The efficient use of your data center depends very much on your servers, power distribution units and other equipment being interconnected and easily accessible. Choosing the right kind of server racks, therefore, becomes instrumental in determining the efficiency of your data centers. Here, we would like to discuss the three most basic types of server racks using which other types can be derived.
Open Server Rack
An open server rack is a simple structure which does not come with sides or doors. It is simply made of mounting rails which provide a structural framework to house your servers. They are used in data centers which do not require much security but require adequate air flow. Since the rack is open, it provides the highest level of accessibility compared to other server racks. There are 2 types of open server racks – 2-post and 4-post. 2-post server racks are of lower depth but support only lighter loads compared 4-post open racks. Since it is open frame, these racks are much cheaper than closed racks.
Floor Mount Rack
Standard floor mount racks are one of the most commonly used containers for housing servers. Server cabinets, are more enclosed – they come with front and rear doors, side panels and mounting rails. Naturally, they provide more security and protection for the servers you house but they also limit the servers’ accessibility. Another area of challenge with cabinets is cooling – they allow for much less access to outside air to regulate the temperature surrounding the servers. In order to maintain optimum temperature, you might have to invest in a venting solution which can get the trapped air outside the cabinet without compromising on the security.
When it comes to the price of the cabinet, the enclosures can significantly drive up its cost. However, these enclosements do allow you to hide wires and make the data center more neat in terms of appearance.
Wall Mount Rack
Wall mount racks are designed to save floor space and fit in areas where cabinets and other racks can’t be installed. Wall mount racks can also be made in open rack or cabinet forms and come with the same benefits and challenges for both types. In addition to this, it is important to note that wall mount racks cannot handle large loads and is, by nature, smaller in size. If your organization’s requirements do not call for a full-fledged data center, choosing a non-intrusive wall mount rack would be your best choice. It is also an economical solution designed to give you more room for your other devices.
Depending on what your requirements are, consider the following parameters before choosing a server rack.
Size of servers
Flexibility of racks
Load capacity of racks
Cooling efficiency of racks
Security for servers
At Hardy Racks, we believe that choosing the right type of server racks should one of the first priorities during the designing of your data center. To help you achieve maximum efficiency, we provide comprehensive consultation services and server racks to suit all your requirements. To know more about our services and products, do get in touch with us now.