Server cabinets are enclosures or structures designed to securely house, manage, and organise various technical and IT equipment, including servers. Often called server rack cabinets, these enclosures come in varied sizes with a standard industrial size, including 19” server racks. Server cabinets differ from server racks in that a server cabinet is wholly enclosed compared to the server rack with an open frame design. Moreover, server cabinets are must-have structures for various business settings, data centers, and communication facilities to neatly stack multiple pieces of equipment. Additionally, server rack cabinets come in varied sizes, colours, and mounting types, based on the organisational setup and equipment to be stored.
Potential Benefits of Server Cabinets
Server cabinets offer a broad range of unparalleled benefits to users, such as:
- They secure sensitive data and equipment with integrated door locks, avoiding unauthorised access, theft, and tampering.
- Organise various networking equipment and servers compactly, ensuring convenient cable management in an ample space.
- Protect enclosed equipment from overheating due to integrated cooling and ventilation features.
- They require minimal maintenance and provide robust scalability and flexibility.
- Some server cabinets are equipped with noise reduction features, providing a quieter and more comfortable working environment.
- They provide easy access and space efficiency.
Popular Types of Server Cabinets
Server cabinets come in various types based on size, design, mounting configuration, and functionality. Some of the typical server cabinet types include:
- Wall-Mounted Server Cabinets: These specialised cabinets can be mounted directly on a wall to securely house and protect servers and networking equipment, saving floor space. They are typically shallow and compact, suitable to accommodate smaller server setups or when floor space is limited.
- Floor Standing Server Cabinets: These are freestanding cabinets or server racks and are the most common standalone structures that can accommodate multiple servers, networking equipment, and accessories. Freestanding cabinets come in different heights, typically measured in rack units (U), such as 42U or 48U.
- Open Frame Racks: Open frame racks are structures with an open frame design. They comprise vertical metal frames and horizontal rails to hold the equipment. Open frame racks are ideal for environments where security is not paramount and require easy equipment accessibility.
- Enclosed Server Cabinets: Enclosed cabinets are fully enclosed structures with front and rear doors, side panels, and sometimes a top cover. They provide better equipment security and protection by limiting physical and unauthorised access. These cabinets often have perforated doors and ventilation systems to maintain proper airflow, preventing equipment from overheating.
- Speciality Server Cabinets: There are specialised server cabinets designed for specific applications. For example, soundproof cabinets are designed to reduce server noise levels, making them suitable for office environments. Outdoor server cabinets are also specialised cabinets built to withstand harsh weather conditions in outdoor settings.
- Portable Server Cabinets: Portable or mobile server cabinets come with wheels or casters for easy movement, providing a convenient means for equipment to be relocated frequently or in temporary setups.
Materials of Server Cabinets
With the nature of server cabinet functions, they are typically made of sturdy materials, depending on the design needs and intended applications. With a primary material of steel, other materials or a combination of materials include:
- Aluminium
- Glass
- Plastic
- Aluminium, Steel
- Glass, Steel
- ABS, Steel.
Typical Environments of Server Cabinets
Server rack cabinets are extensively employed in a broad range of facilities, such as:
- Data Centers
- Telecommunication Facilities
- Server Rooms
- IT Departments
- Colocation Facilities
- Warehouses
- Security Centers
- Hospitals
- Office Environments
- Industrial Settings
- Recording Studios
- Laboratories
- Retail Stores.
