"Alright Ms D. You are clear. It is the 2nd floor, cabinet 105A. Do you need an escort?"
"No, I'm good, thanks. I come here all the time."
"Hm. Fine. Go on."
I take the elevator to the 2nd floor and find my way to the correct row and the right cabinet. I could do this with my eyes closed. And since I have to visit this rack every couple of months just shows what lousy equipment our company cheaps out on.
I call up the service desk back at the company to let them know that I am in and starting the work. Here we go...
I crouch in front of our server, which just has to be almost at the very bottom of the rack. I go through the usual troubleshooting routine, checking the cables and lights, rebooting, connecting the console and wishing they didn't have cameras at the data centre so I could kick the stupid machine to make it work again.
The very contorted position is really making my back hurt and I roll my shoulders, trying to relieve the tension. I need a bonus for inhuman working conditions or something.
I call the guys at the service desk again, asking if the remote connection works now. Still no luck.
Still scratching my head, I wiggle the network cable a bit. I then disconnect it and connect it to my laptop. Still no connection. Hmm...
I pick up the cable and follow it out of the server, through the first bundle of cables, then the second. It sure is easy to see, it is the only red network cable in the bundle. Someone's idea of a joke.
Still following the cable, I round a corner of racks and go on further. The snake of cables is getting thicker and thicker, taking in more and more cables along the way. It is turning into a colourful anaconda.
It ends up so big, I can barely see our own cable inside.
I keep going and the racks keep passing and I wonder if maybe all these cables shouldn't get connected to a switch or something. Instead, the monster is just growing and growing. It is also starting to glow faintly. I must be losing my mind.
I end up in a jungle of cables. There are no more racks, no equipment to be seen, just cables and more cables. Thin, thick, grey, colourful, even striped. I'm starting to have to push aside some of the overhanging cables just to be able to go on. And in the middle of all this mess there is my red network cable. Defying me. Urging me to follow it until its end.
But the other cables are bundling up together around me, rustling softly, glinting menacingly. It seems like they don't want me to find something out. What is the secret behind the plastic vines?
I now have to bend down, almost crouching through a low tunnel surrounded by thousands of cables.
There it is! In front of me! I slide my finger down the red cable down towards its socket. No sooner do I touch it, do I realise it is loose.
The next thing I know, there is an angry rustle behind me. I turn around to see the other cables closing in on me fast. Help!
