Network Racks & Cabinets
Essential components of any network, racks and cabinets are vital for organizing and securing networking equipment. Servers, switches, routers, and patch panels all need to live in an orderly space to function best, and the best possible home for them is within the enclosed structure of a network cabinet or the open space of a server rack. Racks and cabinets accomplish this while using the least amount of space and providing easy access to the devices for maintenance and repairs and for upgrades when necessary.
Network cabinets are enclosed units that provide extra protection against dust, interference, and physical harm. They commonly have doors and side panels that, along with the cabinet itself, can be locked to increase security. Server racks and cabinets are both available in diverse sizes. Though some of the diversity is accounted for by the types of equipment being shelved, much of it has to do with the available space within a room: 24U, 27U, 42U, and 48U are standard sizes.
Subcategories
More Information about Network Racks and Cabinets
Ensuring that a network rack functions properly is a challenge, and meeting that challenge requires a set of well-defined, closely interrelated design parameters—including proper cable management and rigging, adequate cooling and ventilation, and space for growth. To achieve these goals, the equipment rack itself must have some tightly controlled anatomy—a clear front, a clear back, and a well-ordered inside.
The racks and cabinets are outfitted with adjustable mounting rails and shelves that allow for different equipment sizes and mounting requirements. Also, they can be equipped with PDUs and UPSs to handle power distribution and provide backup power in an outage.
FAQs
What accessories are available for the installation of wall mount server racks?
Accessories available for the installation of wall mount server racks include cable management systems, shelves, fan units, mounting brackets, power distribution units (PDUs), and security locks.
What features of a server rack filters heat away from network equipment?
Features of a server rack that filter heat away from network equipment include built-in ventilation systems, such as perforated doors, side panels, and integrated cooling fans, which facilitate adequate airflow and heat dissipation.
Mounting Electrical Enclosures
Unistrut
Before mounting to any surface, it is important to understand how the hardware will interface with the enclosure. In many cases, the enclosures will have holes at the corners that can be used to attach any mounting hardware. It is common to see a mounting strut, commonly referring to as a Unistrut, being used with these electrical enclosures. The Unistrut can attach to the enclosure and provide a very strong connection point to either a wall, concrete or pole mount.
Concrete Anchors
When mounting to a concrete wall, there are several things that should be considered to ensure it is done correctly. Industrial concrete anchors provide a very strong and reliable connection that can last a very long time. Make sure that the concrete is thick and strong enough for these types of anchors. Once the anchors have been installed, attach them to the mounting strut that is attached to the enclosure using hardware that is designed for that particular type of mounting strut.
Strut Clamps
When installing an electrical enclosure on a pole or mass, it is important to make sure that the pole can handle the weight of the enclosure. It is recommended that the pole is made of a very strong rigid material. At least two inch rigid galvanized conduit is recommended. Once the pole has been secured into the ground, strut clamps designed for the size of conduit will attach the enclosure.