What is a rack cabinet? 7 things to consider when choosing a rack cabinet

There is an important device of the network system that we often forget, which is the rack cabinet. Therefore, very few customers have enough information about the rack cabinet before choosing it, which greatly affects the operation of the network system. The following article will provide information about what a rack cabinet is, how to choose a rack cabinet and 7 issues to note when choosing a rack cabinet to suit the actual needs of the network system, please refer to it.

What is a rack cabinet?

7 things to consider when choosing a rack cabinet

1. What kind of environment is the rack placed in?

The first thing to consider when choosing a rack is what kind of environment the rack should be placed in. When placed indoors, if the cabinet is placed in a separate room, has a cooling system and a clean, dust-free environment, then you should choose the type with a mesh door, otherwise choose the mica door type.

2. What color is the rack cabinet?

Usually rack cabinets are painted black, gray, silver. However, some manufacturers can adjust the color according to customer requirements.

3. What equipment will be installed in the rack and how deep will the equipment be?

Most high-end racks are approximately 11 inches deep, but some are nearly twice that deep. While most cabinets have adjustable rail depths, knowing the exact depth of your equipment will help you choose the optimal sized cabinet to fit both the equipment inside and the space outside.

4. How many U’s do you need in total? (1U = 1.75 inches)

U is the unit of calculation of space inside the rack according to EIA standards. The hole system on the hanging bars in the cabinet is divided into clusters, each cluster includes 3 square holes with a side of 0.5 inches (12.70 mm). Each system of 3 square holes is designed in parallel to form a part of the space inside the cabinet with a height of 1U equivalent to 1.75 inches (44.45 mm). The devices mounted on the cabinet are often designed based on this U number. For example, 2U, 4U, 6U servers, or 1U, 2U switches, routers, … You need to know exactly the number of devices to use and the ability to expand in the future to know which type of cabinet with the U number should be chosen.

5. Does the network cabinet need special accessories?

Depending on the installed equipment and network cabinet, you may need to purchase additional accessories such as: equipment mounting support bars (rail kit), cable management bars, sliding trays, fixed trays… In addition, equipping additional specialized disassembly support tools will help save construction time.

6. How will electricity be supplied?

Equipment installed in rack cabinets requires power to operate and must be protected in the event of electrical problems. Make sure to choose a cabinet with space for power bars, UPS, and ground wires so that the equipment can operate safely and increase energy efficiency.

7. How to manage cables and temperature in the cabinet?

The final consideration when selecting a rack is how to manage cables and temperatures within the cabinet. Cooling devices such as fans, air conditioners, vents, and heat exchangers should be used to ensure optimal performance. In addition, cable ladders, cable trays, cable management bars, and cable ties should be provided to keep the cabling system running in the cabinet neat and organized.

8. Why should you choose QNT Investment and Trading Services Company Limited to supply rack cabinets?

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