Server Room Racks & Data Centre Cabinets

Server Cabinets

Server Room Environment cabinets can be used in a wide range of building types and locations including:

• Server rooms and datacentres
• Audio and video conferencing installations
• Telecommunications equipment housing
• Industrial environments including factory floors with fan filters

For earthquake zones (Seismic Zone 4), military and remote environments Server Room Environments can supply more ruggedised cabinets and enclosures. Our complete range of cabinets and enclosures includes:

• Floor standing rack cabinets: fitted with casters these cabinets can be pushed and then locked into position. The weight of the rack cabinet is supported by levellers on the base of the enclosure and these can be adjusted to suit uneven floor surfaces. Typical sizes include 500, 800 and 1000mm deep cabinets from 12U to 48U and higher and cabinets wider than 19inch are optional. The equipment inside the rack cabinets are fitted with slide runners that slot into the slides fitted to the internal frame. Large weights may require an open shelf onto which to place the equipment. The side panels are typically removable and front and rear doors (lockable) provide access to the equipment inside.
• Floor standing open-frames: are of the same design as floor standing cabinets but without side panels and front and rear door assemblies. They are typically used in environments were access and security and cooling air flow does not have to be managed or controlled. Open-frame racks are ideal for easy cable management i.e. network wiring closets) and distribution frame applications. An open rack has two or four posts or mounting rails. Four post systems are generally deeper and designed to carry more weight.
• Wall-mounted racks: save space by attaching to wall mounts. Some models can be fitted with a hinged mount to allow the cabinet to be swung away from the wall for easy access to cables and equipment. An acrylic window in the front door provides easy view of the IT hardware inside. These server cabinets are small and can stand on castors for easy movement under desks and worktop surfaces.
• Wall-mount open frames: provide the same benefits as a floor standing open frame and are designed for wall-mounting and provide easy access to internal network cabling and fitted systems.

Server cabinets come in a range of sizes measured in ‘U’. 1U=44.45mm in height and all equipment designed for a rack mount form factor will have a relevant U height and mm depth. Once you have added up the ‘U’ element to determine the height of the cabinet you need, it is then important to pick a cabinet that is suitable deep (measured on mm) to house the equipment. The depth should also allow for cable radius bends and access. Where PDUs are installed these may be fitted typically to the rear post of the server cabinet.

Another concern is the weight of the equipment to be installed. Each server cabinet will have a design weight limit and this should not be exceeded. A typical 27U high cabinet may be able to take up to 300Kg of weight including servers, network routers and a suitably sized UPS system and battery pack.

Other considerations when selecting server rack cabinets and enclosures to consider:

• Assembled or disassembled: cabinets can be supplied made-up or ready for assembly on site. This can help with logistics planning and access where doorways and entrances are narrow and/or access is restricted.
• Cable management: IT managers generally want to present a well laid out and neat cable assembly within the server cabinet. Not only does this reduce cabling errors and risk of disconnection but for some datacentres, client visits may be an important aspect to consider. Server Room Environments provides a complete range of cable management and accessory items including: shelves, mounting rails, patch panels, castors, cooling and stabilisation kits.
• Expansion: server cabinets can be joined/bolted together to form rows which can be ideal within an hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment environment. Not only does this optimise floor space but cooling and energy efficiency as well.
• Co-location datacentres: two or more clients may use the same server cabinet and separate apartments allow for separate containment within the same enclosure.
• Cooling and Heat Removal: as part of the cooling system design, heat can be ducted directly away from the server cabinet and cool air supplied via the front of the cabinet.

Many IT environments are concerned with security and how to provide a safe environment for their critical IT infrastructure. The right server cabinet and enclosures from Server Room Environments can provide this including cabinet access monitoring.