Racks

What to consider when choosing a rack?

The most important consideration is rack height or rack units. One rack unit (1U) is 1.75" of usable space. So, for example, a rackmount device that’s 2U high takes up 3.5" of rack space. Most freestanding racks come in a standard 45U height, which is 6.5 feet high, so they fit rooms with standard ceilings. But there are other height options— from smaller 10U-high wallmount models all the way up 58U-high units. These tall racks, towering up to 9 feet, allow for an extremely dense installation of equipment while saving floor space.

Another important consideration is cable management. Many Black Box racks have built-in cable management troughs and cable rings for routing cable. If your rack doesn’t have these, add vertical cable managers for organizing cable runs top to bottom horizontal managers are designed to guide cables.