It's one of the harder parts of life on a server farm. Every once in a while, you realize that one of your machines is... getting on in years. It happens slowly, but then something will make you notice, and when you notice, you also notice that it's been that way for a while. It just usually hits all at once.

I like to put these machines on a nice wire shelf, with plenty of room to flash their lights and vent if they need to, with nice, conditioned, uninterrupted power and plenty of network access (not too much). I like to give them something easy but engaging to work on, and just let them do their thing until they feel it's their time.

It's a little sad, but every computer will eventually flip its final flop. When the time comes, I help all the other machines come to terms with the loss, set up support networks with the remaining machines so everyone has someone to talk to, and perform the ritual of final deracking. The removal and preservation of the connective material. The bagging and labeling of device-specific accoutrements. The shoving of the dead machine into a Sterilite tomb, from which it will rise as part of the dreadful techno-Frankensteinian horror that I am obviously fated to build because there is no. other. reason. to do this.

Just part of life.