Server racks are designed to hold all of the leading OEMs from HP, to IBM, to Dell servers and technology equipment. Storing your valuable server equipment in a server rack provides security, organization, and proper airflow. All of these elements are extremely important to life of your equipment. Most server racks are 19 inches in width to accommodate the average server. A 19-inch server cabinet is typical in the technology realm. However, we do have some racks that come with 23" mounting options more typical in the data center.

Standard depths range from 36" to 42" while some racks are offered with an adjustable depth in order to accommodate extra rackmount accessories that are taking up space. Additionally, server rack rails hold your servers in place inside the rack, and even some sliding rack rails allow you to move your server in and out of the rack for easy access and maintenance.

Organization of your rack is extremely important. Will proper rack organization you will be able to easily locate cables and provide easy access to critical equipment. One tip for organization of your server rack is to have everything facing the same way. This helps for your machines to pull fresh air from the same direction rather than suck hot air from the output of other machines. Any small devices that you have, such as cable modems and routers, should be kept on a mountable rackmount shelf.

Also, feel free to use every u space in your rack. Equipment can be mounted right above and below each other since most machines intake air at the front and exhaust it at the back. There is no need to leave spaces in your rack. Another good pro tip is to plan for future growth. If you have a growing business then chances are you are going to need more servers or server equipment. So, plan your racks around the idea that eventually you will need more space. Planning ahead will prevent issues when you expand your server rack collection in the future. Finally, cable management is an essential for an organized rack.

While the specific server or servers’ dimensions may be known, it is important to keep in mind several factors. There may need to be at least a few inches on each side for cable flow or management. Also, there needs to be consideration of the size of the room into which the cabinets are being placed. If it has a low ceiling, for example, two shorter enclosures need to be ganged. On the flip side, do not order a 42u enclosure (a typical standard) if a smaller one will do as rack pricing correlates closely to its size.

Sometimes, an extra pair of mounting rails can be needed to ensure secure installation. Exhaust fans, power strips, shelving, internal lighting, and cable management systems are all potential needs that must be considered. There is nothing worse than being ready to activate the Server Rack only to uncover that there are too many electrical outlets required.

There are, of course, cost impacts on the time required to get the rack and equipment operational. A knock-down rack will have a much lower cost, but then labor will be required to assemble the unit. Simple features such as numbered holes on the mounting rails can speed installation, as can pre-cut holes for fans or other accessories.