Pimp My Noc

[not5150]

Ok, my boss has given me a very interesting project.

We're moving to a new office and I have to set up the network operations center. Boss wants a two row 10 monitor wall (2 rows of 5 42-inch and above screens). Smaller monitors will be placed to the left and right of this wall.

We're also looking into having a huge projector in the middle and splitting up the screens to four to five monitors on each side.

I've researched a bunch of companies and talked to a bunch of sales drones, but it seems most of the companies advertising video walls and multimonitor setups are rip-offs. From what I gather, they are just taking off the shelf monitors, popping them onto Ergotron mounts and then installing Ultramon (which is like $30) on top.

Right now, my best solution seems to be buying a bunch of screens and plugging them into a set of computers with multiple video cards each. Then I'd use Ultramon to span and designate the screens.

My question is, have you guys seen similar set ups and is there a smarter way to do this?

Don't you love projects where the boss says, "Money is no object!"

[shrdlu]

Re: Pimp My Noc

Ok, my boss has given me a very interesting project.

We're moving to a new office and I have to set up the network operations center. Boss wants a two row 10 monitor wall (2 rows of 5 42-inch and above screens). Smaller monitors will be placed to the left and right of this wall.

Monitoring what? Sounds like you're building a hollywood set, rather than a NOC. How many people will be in this room, and what data goes up on the displays? Remember that the important stuff needs to be eye-level, and that anyone watching displays for any length of time needs to be comfortable.

Details, boy. We need details.

[xor]

Re: Pimp My Noc

Monitoring what?

They need it to monitor Master Chief in Halo. At least some one has a budget.

xor

[valkyrie]

Re: Pimp My Noc

Ok, my boss has given me a very interesting project.

We're moving to a new office and I have to set up the network operations center. Boss wants a two row 10 monitor wall (2 rows of 5 42-inch and above screens). Smaller monitors will be placed to the left and right of this wall.

We're also looking into having a huge projector in the middle and splitting up the screens to four to five monitors on each side.

I've researched a bunch of companies and talked to a bunch of sales drones, but it seems most of the companies advertising video walls and multimonitor setups are rip-offs. From what I gather, they are just taking off the shelf monitors, popping them onto Ergotron mounts and then installing Ultramon (which is like $30) on top.

Right now, my best solution seems to be buying a bunch of screens and plugging them into a set of computers with multiple video cards each. Then I'd use Ultramon to span and designate the screens.

My question is, have you guys seen similar set ups and is there a smarter way to do this?

Don't you love projects where the boss says, "Money is no object!"

what is the objective?

regards,

valkyrie
__________________________________________________ __________
sapere aude

[not5150]

Re: Pimp My Noc

We're monitoring 1300 servers and approximately 80 Gbps worth of transit links. Three datacenters in LA area (including one Wilshire).

We currently have four 42-inch screens and those monitor security cams (we have 10 on rotation). The cams are placed on one screen, while our Nagios alerts are on the other screen.

Ideally in the new noc, one screen would be devoted to CNN and another would be local news - probably Channel 4 KNBC.

Other screens would have

Akamai Weather Map
Internet Storm Center
VMWare ESX Server status
Network health maps (this will be 3 screens)

[figment]

Re: Pimp My Noc

Here's my NOC, our current setup is simply 5 ceiling mounted projectors, each of which have dual and quad screen capability. The a/v equipment has a central touch screen control that basically acts as a glorified kvm with some additional bells and whistles, the system is also cable tv ready and has dvd playback with ceiling mounted speakers. All workstations have dual monitor setups, trio/quad setup was denied by upper management =(

If you get 1 or more projectors, I'd have to advise not to go overboard. After 3 of our $12,000 units died (about 5 years of operation 24x7x365), we decided to experiment with some NEC $1500 units.. so far they've performed just as well (in use now for about 18 months).

Here's a crappy pic snagged from our intranet page (I blocked out some contact info and such)

[not5150]

Re: Pimp My Noc

Thanks Figment,

We looked into DLP projectors (3 of them actually), but the lamp replacement costs would have killed us. We would have to replace each lamp approx every 3 months (assuming 24 hours/day operation at 2000 hours death time).

Could you tell me the maker of the central touchscreen kvm?

Boss just ordered all the screens :) It's gone up to 12 42-inch screens and then 6 24-inch screens on each side.

Cabling this monster isn't going to be fun.

[not5150]

Re: Pimp My Noc

Screens have arrived

http://blog.vpls.net/index.php/compo...creens-arrived

[figment]

Re: Pimp My Noc

not5150

Sorry for the late response, been out of town and busy as hell.. the a/v and touchscreen system is a product by Crestron

[artoir]

Re: Pimp My Noc

To be honest I'd be more worried about the life of your televisions not5150.

I work in an electronics retail store part time (Curry's for anyone in the UK) and we have our televisions on 24/7 as well. It just takes too long to turn on and switch over to the HDMI signal on 140+ TV's every morning.

Well we have quite a few 100HZ LCD televisions on display, and the only one that has lasted beyond a year is a Samsung 7 series. My only concern would be that 120HZ is going to have a shorter life span. Sure your picture will kick ass, just hope it lasts man.

Another example is the new Sony Bravia KDL-40Z4500 with 200HZ. The lifespan is dire.

[telemonster]

Re: Pimp My Noc

If you can handle analog VGA versus DVI, Extron Crosspoint RGBHsVs units can be gotten from eBay cheap. This might be what the crestron is driving on the back end (or something like it, isis, etc). I picked up a 8 x 4 (8 vga in, 4 vga out) Extron for a shmoocon presentation (didn't get it done but still presented). Hope to use it next year.

*Some* projectors are advertising bulb life of 5000 hours now. Optoma, Dell, etc. It is what it is.

Everyone builds these things for looks. The last place with a NOC that I worked at had 4 x 80" rear projection (LCD/DLP rear fired projectors on mounts with short throw lenses), then 4 x 42" plasmas hanging halfway thru the room. Crestron could switch the stuff all around. It was mostly for show of course.

The other place I roll through often that has one, it's mostly all powered down as there aren't many employees in there anymore. Built for show, then rolled back in staffing once the photos were taken for the brochure.

[astcell]

Re: Pimp My Noc

1300 servers, four 42" screens....

Do you have HALO3?