Network Racks & Cabinets
Essential housing for network equipment and organization, network racks, and network cabinets are mostly used in commercial and industrial settings. Racks, like a floor server rack, use an open-frame design. This makes them an ideal choice for housing switches, patch panels, and other network hardware. With a rack, as with a network cabinet, you have a solution that enables the efficient operation of network equipment. Network cabinets, on the other hand, use an enclosed design that's appropriate for protecting sensitive electronic equipment and providing a secure and environmentally friendly space for efficient network operations.
The main aspects of network cabinets and racks are front and rear doors for easy access, flexibility from side panels, and the option to wall-mount them to save floor space in tight quarters. There are some accessories that help with functionality: cable management systems, for example; or shelves in the cabinets that allow you to divvy up the stuff you're storing for easy access and use. And then there’s ventilation: If you’re going to pack a lot of diverse equipment into a space and expect it to work and not cause fires or melt down, you need to let it breathe.
More Information about Network Racks and Cabinets
Network racks and server cabinets are designed to support an array of equipment with varying sizes and depths, so they can be tailored to specific requirements. Used for everything from server hosting to patch panel installations to network switches, these enclosures keep everything secure and working smoothly. Modern designs are as much about durability and aesthetics as they are about functionality, with steel and tempered glass balancing strength and good looks. Between their modularity and compatibility with all kinds of accessories, network racks, and cabinets are pretty much essential to any IT or telecom installation.
FAQs
What accessories are available for the installation of wall mount server racks?
Accessories available for the installation of wall mount server racks include cable management systems, shelves, fan units, mounting brackets, power distribution units (PDUs), and security locks.
Does a tempered glass door help with maintenance of a network cabinet?
Yes, a tempered glass door on a network cabinet helps with maintenance by allowing visibility of the equipment without needing to open the cabinet, reducing unnecessary access while ensuring quick inspections.
Mounting Electrical Enclosures
Unistrut
Before mounting to any surface, it is important to understand how the hardware will interface with the enclosure. In many cases, the enclosures will have holes at the corners that can be used to attach any mounting hardware. It is common to see a mounting strut, commonly referring to as a Unistrut, being used with these electrical enclosures. The Unistrut can attach to the enclosure and provide a very strong connection point to either a wall, concrete or pole mount.
Concrete Anchors
When mounting to a concrete wall, there are several things that should be considered to ensure it is done correctly. Industrial concrete anchors provide a very strong and reliable connection that can last a very long time. Make sure that the concrete is thick and strong enough for these types of anchors. Once the anchors have been installed, attach them to the mounting strut that is attached to the enclosure using hardware that is designed for that particular type of mounting strut.
Strut Clamps
When installing an electrical enclosure on a pole or mass, it is important to make sure that the pole can handle the weight of the enclosure. It is recommended that the pole is made of a very strong rigid material. At least two inch rigid galvanized conduit is recommended. Once the pole has been secured into the ground, strut clamps designed for the size of conduit will attach the enclosure.