# Raiding the Minibar

- Show: [Oxide and Friends](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends)
- Published: 2025-04-01
- Length: 1h 52m
- Episode: 11
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/10fe713f

## Summary

Ian Sobering, Doug Wibben, and Nathanael Huffman of Oxide Computer Company discuss the design and bring-up of 'Minibar,' a test rig for their Gimlet compute sleds. The team explains how Minibar consolidates backplane connectivity, management networking, and programming interfaces to streamline manufacturing. They detail the mechanical evolution from a simple dongle to a full cubby-sized tester and a compact 'Minibar Lite' for lab use. The episode highlights significant bring-up challenges, including a ground bounce issue causing boot loops and assembly errors with rotated sense resistors that required board rework.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar#t=0) Introduction: Minibar Context and Programming Process
- [7:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar#t=478) The Need for Minibar: Testing Sleds Outside the Rack
- [19:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar#t=1171) Designing Minibar: Dongles vs. Full Sidecar
- [33:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar#t=1986) Minibar Architecture and Altium Transition
- [43:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar#t=2624) Mechanical Design: Rotisserie and Blind Mate Connectors
- [54:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar#t=3264) Minibar Lite: Compact Enclosure for Lab Use
- [1:14:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar#t=4492) Bring-Up Failure 1: Ground Bounce and Boot Loops
- [1:27:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar#t=5228) Bring-Up Failure 2: Rotated Sense Resistor and Popped Supply
- [1:38:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar#t=5902) Reworking Boards and Fixing Ethernet Pinout
- [1:47:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar#t=6431) Future Manufacturing: Cosmo Programming and Scaling

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Oxide Computer Company (company)
- Minibar (product)
- Gimlet (product)
- Cosmo (product)
- Medusa (product)
- K.2 (product)
- Altium (tool)
- OrCAD (tool)
- SolidWorks (tool)
- Tofino (chip)
- ICE40 (chip)
- ADM1272 (chip)
- Benchmark Electronics (company)
- Samtec (company)
- IBC (company)
- DigiKey (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [494: All Tech Is Wearable](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2025-02-07-494-all-tech-is-wearable) (Embedded.fm)
- [This Is Just A Tribute](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-08-10-this-is-just-a-tribute) (The Amp Hour)
- [Chatting Ultra HDI: Chrys Shea, PCB Miniaturization & Challenges Ahead](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-04-02-chatting-ultra-hdi-chrys-shea-pcb-miniaturization-challenges-ahead) (OnTrack)
- [Photon Rich, Cash Poor](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-10-14-photon-rich-cash-poor) (The Amp Hour)
- [Troubleshooting, PCBs and LEDs - Quaintized Quich Quelling](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-08-28-troubleshooting-pcbs-and-leds-quaintized-quich-quelling) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-04-01-raiding-the-minibar. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Oxide and Friends.