How to choose the appropriate height of a server rack?

Determine your needs before choosing a Server Rack…

Due to vertical mounting, 19” Server Racks allow for housing IT,  Telecommunication equipment and accessories in small areas. 

For example, a standard 42U server rack (24”X35”X84) takes only 4 square feet of floor space and can accommodate more than 30 pcs. 1U of rack mount equipment.

At the same time, most of the Server Racks are sturdy and highly reliable. Some models are intended for housing up to 2200 lb of equipment.

One of the most common questions is: “What should be the height of a server Rack?”

It is neither safe nor convenient to operate the equipment installed at over 7 feet high. That is why, according to TIA / EIA-942 standards, one of the requirements is:

• the height of a Telecommunications Rack should not exceed 8 feet (that is 47U Server Rack).

Keep in mind your future projects

Experts recommend providing at least 30% of the internal height for future projects and accessories.

If you have 5 x 2U servers to accommodate, do not forget about auxiliary equipment, which can be put together (patch-panel, UPS battery, monitoring devices, LCD monitors etc..). In this case, you would, most likely, need a 27U Server Rack.

Another point is that installing and maintenance of a cross or patch panel under 6U height, makes the work tough going.

That is why the lower 6U-8U space is not recommended for loading but can be installed with heavy equipment, such as a UPS, battery etc.

While designing and building data centers (either at home or work), expansion is very important for determining the appropriate height of a Server Rack.

In operational centers, it would be hard to carry out the modernization of Cabinets. And even if Telecommunications and Server Racks updating is possible, it takes time and other resources, which leads to financial loss.