For those of you who have watched IT-themed films and there are scenes in the server room, you must have seen racks that serve as a place and protector for the server hardware itself. What exactly is a server rack?

Definition of Rack Server

Server racks are also known as server mounting racks. These are computers designed to be placed in rectangular structures called server racks. The parts of the server rack itself consist of the motherboard, CPU, RAM, HBA, I/O Ports, Drive bays, and other additional components.

The advantages of server racks include better space savings for server racks, increased scalability, maximum airflow when combined with cooling systems, and ease of regular computer maintenance and diagnostics. Moreover, the design allows technicians and operators to easily insert server racks.

Rack Server Function

After knowing the definition of server racks, let’s discuss what the functions of server racks are. Here are some of its uses, quoting from serverwatch.com:

  1. To coordinate, protect, and store data transmission resources
  2. Make the server room look tidier
  3. Simplify the maintenance process by the IT team
  4. Simplify the network cable installation process

Types of Rack Server

Racks for server needs certainly have various types according to their respective needs. Here are some types of server racks that are commonly used, quoting from tripplite.eaton.com:

  1. Open frame rack; an open frame with mounting rails, but no sides or doors. It is typically used for applications where the rack does not need to control airflow or provide physical security. Open frame racks are good for network wiring closets and distribution frame applications that have high-density cabling because they provide easy access and plenty of open space for cable management. Open frame racks can have two or four vertical mounting rails (called “posts”).
  2. Rack enclosure; this type of rack has removable front and rear doors, removable side panels, and four adjustable vertical mounting rails (posts). It is also called a rack cabinet. The front and rear doors are usually vented to encourage adequate airflow from front to back, through the installed equipment. Rack enclosures are ideal for applications that require heavier equipment loads, hotter equipment, and higher wattage per rack. Because the doors and side panels lock, they also provide physical equipment security at the rack level (as opposed to the room level).
  3. Wall-mounted racks; These racks are designed to be mounted to a wall, saving floor space and installed in areas where other racks cannot be installed. They can be either open-frame racks or enclosed cabinets. They are usually smaller than their floor-standing counterparts and cannot support as much weight. Cabinets can be adapted to floor-standing applications by adding rolling casters.

Good Rack Server Brands + Prices

For those of you who are looking for a good rack server for website/application needs for business or companies, here is a list of the most popular brands that are often recommended as reported by qwords.com:

  1. Indorack Open Rack Server 32U OR32
  2. APC Netshelter SX 19”, closed rack server type 42U 1070mm
  3. IRA Series innovation rack 19” Closed 42U
  4. INDORACK Standing Close Rack Perforated Door IR6042P
  5. LITECH Wall Mount Rack Glass Door 15U Depth 600mm

For the price range of the rack server above, it starts from 2.2 million to the most expensive at 15 million. The higher the specifications, the larger the size, and the model will affect the price which is also more expensive.

Thus, this article discusses rack servers. Managing rack servers is closely related to the server monitoring process. Check out the server monitoring tool product which is one of the modules offered if you subscribe to Netmonk Prime.

References:

https://tripplite.eaton.com/pages/server-racks-and-cabinets-overview

What is a Rack Server?