threaded or squared holed server racks ?

[fs483]

Hi,

I'm shopping for open server racks (4 posts) model and discovered that you can have either threaded holes or square holes... Which one is more widely used ?

Thanks
anthony

 

[wires]

Threaded holes are more common

 

[AdmanOK]

If all you are going to mount is comms gears (patch panels, switches and routers etc) then I would go with threaded. If you are actually going to put servers into the racks I would definitely recommend a square hole rack that you can put cage nuts into. Most server mount brackets (HP/Compaq and Dell included) ship with this type of fitting and require you to seperately order a set of "telco rack" rails. Hope this helps! If you need to mount a switch or router into the same rack then you can just use cage nuts.

 

[fs483]

Hmm, thanks for the replies.

Actually I'm looking into 2 rack units. They will be used both for communication equipment and servers. Here's a list of equipment that I'll be putting in eventually :

1 24 port patch panel Nordx (but will leave place for another 24 port)
4 Intel SC5200 with rack conversion kit (AHD3RACK)
1 Compaq DL380
2 Cisco 823 router (for 3meg ADSL modems)
1 3COM switch either 16 or 24 port switch
1 Cisco Pix 501
1 Cisco Pix 506
1 APC Rack mount UPS probably 2500VA (probably more)
2 APC 1000VA tower model
2 17" monitors or maybe 15" LCD
2 switch boxes
2 kb
2 mouse
maybe 1 dual-wan router for load-balancing and redundancy for the 2 ADSL (from 2 different ISPs obviously).

That pretty much sums up the equipment I plan on putting in these 2 racks. The second rack will probably have long patch cords to connect the servers to the switch that will be located on the first rack. The patch panel will be used for the office jacks. Eventually if I get more racks or servers, I might add patch panels on the other racks and have them all home runed to the first patch panel in the first rack.

I always wondered how 2 post rack units hold up 50~80 pound servers each (even with a large UPS on the bottom to stabilize the whole unit) ? I don't trust those things, I would for sure go with 4 posts.

I'm able to get APC'S AR204 for roughly 550$ CAN... I wonder how Chatsworth products are... Since I'm not taking any "electrical" accessories for the rack itself, I don't see why I would get an APC... Although I'm afraid of the quality of the other lesser known brands... I know Dell also sells rack units... any other supplies ?

Thanks
anthony

 

[franklin97355]

We use only two post racks unless we need to have mobility. Ours are bolted to the floor and the wall. you could climb on them if you needed to.(not condoning that)

 

[bierhunter]

I would recommend squared holes. Like mentioned above, some systems come with rack mount kits that will interlock with the square holes. They work very nice.

A good thing about threaded holes is that you have no clips to lose.

A bad thing about threaded holes is that if you strip one....you lose that hole. A square hole can just have the clip replaced.

BierHunter
CNE, MCSE, CCNP

 

[Jtodd]

A bad thing about threaded holes is that if you strip one....you lose that hole. A square hole can just have the clip replaced."

Doesn't take to much to retap a hole. Had to retap a hole rack one time. Came from the manufacture with too much paint in the threads.
Anyway, I like the threaded racks. The cage nuts are murder on the fingertips when trying to install them.

Justin T. Clausen
Physical Layer Implementation
California State University, Monterey Bay

 

[bierhunter]

You're right that it doesn't take much to tap a hole. However, in my 20+ yrs in IT, I've worked for exactly one company that had the tools to tap a hole. Tap and die sets aren't real common in IT departments. It's cheaper to buy inserts once in a great while than tools you will use once in a great while.

BierHunter
CNE, MCSE, CCNP

 

[Jtodd]

Good point. I guess I've head it good that the previous contractor I worked for liked having the right tools all the time, so we had several tap sets and now I work for a school's IT department that has had the good fortune of have a couple employees that were also into having the right tools around.
Guess I should take my good fortune for granted.



Justin T. Clausen
Physical Layer Implementation
California State University, Monterey Bay

 

[skip555]

Tap and die sets aren't real common in IT departments. It's cheaper to buy inserts once in a great while than tools you will use once in a great while.

actully all you need is a 1/4 20 tap and a handle less than 10 at any decent hardware store

 

[fs483]

I haven't decided between APC AR203/AR204 and the Chatsworth QuadraRack Server Frame 15053-x03. I'm pretty sure the APC ones are more expensive but compatibility wise, how do they compare? Which ones do you recommend (in the 4-post open). I would like to have it on wheels. Now I have a second problem. I will be installing two of those racks inside an office which unfortunately is carpeted. I can of course remove the carpeting but I want to avoid that because it's rented space and I would have to put tile or linoleum. Is there a anti-static carpet or mat that I can put on top of the existing carpet to reduce the quantity of static build up. As for grounding the rack, ideally I would have an electrician put in a ground wire from the main ground to my office/server room. Would it be "ok" if I just connected the frame of my rack to the metal ground screw on the standard electrical outlet ? I know 3M sells a lot of table ground mats where the ground wire is just attached to the screw on the cover plate.

Thanks
anthony

 

[Jtodd]

It needs to be to the building ground per the standards (TIA 607). Those ground mats are just for static discharge which is not what the ground on a rack is for.

Justin T. Clausen
Physical Layer Implementation
California State University, Monterey Bay

 

[fs483]

I was thinking of putting anti-static mats on the carpet, then have the rack mounts on top of that and then ground the rack mount and anti-static mats onto the ground wire of a 3 prong socket.

 

[Jtodd]

I'm sure that would work for removing any static voltage, but the purpose of grouding the rack is for much larger amounts of electricity than that. More along the lines of crossing 110V electrical with a data wire, or a high voltage line hitting the OSP telecom cable. It's for catastrophic situations. But if all your concern is is static, your solution would probably work.



Justin T. Clausen
Physical Layer Implementation
California State University, Monterey Bay

 

[Sphoneman]

I have always used threaded hole racks in the past with no problems. Just the other night I was rearranging equipment for a retail store & some Gorilla must have used a air wrench on the routers & switches thus stripping the heads. I had to drill 8 of them out- but was able to keep the rack threads intact & replace the screws.

It's like the mechanic putting your tires on with an air wrench & then you can't get the nuts loose to change a flat.

I don't know about others- but whenever I had installed equipment on racks, I either used a screwdriver, or a screwgun on a number 3 setting so that it stops when the screw has hit the brackets surface.

Steve
tele-dataservices.com

 

[Jtodd]

<<I don't know about others- but whenever I had installed equipment on racks, I either used a screwdriver, or a screwgun on a number 3 setting so that it stops when the screw has hit the brackets surface.>>

I only use screwdrivers. It's to easy to strip heads, cross-thread, or install them too tight with any thing else. I use what I call a "wabble" screwdriver, but Klein calls it a Rapi-Drive (prt# 682-6 for a #2 Philips). With this I can install a rack screw just as fast or faster than an electric screwdriver or cordless drill (which is the popular choice of others around here). And not stripped heads or cross threads. I'm almost to the point of putting it into our standard specifications that a screwdriver is used. I've had to many installations by outside contractors that I've had to drill out.

Justin T. Clausen
Physical Layer Implementation
California State University, Monterey Bay

 

[bierhunter]

I don't know about others- but whenever I had installed equipment on racks, I either used a screwdriver, or a screwgun on a number 3 setting so that it stops when the screw has hit the brackets surface.

Amen to that! I also use a 3 or 4 setting on my cordless drill/screwdriver. I cringe everytime I see someone use those on full settings. I instantly start yelling out "Use the #$%^ clutch setting! It's there for a reason!"

One time I had to walk over and use a small cutting wheel to make a slot in a screw head so we could take it out with a slotted screwdriver (works very well that way). Our tech got the point after that.

BierHunter
CNE, MCSE, CCNP

 

[mikeydidit]

If you ever run into another screw that is just too tight and it starts to strip, their is a tool out that may save you some greif. It is called an impact driver. It will accept verious bits. You put on the bit of your choise, and hit it with a hammer. The impact tool, twist as it is struck and will get most all of them out for you. I have had to use this after letting the IT group use my 18 volt Dewalt to install a switch. It sure made it easy to remove them and did not strip the holes out.

Just in case you ever run into another one of those....

Mike Jones
LSUHSC

 

[RandyVSP]

RETAP THE HOLES???????

Any GOOD data dummy will use a cable tie looped thru it and then blame the Comm guys for buying a cheap rack!

Honestly, in over 18 years of Broadcast, Land Mobile, Data, and everything else, I have NEVER stripped out the threads on a rack!!!!!! Had a few rusted tight, but NEVER stripped......

Randy

 

[mikeydidit]

I was refering to the head of the screw stripping out. The impact tool will somewhat made its own and loosen them when some data dummy uses telecomm's power drivers without using the clutch...

Mike Jones
LSUHSC