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VAX 7000 Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking

Computer systems aren't designed to work after they fall off trucks, but at least one VAX 7000 system survived a four-foot fall and went on to perform flawlessly at a one-week symposium

The system, owned by Elayne Hatch of CSG Event Services, was on loan to Shawn McDonald of the Database Engineering group for the January 1993 Digital Database Symposium in Nashua, NH.

The fall occurred when the system, packed in a custom shipping crate, was being moved from the truck into the hotel where the symposium was taking place. As the truck's power lift gate was being lowered, the crate slipped and fell four feet to the pavement. The shipping company blamed the accident on snowy weather.

Familiar with all aspects of shipping systems to events, Elayne Hatch asked the shipping contractor if the truck's power lift gate was equipped with a freight retainer. The shipping contractor claimed the system was strapped but the strap let go. Elayne remarked, "I have no idea how they could have strapped the system if they didn't have a freight retainer. Together, the system and crate weigh 1,500 pounds and are on wheels, so securing the crate before placing it on a movable platform is critical. They're lucky no one got hurt."

Shawn McDonald was present when the system was rolled out of the packing crate. The trucking company hadn't notified him of the mishap, but the damage was apparent. The TF85 tape drive was bent, as were one side panel and the frame of the VAX 7000 system.

"We panicked when we saw the system," remembers Shawn. "Since it was the server for all of our client systems, the VAX 7000 system was the heart and soul of the symposium. We expected the worst when we plugged in the system and were amazed and relieved when it worked… The VAX 7000 system operated for the entire week-long symposium without problems."

After the show, Randy Roy, Systems Integration Technician, performed diagnostic tests to determine the actual extent of the internal damage. Although the tape drive was beyond repair, the disks and memory boards were intact. To the surprise of those in the testing lab, the system passed all the diagnostic tests.

Although this VAX 7000 system will be retired from the rigorous trade show circuit, it will find a new home in a local data center. But first, it has to survive one last truck ride…