What is the best way to set up a server rack?

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Every organization, whether big or small, has at least one monitoring servers.  An IT server rack securely and conveniently stores the IT servers and devices associated with them. Without an IT server rack, everything seems unorganized, creating problems in the monitoring servers IT infrastructure.

IT server rack is beneficial, but organizations don’t fully utilize its benefits due to the wrong setup. The monitoring servers room experiences a lot of problems because of poorly planned initial installation. Organizations are unable to take advantage of new server technologies as expanding the current installation becomes difficult for them. It’s said that moving a server rack is extremely difficult once they are installed.

 

Do you know why it happens? It’s due to a lack of understanding and proper planning. You should prepare a server rack installation checklist before starting the installation process. And if required, you should seek help from professionals.

What does a server installation checklist include?

• The size of the server rack you need
• The place you want to put the server rack in your server room
• The cooling and ventilation options to keep the equipment cool in the rack
• The health and safety implications of installing a server rack in your server room
• The layout to arrange the servers and IT equipment in the rack
• The layout to manage the network cabling
• The requirements to install a PDU and a UPS backup system for power protection
• The need for a fire suppression system in your server room
• The need for a room-level or a rack-level monitoring system
• The ways to protect your servers and IT network from unauthorized access

How should you install a server rack?

You should find the right room in your building.

People think any room can be converted into a server room. But, it’s not true. You should choose the right room in your building considering a few important factors. The room you choose should be as secure as possible because server racks often contain valuable hardware with important company data.

Experts prefer rooms in the middle of the building as they don’t have windows. Make sure the room has a locking system.

You should keep the rack away from the public.

The server rack should be kept away from the public because the servers often generate quite a bit of heat and noise, annoying people around. Also, the server rack installed near people is at risk of getting bumped or water splashes.

Though some server racks protect servers inside, you should not keep them close to the public.

You should think about the cooling of the server rack

The server racks themselves contribute to proper cooling. But, this cooling is not enough for the servers. So, when installing the server rack, make sure there is proper airflow in and around it. The temperature should be normal.

To maintain proper cooling, you should place the server rack near a heat vent. In your server room, no window should be open. Other than this, the server rack should not be installed against a wall that restricts airflow.

You should consider the size and type of server rack

Your server room plays an important role in deciding the size and type of the server rack. There should be enough space in your server room to accommodate the server rack without blocking the passage and disturbing the functions.

Most companies prefer wall-mounted server racks as they take up less space. After wall-mounted, organizations prefer open-frame models.

You should ensure that the rack and equipment are compatible

A server rack is useful only if it properly secures the equipment within it. If the equipment and the server rack aren’t compatible, it leads to lots of frustration. Sometimes, the server rack installation becomes a big failure.

To avoid this, you should check the equipment before investing in the server rack or vice versa. You shouldn’t assume anything.

You should consider the cost.

The server rack installation can be costly if you don’t keep an eye on the cost from the beginning. Many organizations end up spending more than required by buying ultra-high-end computer equipment and racks.

To save money, you should choose a rack that fits all your needs instead of choosing those with the highest price tags. You should make this compulsory even if the item is necessary.

You should make the PDU selection.

A power distribution unit or PDU ensures a steady, clean supply of electricity to all your equipment in the rack. The PDU you choose for server rack installation should be reliable and capable of handling your specific power requirement.

You will find suppliers in that industry who can make recommendations based on your needs. With this, you will get exactly what you want.

You should label your cables.

Cables are required to connect the server rack with routers, servers, switches, and other equipment. As there are many cables, you should label them all for easy identification.

Sometimes, troubleshooting becomes challenging when cables get entangled. It becomes difficult to reach the right cable, so labeling is important. This will help you know where the cables are going. This will take time but save you from more trouble in the future.

You should organize your network cables.

Labeling the cables makes them easy to identify. But, this does not mean you will leave them cluttered and unmanaged. You should keep the network cables organized as much as possible monitoring servers.

Organized network cables look neat and clean. Also, it prevents the cables from getting damaged.

You should plan for the future

As already said, a server rack cannot be moved once installed. So, you should plan and prepare for the future along with the current needs before setting up the server rack.

When planning for the future, you should look at your company’s expected growth and future equipment requirements. By investing a little bit today in a server rack, you will meet your needs for years to come as well as save money and time.

If you set up the server rack in the right way, it will be beneficial for you and your organization.