not aware of this kind of scam. Prout? what does this word mean?
https://www.amazon.com/AVENTIS-Adjustable-Packaging-Shipping-Servers/dp/B07W5X1DMY/
For short depth servers, you're pretty screwed though.
A scammer who has gone by many aliases, for example Josh, Jones, Jason, Jarland, Julian, Justin and reside in Texas.
USPS/Fedex/UPS can take it from you and handle it door to door.
Not like they will need to leave it under some rug or anything, so why to be worried?
Shipping for 1U/2U will be lower than the gas price driving yourself.
thanks for the link. i just calculated for a 10-h-distance two way trip, the gas is about $200. probably driving there is better than shipping to protect the server, just a little bit tiresome.
yeh, cheaper and saving time and less tiresome, as long as the server is safe, shipping is the way to go.
LevelOneServers @Ian_Dot_Tech and Nexril @Lyphiard and RPiServers @DataIdeas-Josh are all in Texas.
They are more or less safe, not scam.
I am current customer (not colo) of first and second, whom seem to be in the same building.
Jarland, nah, he looks at your emails to find dick pics.
If he provides colo, you'll find a dick in the server when you receive it back.
Personally, I'd ship it UPS unless I wanted a fun excuse for a road trip and a tour of the datacenter.
Unless we have a ton of servers to make freight worth it, we send FedEx for most servers.
Occasionally they do break a server, though that is what insurance is for on their site.
As long as you use a box rated for the weight and designed for a server, normally it won't be damaged. In the rare event, it is, open a claim.
I think the more risky part for colocation is not the shipping of the server itself, but rather finding a provider you can trust, that isn't a scam. There are a lot of shady people out there, some of whom will do anything for a fast dollar and will take your hardware...
Best to talk to other customers of the host for real reviews and do your own research.
In terms of materials to ship a server, if you do not have a server box you can always order one from Amazon (its not the cheapest) but it is convient.
1u-2u Box:
https://www.amazon.com/AVENTIS-Adjustable-Packaging-Shipping-Servers/dp/B07W5X1DMY/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3I5BGIY5DNOPJ&keywords=2u+server+box&qid=1659102503&sprefix=2u+server+box,aps,148&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUENIQjZTMUFZVVVaJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTg2Mjc5MklBTlFVMjhKSjhNRSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDU4MjM5M0hYVVdBTFdEWkIwWSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Tower Box:
https://www.amazon.com/Aventis-Adjustable-Packaging-Shipping-Workstations/dp/B09NRV2ZWP/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3I5BGIY5DNOPJ&keywords=2u+server+box&qid=1659102503&sprefix=2u+server+box,aps,148&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUENIQjZTMUFZVVVaJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTg2Mjc5MklBTlFVMjhKSjhNRSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjQ0MDc5REZJSDI4UjkyNVNIJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
Hope this insight helps!
I've seen most server boxes from Uline
https://www.uline.com/Cls_04/Boxes-Corrugated
Thank you @yoursunny for the shout-out.
Yes. The person by the name of Joshua Prout is a person that needs to go to jail!
If there's anything we can do to help out. Please let us know.
That's what Prout would say.
Also this.
Besides Prout doesn't publicly come out and say they are Prout.
Anyways. OP will trust who they want. If you feel like hashing it out with me. Come to our discord.
I've shipped servers, network gear, drives, and accessories to @DataIdeas-Josh. I don't recall any issues. used UPS, USPS, FedEx, and Amazon.
Josh was nice enough to find me a used server box for my large iron.
He also racked it and didn't steal any of my shit. So good things can happen when you mail expensive things to people you haven't met!
Nobody has asked my first question(s):
What data is on it, whose data is it, and who is responsible for that data? How is that data secured (and backed up)?
If it is new hardware that is newly configured, then it sounds more like a ship/drive value assessment - risk of theft or damage, cost of insurance, cost of delay, time to replace, stuff like that. I assume that you have a backup capability where you can buy new hardware, restore the backup and turn it around quickly if the hardware is stolen or damaged.
I have done both. Most times I shipped, insured. On rare occasions, hardware replacement would have been a serious problem, so I took it with me. It was a necessary part of the job.
True, he has proven to be an honest and trustworthy person to colo with by all accounts. I would consider his services if I needed them.
For shipping labels I always use https://pirateship.com/
Driving a server out isn't economical unless it's within about an hour drive> @lanefu said:
I've shipped thousands in servers, switches, cables, and other stuff to @DataIdeas-Josh and have had Colo with him for a long time.
He even went to the effort of debugging multiple servers for me when I couldn't figure it out.
I have also sent him parts and had him build and rack the server and everything went smoothly. Can't recommend Josh enough, great person and even better provider.
Thanks a lot for the box information!
I use the same site for everything I ship - nothing large like servers, but more for things like gifts for people, etc. They have no monthly fees, compared to other sites like Stamps.com and ShipStation which have the same rates but with monthly fees. Their "simple export rate" for international shipments is very good and I always use it when I'm sending things to people back home in Australia.