Rack Help

[nevets2001uk]

We are currently running a number of HP ML350 & ML370 tower servers but will shortly be purchasing 4 more servers for an AD and Exchange rollout.

We would like to move to Rack Mounted technologies as space is limited. Currently we are considering ProLiant DL360 G5 Servers.

I would like some advice on the rack to choose. We've been looking at the HP 10000 G2 Series. Specifically the 10642 which I believe is 42U (enough future capacity). Is this a reasonable choice for the DL360 Servers? On the HP site there are sub-models of this type and I'm not sure what the differences are?

Also I've been looking at the options for the rack. Any recommendations on what to include? I'm thinking that at least a light kit might be handy. Our budget won't be too high for the rack but I want to make sure if we do it, we do it right.

Finally I've been told that our current tower ML350/370 machines should be rack mountable if we remove the outer plasic casing and attach them sideways in the rack. Is this correct and is it a recommended solution?

Sorry for all of the questions. I'm a complete newbie when it comes to racks and don't want to purchase the wrong thing!


Steve G (MCP)

 

[TheLad]

The 10000 range would suit your solution as they are versitile racks and offer suitable room at the rear for cable management. I would also suggest that you look at purchasing a Stabilizer Option Kit which attaches to the front/bottom of the rack and stops the possibility of the rack falling over under the weight of a server being extended out of the rack. You will probably need a rack mounted keyboard/mouse/monitor/KVM solution, see the link below for rack options:

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantstorage/rack-options/index.html

As far as your tower servers are concerned, you will have to purchase tower to rack conversion kits. You can remove part of the tower server (in fact you do have to as part of the tower to rack conversion) but they will not be mountable in your new rack without the conversion kit which includes the rails and arms required to attach the server into the rack. You will have to check with your vendor on the availability of kits for the ML35/ML370, I have only done it with the ML530/ML570 servers myself

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[blister911]

The DL360 is a 1U server. The ML350/ML370 I think are 5U when rack mounted. So in theory you could put 6 ML350/370 class server in a 42U rack, along with the 4 new DL360s.

A couple of things to consider.

1. Your server room will need to have adequate space so you can open the front and back doors on the rack.

2. Power; do you have enough supplied to the rack? Typically, when you go to a rack you will also want to switch over to using PDUs (Power Distribution Units). The new DL360 servers only ship with PDU type power cords. So, either you will need to order different power cords with the DL360s or get a PDU solution and get different power cords for you ML servers.

(Food for thought)
If you don't put in a dual-powered PDU or 2 single powered (plugged into different circuits), you lose some of the redudancy on your servers power supplies. Granted you are still covered from a single power supply failure, but if a circuit trips or a PDU goes "belly-up", your servers will drop.

 

[blister911]

One more thought.
I haven't worked with the ML350/ML370 servers. But with some of the other, older systems, when you converted from tower to rack, you needed to flip one of the dip switches inside the server so it would "know" what it was.

 

[nevets2001uk]

Thanks for all of the info. It has really helped me get an understanding of our options.

After much diliberation I'm now looking at two Dl380 servers in a 10842 Shock Rack with the following options...

10000 Series 1U TFT7600 Rackmount Keyboard & Monitor
10000 Series KVM Switch
10000 Series Rack Light Kit
10000 Series Side Panels
10000 Series Blanking Panels (10 Pack) x 2
10000 Series Fan Kit
10000 Series Modular Power Distribution (High Voltage)
ML350/370 Rack Conversion Kit x 3



Steve G (MCP)

 

[TheLad]

I would still suggest you look at purchasing a Stabilizer Option Kit. I have seen some daft sod pull a server out of a rack and almost topple the rack ontop of them, not very pretty...

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[nevets2001uk]

Thanks. I took a look at it and HP seems to suggest it's best when servers etc will routinely be taken out of and installed into the rack. Once our servers are in they will most likely remain there untouched for a couple of years, unless maintainence is required. Do you still think it's worth it in our case?

Steve G (MCSE / MCSA:Messaging)

 

[TheLad]

It is always worth spending a bit of money to eliminate a serious health and safety risk. Just imagine if you or a colleague need to replace a component in a server so you pull the server out of the rack on it's rails and it pulls the rack down on you. Will it ever happen? I hope not

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[blister911]

I agree with TheLad. Anti-tip plates/feet are like insurance. Hopefully you will never need to use them, but if you do, you'll be happy they are there.

I've been the "daft sod" that has pulled out a server and had the rack tip forward. We have anti-tip plates on the front of the racks, but I could still feel the rack lean forward. This was the situation. I was working on a hardware issue with one of my servers. Because I'm dealing with the smaller servers (1U-2U), mine are near the top. The bigger ones (14U) are near the bottom. They were replacing all of our Proliant 7000 servers (14U). I didn't even think about the rack tipping because I had pulled my server out a dozen times, while the 7000 was still in the rack. But when you open up space at the bottom, it doesn't take much for the rack to tip if you pull out a server at the top.

Had we not had anti-tip plate it would have given a new meaning to "the server is down".

 

[nevets2001uk]

You've convinced me it my be a worthy investment. Initial prices for the rack are looking quite high. Are there any recommended suppliers of racks that might be cheaper than HP gear?

Steve G (MCSE / MCSA:Messaging)

 

[blister911]

I don't know anything about the pricing for HP racks. We use Wrightline, but we haven't purchased a new one for a while. If you want contact information for them, let me know.

 

[DThornton123]

We are using the APC racks which seem to be a good rack. I haven't used the HP racks so I can't compare. We ordered the earthquake kit to fasten the rack to the floor. No tipping here. ;-)

 

[nevets2001uk]

After looking around for a bit we have gotten quotes for the HP rack and a third-party solution from Excel. That second option is about half of the price of the HP option so I think that's what we'll end up with. The supplier is a friend of a friend and has used the rack before with good results. We're getting the stabalisation option as well.

Thanks for all of the advice etc.

Steve G (MCSE / MCSA:Messaging)

 

[cajuntank]

Also food for thought, depending on your UPS, I didn't see one mentioned, you will have to confirm the correct PDU to use and how many servers (based on VA and Amp) you can load up on any one PDU. Also if you are running at high voltage, you will also need to note you existing model of Proliant ML; I believe it only started to autosense between high and low voltage in G3's and later. HP offers UPS's, but I'm a APC man myself, so use their selector based on your existing and intended server/equipment load to spec out the right model and most likely, additional batteries. Make sure you give yourself enough VA growth room (easier to add batteries to extend runtime than it is to replace or add UPS). Figure on a decent UPS solution to take up about 6-9U of that rack space. You can still use the HP PDUs, just use the 16A model for 20A recepticles and 24A for 30A recepticles. So if you have a DL360 G5 with redundant power supplies, that would use up 7A (3.5A each p.s.) out of the PDU's 16A or 24A model. But of course you could have redundant UPS's on separate circuits and split the power supply load, etc.... It can get pretty pricey.