To help distinguish a rack from a cabinet, consider the rack as the two- or four-post framework to which the IT equipment is secured; either directly or by way of rack rails. The perceived drawbacks with open frame racks illustrates the current trend for enclosed cabinets; that easy access raises security fears due to their susceptibility to damage, either accidental or malicious; that production equipment is exposed to contaminants, dirt and debris; and that exposed cables and cable managers, if poorly maintained, lead to poor aesthetics.
For the full article on which this summary is based, see Rack versus Cabinet: Which is Right for You? at Anixter's website.
Rack standards
- Rack enclosures have vendor neutral mounting rails. They are fully adjustable and compatible with all compliant 19” equipment. See Vertiv rack details for further information.
- Access points for power and data pathways are at the top of the cabinets.
- Blanking panels will be installed in any unused rack space to minimize cold/hot air mixing.
- Brushed blanking panels are available for instances requiring front-to-back cable runs:
- Horizontal cable management bars are available:
- Patch cabling is to be contained within each cabinet.
- Structured fibre cabling is presented within each of the racks
- Structured Ethernet cabling can be supplied upon request
- No superfluous items are to be left inside cabinets including, but not limited to:
- Keyboards
- Monitors
- Documents
- Post-It notes
- Packaging
- Fibre Optic cable terminator protectors
- Tie wraps
Rack dimensions
- WCDC:
- Data Hall 3 - Knurr Racks
- External dimensions: Width 800mm x Depth 1200mm
- The space between the front and rear rack strut is 720mm
- The space between the cabinet edge and the front rack strut is 100mm
- The space behind the rear rack strut and the cabinet edge is 310mm
- 47U
- If the gap is to be extended, to accommodate deeper devices, bear in mind that prescribed cable bend radii need be observed, and that vertical power strips need to be accommodated; these concerns will reduce the theoretical maximum to which the rack depth could be extended.
- Data Hall 3 - Knurr Racks
- Soulsby Building:
- SBY-Ax - Rittal Racks
- The space between the front and rear rack strut is 740mm
- Scope to extend at front up to 400mm; assuming rack mounted power strips are installed, plus possible loss of vertical cable management tray.
- SBY-Ex - Unknown brand
- The space between the front and rear rack strut is 740mm
- There is no scope to alter the position of the rack struts
- SBY-Ax - Rittal Racks