Published on : 2026-06-12 09:55
       
       Yesterday, the 11th of June 2026, my cluster / capsule / gopher 
       hole / http mirror / finger server were down from aproximately 
       10:50 EST to about 19:40 EST.
       
       Homelabers  worry about disk failures, kernel panics, power 
       outages, internet connection dying and ransomware. In reality, 
       the greatest threat to a home cluster is neither hardware nor 
       software - it's a spouse armed with a vacuum cleaner and 
       absolutely no awareness that the mysterious blinking box in the 
       corner is "production infrastructure."
       
       My docker cluster can survive node and power failures, but no 
       amount of redundancy can protect against the WIFE holding a 
       vacuum cleaner.
       
       The problem
       ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
       My APC UPS has 8 Schuko plugs:
       
        * 4 offer battery backup + surge protection
        * the other 4 offer only surge protection
       
 (IMG)  My APC Back UPS ES700
       
       Because of only 4 plugs connected to the battery of the UPS I had 
       to install another power strip with another 6 Schuko plugs for my 
       Lenovo 1/2/3 nodes, my NAS and a small switch. The extension cord 
       is plugged in into the UPS and lives in the rack made from an old 
       wood cabinet.
       
 (IMG)  The power strip with the SWITCH
       
       The wife managed to push the power switch on the power strip 
       above with the vacuum cleaner hose. I can't see how you can miss 
       that the huge red light is turned off right in front of you.
       
       Solutions I can think off
       ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
       What I can think of right now:
       
        * Add labels saying: "DO NOT TURN OFF"
        * Add additional labels: "SERIOUSLY"
        * MacGyver the power strip and bypass it's power switch
        * lock the living door when I'm not home
        * Stop pretending the homelab is a datacenter.
       
       Another solution was suggested by stack over at:
       
 (HTM)  BBS thread
       
       > stack: Or having to lock wife up in the basement 
       > [have not tried yet]
       
       I don't have a basement but I could lock her in the bathroom. 
       She spends 80% of the day there so it wouldn't hurt her that much.
       
       Like matter and antimatter, power strip switches and homelabs 
       should never come into contact. Adding a wife with a vacuum 
       cleaner only accelerates the reaction.
       
       No further action is expected unless cleaning occurs again.
       
 (DIR)  Back to my phlog