Will you buy this? This minuscule rack server comes with 2U servers, 48-port switches and even cabling, but is it a toy?

Japan’s Gachapon -Machines now offers detailed miniature rack -servercamer objects
Every 1/12 scale -server model repeats real brands like Cisco, Dell and A10
They have small cables, gates, fans and stack racks but they are only toys

If you live in the US or the UK, you are probably familiar with vending machines in grocery stores and shopping malls dispensing with small toys or collectibles in plastic capsules. You insert your money, turn the handle and pop a prize, typically something like jump balls, fidget toys, collectibles and so on.

Japan offers something similar, but with really desirable products that are of much better quality. Gachapon machines are part of everyday life there and can be found everywhere, including train stations, malls, arcades and even on the sidewalk. The name Gachapon comes from two Japanese sounds: “Gacha”, the crank of the machine’s handle, and “pon” the sound capsule gives when it falls.

These machines offer a huge selection of theme products. As you would expect from Japan, they include everything from the sweet and quirky to the strangely specific or totally bite, including small versions of animals, people, food or characters from anime and manga. Minimachines recently discovered Gachapon machines (via @kalleboo) that dispensed with miniature rack servers.

Like the right thing

The rack servers don’t serve any practical purpose – you can’t actually use them, so make sure all ideas you might have to create a shoe box -size data center – but attention to details is remarkable.

Created for collectors “aged 15 years and up”, each “palm size network unit” is only 105 mm high and built to a 1/12 scale. The server blades are only a few millimeters thick and are modeled according to real products from Dell, Cisco, A10 Networks, Furukawa Electric and Fortinet. You can build them, take them apart and connect the different elements. Ethernet gates, cables, rack mounting refrigeration systems, power strips, logos, ventilation openings and other details are all carefully replicated.

If you happen to be in Japan and you are lucky enough to find a Gachapon machine that offers these, you can get the little rack server in your dreams for 500 yen each (about $ 3.50). Keep an eye on eBay as well as Gachapon collections are sold there but you pay a prize.

They may not do anything, but for the enthusiasts or someone who loves strangely specific, incredibly detailed miniature, they are strangely tempting. I’m not much of a collector personally, but these may just change it.

(Image Credit: Karl Baron)

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