Replacing a 42RU cabinet almost fully stacked with a new solution. ideas?

Hi all,

I have a close to fully stacked 42RU cabinet. Cabinet is good 10 years old free standing 600mm x 900mm.

Looking at replacing it with either a 45/48RU cabinet 800mm x 1200mm. or 2 x 32/37RU joint cabinets.

anyone know of any good cabinets?

i like the idea of 2 x 32/37RU cabinets next to each other better but unable to find any online? or do you just buy two of them and they have joining kits. Never joint cabinets before so not to sure how this works.

 

whats in your cabinets first?

If its mostly servers are you sure you can't virtualise and reduce your server count and therefore RU needed space? i mean i understand from a getting a deeper rack to fit them longer servers or Tape units, but 2 racks is a pita unless you have a real need for it.

I'd look at what you can pull out first and what you really need then make a decision on how many RU you really need.

 

Unfortunately nothing in my cabinet at the moment can be pulled out. I'm already fully visualized. Two Physicals in HA and then a Physical Backup server, 2x SANS in HA, 2x FC data switches in HA, 2x 48 port network switches, a Firewall, a Mail firewall - all of this takes up 18RU's then another 20RU's are taken up of 2 x 6kva UPS's with a load balancer in between. i have only 4RU of empty space.

The need for something bigger is because im migrating 2 more switch racks from other points of the building to the server room which has my current 42RU rack in it. Was thinking of having two racks sidebyside, one for network and one for server/data and then a good 15-20RU's of space leftover for good measure and future upgrades.

 

personally i think you have some scope for consolidation, but it depends on budget.

But yes splitting it down the lines of network and comms and boxes can work, just get a chimney between the two racks for server to comms cabling and feed the power cabling underneath from the UPS's.

 

There might be a few RU's of consolidation in virtualising the firewalls but its not enough imo. I'm running 24/7 services that need high availability. downtime = loss, so all of the hardware i have atm is critical.

The cost in consolidation is far greater than an upgrade of cabinets anyways. The server room is big enough to handle 2 cabinets.

The two cabinet idea i didn't want them to be two separate cabinets with a chimney as you say between. I've seen cabinets in my time at datacentres etc where the internal walls were removed so both cabinets had free space between. I've just never built one myself and quick googling ive struggled to find where to buy.

 

most cabinets have a removeable side panels, its pretty standard.

 

Yeah i know this lol. Im more talking about those cabinets that are built as one with two units side by side. They must be custom.

So your saying just get two cabinets and put them next to each other and remove the sides?

 

probably way cheaper then the custom ones.

 

yeah just called rackworld, seems like their standard 42RU racks are modular, just put next to eachother u bolt them together and remove internal sides. Hes quoting me up now.

 

linkbasic do some nice racks... even their "premium" ones will most likely come in under half of what anyone else can do...

 

*meow*

meow - message to short - meow

 

dont do it, if your going to be patching between the racks use patch panels in both racks with structured cabling.

You end up with a spiders web of pain! it also impacts cooling which i dont know what your doing, front to back? i doubt your big enough for subfloor HVAC so perferated doors on the front?

 

Currently got sub floor, cooling not going to be an issue. The room temp sits at a steady 19-20deg all year round.

I agree with you i probably should patch panel and keep them separate but the amount of cables to bring from the data/server side to the network side is fairly minimal and will be able to keep it fairly clean.

 

I use linkbasic for most of our network racks, didnt think to use them for server. Their gear is pretty decent. Ill will look into them, cheers

 

Do the patch panels and the structured cabling, i know it's a hassle but you will thank me later, keep the sides on and have it go over the top.

keeps airflow going straight up

 

I might be able to help - PM me if I can be of help

https://www.vertivco.com/en-asia/products-catalog/facilities-enclosures-and-racks/integrated-solutions/smartrow/

https://www.vertivco.com/en-asia/products-catalog/facilities-enclosures-and-racks/integrated-solutions/smartcabinet/

 

Holy Sh*t, 20RU taken up by 2 X 6KVA UPS'?????

I use 5KVA IBM UPS' which i believe are just re-branded Schnider/APC Units, they are 4RU each, id be looking at replacing them to begin with

 

He might have extra battery units. Or external cut-over switch etc. all add space.