Who Buys Server Racks?

Have you ever been to a server room or a data center? If yes, then you imagine what it looks like. If not, then you should probably watch videos and look at pictures to understand the case. The thing is that data centers are large premises where hundreds of telecommunication equipment are stored. Huge systems are developed from electronic hardware to cope with complicated tasks, store datum, and generate solutions to any case.

Thus, these devices should be accommodated somehow. Systems administrators who are responsible for organizing systems and their maintenance use specialized server furniture – server racks.

What is Server Furniture?

The manufacturers of server furniture distinguish two classes of products, namely open-frame racks and enclosed cabinets. Generally, both products are produced from high-quality thick metal that ensures durability, rigidity, and perfect carrying capacities.

If you still can’t answer the question “what can you do with server racks?”, here’s the main cause for using them. The key purpose of furniture is to house hardware. Cabinets are multi-layer, which allows accommodating lots of devices and ensures efficient space allocation and better room ergonomics.

As a rule, several cabinets are placed in a long row on the premises. Rows of racks form corridors that provide the required air circulation.

Types of Server Furniture

There are several classifications of furniture for data centers. According to the type of construction, there are:

• open-frame racks;
• enclosed cabinets.

Each group of models has its pros and cons are suitable for various purposes. Open-frame designs are perfect for use in closed rooms since they do not provide enough security from unauthorized access. Its pros include perfect cooling properties since the airflow freely passes through hardware due to the absence of sidewalls.

Enclosed models are ideal for installing in public places since they reliable protect equipment from damage. The use of forced ventilation systems is required to provide devices with sufficient cooling.

If we take into account the way of mounting, all server furniture falls into:

• wall-mount (special dowels are used to fasten and hold racks);
• floor-standing (most models are equipped with casters to add mobility and simplify transportation).

Benefits of Server Rack Usage

Here’s the answer to the question “why do people have server racks?”

1. Perfect server equipment storage. Furniture is designed especially for data centers. All the required tech holes and slots for cable routing are provided.

2. Reduce floor space needed for equipment. Multi-level cabinets allow placing hundreds of lots of diverse devices in a relatively small territory.

3. Enclosed models provide excellent hardware protection from unauthorized access, damage (both intentional and unintentional), as well as dust accumulation.

4. Ease of installation. No special knowledge is required to assemble and disassemble racks.

5. Convenience and ease of maintenance. Sliding shelves and removable sidewalls allow accessing any component of a functioning system.

Who needs Server Furniture?

Now, let’s find out who buys server racks. System administrations engaged in the development and maintenance of data centers are the main consumers of server racks. However, nowadays server cabinets are found not only in large enterprises. Compact models are widely used for home offices and small businesses. So, an entrepreneur, a homeowner, a big boss, and a system administrator actively buy server furniture. Their choice only depends on their needs.

How to Choose a Suitable Cabinet?

The modern market offers a wide variety of options. Both huge and small models are found. To pick the right product, analyze the following conditions:

• demands and needs;
• the scale of an enterprise;
• the scope of programs to be operated and processed.

The process of selecting the required cabinet is not an easy and quick one. It requires a thorough analysis and preparation. You should measure cabinet directions correctly, decide on the way hardware will be cooled, plan an approximate layout, and leave free space for air circulation.