User seeks $1.4m from IBM for shoddy server packing
Forklift leads to unplanned downtime
SaaS data loss: The problem you didn’t know you had
Say what you will about cooling issues, disgruntled admins and memory failures. There are times when it's the guys in shipping that cause the most harm to a data center.
Contractor T.R. Systems has sued IBM for allegedly packing a $1.4m server so poorly that it fell off a forklift and wrecked the box.
As InformationWeek reports,
Federal contractor T.R. Systems says its workers were moving the server from a freight truck into its warehouse in Alexandria, Va., when the mishap occurred. "The rear wheels of their forklift hit the raised surface at the entry door of the warehouse, causing the forklift to rock, and subsequently causing the server to rock," T.R. Systems says in court papers filed last month.
"As a result of the rocking motion, the base of the pallet and the crate broke and the crate fell onto the curb, damaging the server packed inside," the contractor states in papers filed in US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia.
The contractor complains that IBM refused to have anything to do with the collapsed iron, rebuffing requests to inspect, repair or remove the bruised box. Ultimately, T.R. Systems had to shell out for a replacement unit, which went to its customer, the US Patent and Trademark Office, according to the report.
As usual, IBM plans to defend itself in the matter.
The crux of T.R. Systems' claim seems to be that IBM's crate was not robust enough for the mainframe or System P unit. But you'd think IBM would have a pretty standard procedures for moving multi-million dollar systems.
The contractor is after more than $1.4m in damages. ®
COMMENTS
abckwards
I recall seeing a guy deliver a large machine and set it down nicely up against the wall. Backwards. lucky somebody noticed, huh .. ?
Forklift drivers last job?
http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/photo/images/images-0-50/photo36.jpg
Forklift Massacre
If you drive a forklift and the forklife actually tips enough for the packing to break, then it is the fault of the fork lift operator. I will wager this Item is just so heavy that it can not be tipped too far before it starts falling. Also, if the forklift tipped under the load, maybe they really needed a bigger forklift to begin with, and the reason it tipped is because the load was too heavy for the forklift to begin with. All of these things have to be onsidered when moving a heavy load. It is most likely the gurrilla's unloading the device were underpaid buffoons.
However, I can still see how they could still win in court. There is a certain expectation of well packaged crate considering the cost of the item. Still you can expect them not to rock a giant server back and forth as it goes down the road. With an item like this it should be handled with a little more care.
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