Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction 3
Rack types 4
Enclosure types 5
Rack and enclosure consideration 6
Typical application infrastructure requirements 7
Tips for cable management 8
Blanking panels: a best practice 9
Five fault areas of an enclosure 10
TOO M UCH S IZZLE H ERE?
Rack hygiene 11
C HECK O UT T HE UPS
Nine benefits of rackmount PDUs 12
F UNDAMENTALS H ANDBOOK
Sample configurations 14
AT E ATON.COM/HANDBOOKS.
What is converged infrastructure? 15
The truth about IT rooms 16
Step 1: Scouting out your IT room 17
Step 2: Rack-based refresh strategy 18
Step 3: Building out your network closet 19
Step 4: Getting back to business 20
Solution worksheet 21
Frequently asked questions 23
Rack accessory glossary 24
Commonly used acronyms 28
2014 seismic map 30
Organize manage protect 31
Welcome to the Eaton Rack and Enclosures Fundamentals Handbook. This handbook is meant to help you choose, organize, and manage your
racks and enclosures. As such, we will refer to them only as racks and
Not so many years ago, network closets, server rooms and data centers
enclosures throughout. In an effort to help you make the best selection
were designed from a room to rack standpoint. Deciding specifically
for your requirements, well cover some of the components within racks
where to store your technology typically came later in the design process.
and enclosures as well as some tips on deploying them. Everything is
However, rapid technology refresh cycles, the need to rackmount more
interconnected, so the more you plan in advance, the better prepared you
equipment and the desire for increased cooling capacities in an enclosed
will be. For instance, it is important not to overlook power and data cables.
rack (known as an enclosure), have all begun to reverse that trend. Today,
Tangled cables can cause downtime or impede productivity, and the more
IT professionals are designing these critical workspaces with more of a
racks and enclosures you are deploying, the more important an effective
rack to room methodology.
cable management strategy becomes.
Traditionally, any structural support used to rackmount equipment was
Since racks and enclosures are among the first pieces of equipment
appropriately called a rack whether it was a two- or four-post structure.
you choose to deploy, we want to help you avoid any decisions that may
As time progressed and form factors of servers, network, storage, and
result in poor performance. Poor design can also result in overcrowded,
power equipment have changed, the terms enclosure and cabinet also
overheated and poorly organized network closets, server rooms or
came into the mix as four-post racks were enclosed with front and rear
data centersand the all-too-likely outcome of that is downtime for
doors and side panels.
your operation.
Network closet Small and medium business data center Large traditional data center Colocation data center
T wo- or four-post racks for closet S mall enclosures (12U to 36U) 4 2U to 51U enclosures 4 2U to 51U enclosures
environments (equipment weight is a key Perforated doors to facilitate airflow Handle wide range of IT equipment Unpredictable power and cooling needs
criteria for selection) including servers, storage and power due to multiple customers
Supports power, backup and IT equipment
Wallmount enclosure for small installations needs Compatibility with rack- and aisle-based Security a key concern at the cabinet or
(generally 12U or smaller) containment often critical pod level
42U and taller racks for larger offices and
Cable management to get cabling to rack small data centers Security is generally via a key lock HFID locks often needed for access
Cable management in, above and below control
rack is key Compatibility with rack- and aisle-based
containment often critical
The partitioned nature of colocation data
centers often require data center cages
(find out more at Eaton.com/racks)
With a goal of zero airflow leakage within an Todays wider racks (i.e., 800 mm) have an
enclosureparticularly in equipment-dense additional three inches on each side of the
applicationsit is important to know the 19" rails to provide space for cooling side-to-
most susceptible areas for the remixing of side switches or space for managing a high
cold air supply with hot air exhaust from volume of network cables. To get out to the 4 5
rackmount equipment. side or up to the top, cables are passed
through openings that are typically unsealed.
F
ault area 1: Under the enclosure These openings should be covered with a
1 material that provides a seal around the
(external to enclosure)
cables to minimize air leakage.
The area under the rack, but above the floor
deck can be difficult to manage because the
height varies based on the size of rack 4 F
ault areas 4 & 5: Above and
levelers or casters and the manufacturer. below the top and bottom
This space can contain a substantial amount 5 rackmount space (internal to rack)
of uncontrolled air--and can therefore yield a Areas above the top U space and below
large benefit if it's sealed appropriately. the bottom U space are also regions of
Typically, there's not a solid panel under the suspicious leakage. Typically, some amount
of space exists in these areas and varies per 2 2
enclosure due to the requirement for power
rack manufacturer. However, its not unusual
and network connectivity. That also makes
for this space to equal that of a missing 3 3
this is a potential leakage area because hot
air from below the enclosure can get blanking panel.
trapped and cold air from perforated floor This area is susceptible to hot air
tiles can bypass it. recirculation and is also more likely to allow
bypass of the cool air supply from CRACs.
2 F
ault areas 2 & 3: Left and right
side of the front 19" vertical
3 mounting rail (internal to enclosure)
Because of customer demand for adjustable
front rails and cable pass-thru capability,
the areas to the left and right of the front
rails on most 19" enclosures are potential
leakage points. The space between the 4 5
side of the vertical rail and the side of the
enclosure frame or side panel is typically 1
wide open, allowing hot air to penetrate
or cold air to pass. This can severely
compromise a robust blanking panel
strategy.
Racks and enclosures are more than a What is rack hygiene? Rack hygiene benefits Airflow problem areas
space to store high-performance servers,
Rack hygiene: the key to
To ensure sufficient device cooling, Adopting effective rack hygiene eliminates Blanking panels must be a best practice
storage and switches. They have become an predictable airflow management is essential, hot spots, which allows equipment to in your data center, but are only one
instrumental part of todays critical airflow and this means all potential airflow openings operate optimally, and helps match cooling component of rack hygiene. Addressing
management strategies in the data center.
As virtualization becomes a standard for efficient, effective cooling
must be controlled and managedwhich is
what rack hygiene is all about. Rack hygiene
supply and demand. This saves energy
and prevents the wasteful recirculation
the five typical fault areas can drive true
performance gains: optimized enclosures
businesses to reduce the operating costs includes identification, analysis, and repair of and bypass air streams associated with used as an integral element of airflow
associated with consolidation of server, Racks
hot air leakage paths and cold air bypass arent just convenient structures
additional chaotic for mounting
cooling equipment containment systems can reduce energy
methods.
storage and network devices, its further routes within and around racks.they are important airflow
Rack management
hygiene also helpsdevices. By thinking
to prevent aisle of themusage by as much as 35 percent.
driving the view of an enclosure as an and room overheating, a problem thats
airflow plenum.
in this way and taking steps to ensure rack hygiene
often rooted in ineffective rack-level
which includes
Rack hygiene in practice
minimising airflowairflow leakage it is possible
management.
The amount of heat has increased within Implementing rack hygiene starts with
the enclosure and data center too, thanks to to significantly reduce cooling costs and to measurements to establish a baseline
eliminate thermal problems like hotspots.
new IT technology and smaller rackmount
equipment. Additionally, the number of 1. Identify and testing to identify problem areas.
Your goal should be zero airflow leakage.
cables within the enclosure has grown Implementing rack hygiene starts with
significantly, resulting in potential airflow 2. Analyze B ENCHMARK?
Virtualisation is being increasingly adopted, not least measurements to establish a baseline
blockages if they are not managed and because it allows cost-saving consolidation of server, and testing to identify problem areas. An
routed appropriately. 3. Repair storage and network devices. A consequence is that
W HAT A BOUT
power and cooling loads are condensed into a smaller
experienced team trained in containment
Ideally, cool supply air is drawn into the front footprint and vary dynamically with the processing load. strategies should analyze the test results
of the enclosure to cool equipment and 4. Quantify airflow B ENCH P RESS?
Legacy cooling architectures struggle to cope with this
because of inherent problems that include hot and cold
and provide detailed recommendations
for improvements.
exits via a rack-based chimney at the top
leakage
air mixing, air distribution compromised by cabling,
inability to react to dynamic heat load and oversupply of
rear of the enclosure or into a contained cold air. Containment of hot and cold air streams is the
hot aisle. solution and rack hygiene is at the heart of this strategy. No place for intuition
Equipment becomes less efficient when the
5. Benchmark Relying on intuition and creative problem-
hot air travels back to the front of the solving to achieve effective cooling is no
enclosure and remixes with cool supply air longer a viable approach. Rack hygiene is an
thats being pulled through the equipment. essential consideration for all future rack
The more equipment you store in your purchases. A smart containment strategy,
enclosure, the more you will need to which always begins with the rack, enables:
consider this type of inefficiency. E
fficient utilization of existing physical
Airflow mismanagement can result in failing infrastructure and cooling capacity
hardware and unnecessary facility costs. A
ctive control and normalization of supply
temperature
D
oing more with less in a smaller
footprint with increasing heat loads
E
limination of stranded physical,
electrical and mechanical capacity
Sample: 24" wide x 40" deep enclosure Patch panel: Horizontal management Vertical management Power cables and rack PDUs
The layout places five servers in the upper Following best practices, the 48 cables are The cable bundles are grouped by colors As shown in Figure 8, both rack PDUs are
half of this 45U enclosure and a 2U patch grouped by color to aid in identifying with simple Velcro straps. Cable rings mounted on the right-hand side of the
panel in the highest of U positions. On the specific cables as they run to the left-hand installed against the vertical lacing bar cabinet and leave ample space for the data
left side of the enclosure is a vertical run of side of the enclosure via a 2U horizontal ring support the bundles, as shown in Figure 4. cables while minimizing noise associated
48 cables that connect the equipment manager. The cables then transition into a This lacing bar is integrated into the frame with mixing power and data cables.
inside the enclosure to the patch panel. vertical run down the enclosures integrated of the enclosure and provides ample space The power cables are separated into red
lacing bar. for the support of any number of cable
Two rack PDU units are installed vertically and blue to facilitate easy identification of
onto the integrated vertical lacing bar on the This horizontal ring manager takes management tools and power components. the A and B power feeds and balancing the
right side of the enclosure. The input cords advantage of a simple cover to improve Its designed with a series of round holes electrical load.
for the rack PDUs extend up and out of the aesthetics inside the rack. used to secure cable management tools, as
top of the enclosure, which is typical for well as keyholes for tool-less installation of
installations that include an overhead the rackmount PDUs.
busway such as Eatons Pow-R-Flex. The
PDUs can also be mounted with the input
cords facing the bottom of the enclosure,
which is typical for installations that include
a rackmount UPS, such as the Eaton 9PX.
Horizontal strain relief bars support data and
power cables as they run from the sides of
the enclosure to the power/data ports on Figure 2. Cables organized through the use of colors
the servers. and groups
Figure 3. Careful use of covers improves aesthetics Figure 4. Cable rings Figure 5. Integrated
and Velcro straps help lacing bar
to secure cables
If you arent working in an enterprise-level data center, there is a chance you are working
out of a closet or a room that wasnt initially designed to house IT equipment. Even larger
businesses that have remote enterprise data centers are often functioning out of IT or
server rooms locally.
While you may not have much control over your building, the room still matters. Make the
most of the space youre given, and you will protect your company and customers from
unnecessary downtime.
Common challenges that are risking uptime:
L
ack of security. Even if you have a room that has locks and alarms, is your company
using them to their potential and following procedures to monitor who goes in and out of
the room?
U
ntrained staff. It isnt enough to just have one person in the company who is trained to
handle the equipment within your IT room. What if that person is unavailable or incapable
of coming in when a disaster strikes?
M
other Nature. Whether or not youre in a seismic zone or another area prone to natural
disasters, you should consider the effects of storms and power outages can have on a
business.
U
norganized cabling and environmental hazards. Tangled cabling and unsafe rigging
of electrical equipment is commonly found and easy to remedy. It can take significant
time and effort, but the time and effort you will save on the backend will be well worth it.
Its also worth noting that you want customers and senior management who walk by the
area to be impressed by the organization and professionalism of the room.
Inadequate power infrastructure. Power protection is more than just a UPS, but its
common to see little to no protection for the IT equipment in your network environment,
which leaves the business with a very high risk of failure.
L
imited management capability (both onsite and remote management). Lack of
visibility into what is going on in your closets can result in your network going down
unexpectedly.
Lets take a look at some steps to improve your network closet or server room.
Size: The most important attribute is how Height (U): Seismic: Does this enclosure require a Seismic: Yes / No
much rackmount space is required. The NEBS GR-63-Core seismic test
most common size is 42U (each U is 1.75" Width (24"/30"): certification? (Note: This is different from
and equipment is generally in multiples of Depth (in.): seismic anchorage. The weight loading in
U). Next is the width and the most these applications is generally between
common are 24" (or 600 mm) and 30" 800 and 1,300 lb.)
(800 mm). The depth is generally 34" and
deeper with 42" being the most common.
Front doors and locks: Do you need solid Solid or perforated?
or perforated front doors? Full or split front
Weight loading: An estimate of the Weight loading (lb.): doors? Full is most common on front doors. Full or split?
anticipated weight loading is key and Lock type (key / combo / HFID):
loading can vary widely depending on
the application. A networking application
is generally under 2,000 lb. A high-end Rear doors and locks: Do you need solid Solid or perforated?
switch configuration is between 1,500 or perforated rear doors? Full or split front
doors. Split is most common on rear doors. Full or split?
and 3,000 lb.
Lock type (key / combo / HFID):
Casters/levelers/anchorage: Are casters Casters: Yes / No
required? Generally, all enclosures come Top covers: Any special features required Top cover requirements?
with levelers regardless of whether there Anchor brackets: Yes / No on top cover? Brushes to ensure hot air is
contained in the enclosure? Networking Cable egress / brushes / networking cable
are casters or not. Will the enclosure be Anti-tip: Yes / No
anchored to the floor? Is an anti-tip feature cable cutouts for large quantities of cables? cutouts / troughs
required? Troughs on top to manage cabling on the
top of the enclosure?
End-of-row or bayed: Is the cabinet End or row: Yes / No Qty:
standalone (i.e., requires side covers), end Rails: Rails are generally available in two Square holes or tapped?
of row (side cover on one end), or bayed Bayed: Yes / No Qty: configurations: square holes for use with
cage nuts or tapped holes for direct For 30 wide: 19 or 23 mounting?
with adjacent cabinets (no side covers)? If bayed, dividers? Yes / No Qty:
If bayed, do you need a divider panel mounting. Square holes are the most
between adjacent enclosures for airflow Standalone: Yes / No common. If a 30" wide enclosure is
management and/or security? In a typical selected, please specify if 19" or 23"
installation, you may have some of each of mounting is needed.
these configurations.
Hot aisle/cold aisle? Is the enclosure in a Hot aisle/cold aisle installation? Yes / No Front: What type of cabling is expected? If Describe number and type of cabling:
hot aisle/cold aisle installation? If yes, its low levels of cabling, then cable rings or a
important to make sure the area in front of lacing bar with Velcro straps is a good
the rails is closed off from the hot zone. solution. For high levels of cabling or fiber,
Gasketing options will be recommended. its important to specify the quantity and
type of cables. Based on requirements, we
will suggest options such as horizontal
Blanking panels: One of the most important Blanking panels: Yes / No Qty: managers, waterfalls, vertical cable
accessories for airflow management is managers, lacing bars, etc.
blanking panels, which are used to close up
unused U spaces. Specify the number of
anticipated unused spaces. Rear: What type of cabling is expected? If Describe number and type of cabling:
low levels of cabling, then cable rings or a
lacing bar with Velcro straps is a good
Floor grommets: Do you need access Floor grommets: Yes / No solution. For high levels of cabling or fiber,
through the white space floor? Grommets its important to specify the quantity and
allow cable egress/ingress but retain hot/ type of cables. Based on requirements, we
cold aisle separation. will suggest options such as horizontal
managers, waterfalls, vertical cable
Chimney: If hot air is to be ducted to an Chimney required: Yes / No managers, lacing bars, etc.
overhead plenum, a chimney is required
unless the enclosure is in a hot aisle Any special installation concerns
Inter-cabinet cabling: Will there be cabling Inter-cabinet cabling: Yes / No Qty:
configuration. Chimneys can solve thermal (e.g., low ceiling, overhead cabling) passing from cabinet to cabinet in the hot
issues on isolated enclosures. If a chimney zone (i.e., behind the rails)? Type of cabling:
is used, the rear door must be solid.
Cabling above the enclosure: Do you need Describe types of overhead cabling required:
cable management such as ladder racks or
Features Requirements
Rack PDUs: Specify the quantity and type Specify power distribution requirements:
of rack PDUs needed to power the
enclosure. Eaton has an extensive offering
of rackmount power distribution solutions.
Other considerations
Eatons options can be researched at
Eaton.com/epdu. Features Requirements
questions
Ideally, your racks and enclosures should be side by side and can be bolted together.
This is often called baying or ganging, and it allows you to maximize floor space and be
more efficient while servicing the equipment stored in them. Remember, space is an
invaluable resource in IT!
7. How maneuverable does the rack need to be?
This will depend on your space and the type of rack you deploy. Enclosures often
include casters for maneuverability, while two- and four-post racks are bolted to the
ground.
8. Does the rack need to be vendor-neutral?
No, but having a vendor-neutral rack will be more accommodating for most IT rooms.
1. How is vertical rack space measured? Technology is changing all the time and you dont want to feel pigeonholed into
a certain brand of equipment. We recommend the rack you choose be able to
Rack space is measured by rack units (U). Ideally, the rack you choose will have U
accommodate all TIA/EIA 310-D equipment.
spaces numbered. One U is 1.75 and the most common rack height is 42U, made to
fit 19 wide equipment. Measuring by vertical rack space allows you to plan by how 9. What are the least expensive ways to organize cabling and equipment in my
much equipment the rack will hold. racks or enclosures?
2. For a smaller server rack, what are my options? Velcro straps for data and power cables and labels are the easiest and most affordable
way to organize your racks, at a base level, and will likely have the biggest impact from
Often a 42U enclosurewhich is the most commonis not required. Smaller options
an access and service standpoint.
such as 25U, 30U or 36U will provide more than enough rack mounting space for servers,
UPSs, rack PDUs, switches and other equipment. The smaller options enable you to use 10. How do I know how many cables to account for within the rack?
the space on top for monitors or other equipment. Features such as perforated doors, Establish the number and type of cables within each rack. Count the number of servers
adjustable rails, locks and casters are still available in these sizes. Wall mount enclosures and number of ports that will be utilized. Map cable destination points, too. The cable
can also be considered when a full-height rack or enclosure isnt necessary. routing established now will impact day-to-day operation and equipment serviceability.
3. Which matters more: internal or external dimensions of the rack? 11. Why shouldnt I run cables horizontally between racks and enclosures?
Correctly sizing your rack is important to the security and performance of your servers You can run cables horizontally between racks, but you must ensure youre using
and other equipment. Both internal and external size matter. The equipment thats the appropriate cable management devices to do so. If you simply run cables
housed within a rack needs to securely fit, and the rack itself needs to fit within directly acrossrather than up the side of the rack or enclosure to horizontal cable
doorways/elevators, etc. management devicesit will cause problems for you when you go to change out
4. How much weight will a rack or enclosure hold? or service equipment as well as if you need to move a rack or enclosure.
It depends on the size of the rack, but there are solutions that can store up to 3,000 12. What are some of the most common mistakes end users make when choosing
pounds of computer and networking equipment. a rack or enclosure?
5. Where in the room should I put my rack or enclosure? Its common that users dont factor in future growth, especially if facing budget
restrictions. Even if there are no upgrades planned for the future, design the room
A good rule of thumb is four feet of space, front and back, from the wall. Fire codes
as if there are. This is true for racks or enclosures as well. Consider a solution with
require three-foot walkways, but four feet will allow you to wheel a cart in the room
a higher weight capacity if you need to add servers down the line. A good rule of
safely and reduce human error overall. In the future, if you have equipment to install,
thumb is to plan five years out with 20 percent growth rate per year.
you may need two people in the space at a time lifting, and you want enough space
to comfortably get the work done. Otherwise, your rack location will be determined Another common issue is that users often do not consider ancillary equipment upfront.
by your unique space. It needs to be in a place that has the appropriate electrical For example, be sure you have your power infrastructure mapped out and look at PDU
requirements and ample space to run corresponding data and power cables. mounting options.
Bayed racks V
ertical managers are
Multiple racks of the same series, height available as single- or
and depth that are connected side by double-sided, and for
side. Also referred to as ganged. the full height of
the rack.
Blanking panels
Steel or plastic plates that are inserted in
empty U spaces at the front of a rack or
enclosure. They are used to improve
airflow for the installed equipment and to
reduce hot and cold air recirculation and
remixing within the rack. Also referred to
as filler panels. Cable egress
A
n opening or available space for exiting Cable pass-through blanking panel
cables. P
rovides aesthetic appeal and controlled
airflow management like solid blanking
panels, but cables can pass through the
Cable ingress
flexible brush strip.
An opening or available space for entering
cables.
Cable tray
A
n overhead cable management solution
that provides a support system for cables
and raceways, guiding them from rack-to-
rack and over aisles. Available in solid
Brushes steel or wire basket.
Flexible brushes used in cutouts to create
airtight entries for data and power
cabling.
D-ring
Casters A
lso referred to as a hook, this cable
A
wheel mounted to the bottom of a management accessory is a partially Finger bracket
larger object (e.g., UPSs, racks or enclosed ring used to hold data and U
sed to manage high-
enclosures) to allow it to be moved power cables. Open rings allow for easy density cabling on the
in and out of place. access to cabling. rack and between racks.
Finger spacing should
Chimney align with rack units.
A
structure, usually Its important that
vertical, containing a brackets comply with
passage or flue by TIA/EIA-568-B.1/2/3
which hot air is extracted bend radius standards.
out of an enclosure.
Flextray
A
steel or wire mesh cable management
system.
Leveler
A
djustable feet that securely level the
Gasketing rack at the proper height.
T
he act of using a material (e.g., rubber)
to make a joint or opening airtight.
Overhead cable management system
O
verhead distribution of power and
High-density cable organizer network cables to reduce raised floor
A
cable management solution that obstructions.
provides integrated bend radius support Rack power module (RPM)
for lateral transitions from switches to T
his device has customizable input and
route cables front to rear. output configurations and voltages. Its
meant to simplify data center power
distribution by connecting directly from a
Hinged cable managers three-phase UPS or other utility source to
Creates
easy cable access via: power secondary power distribution
Removable fingers for large cable bundle devices such as a rack PDU.
management
Cutouts and screw holes that are Rackmount UPS
compatible with cable management A
UPS ranging in size, weight and
components capabilities that can be installed within
Tool-less adjustment a rack.
Pass-through partition
Velcro straps that can secure a cable
A
n easily installed device used to manage
bundle to the finger for strain relief Rail-mount cable managers
and protect cables either horizontally or
vertically. E
quipment is often placed on a rail so it
can be accessed without removing the
wall of an enclosure or cabinet used in
PDU mounting brackets conjunction with Velcro buckles and
A
llow you to mount rack power straps and cable rings.
distribution units upright within a rack.
Perforated
H
oles typically on front and/or back rack
doors that provide visibility and
ventilation.
Spool
Velcro buckle strap
A
llows for mechanical fastening of straps I L IKE T HE S OUND
P
rovides a means to manage excess
network or power cables with integrated
to multiple points in the enclosure.
Secures groups of cables into place and
O F A WATERFALL
bend radius support.
keeps racks organized. D EVICE.
Eaton
1000 Eaton Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44122
United States
Eaton.com
2015 Eaton
All Rights Reserved Eaton is a registered trademark.
Printed in USA
MZ159003EN / GG All other trademarks are property
August 2015 of their respective owners.