Rack width - 600mm vs 800mm

Shad · 30 Mar 2014 at 18:32

I'm trying to plan my little 'server room' for my home lab and part of the process is selecting a suitable rack. I've decided on 27u and 1000mm depth, but I'm not sure about the width. 600mm is far more cost effective but given I'll have the cabling for my CAT5 outlets coming in to a patch panel at the top I'm not sure how easy the cable routing is going to be. That's before I route any cables to the servers too.

I guess it depends on how much space there is in the sides of a given 600mm cabinet. But on the whole, is the smaller width likely to cause me some grief? My patch panel and switches will be at the back of the rack at the top.

PistolPete · 30 Mar 2014 at 19:34

600mm means you have no space beyond the rack mounts, 800mm gives you 100mm either side for passing cables back from the front.

I have a 600mm rack I patch all my sockets into a panel, and mount my switch in the front too - short patch cables and I'm away.

Shad · 30 Mar 2014 at 22:04

Would be great to see some pics of how you've routed everything, if you don't mind.

Looking at something like this, I think I'd have enough room down the outside of the vertical mounts to run the majority of any cabling:

DRZ · 31 Mar 2014 at 16:58

If your patch panel and switches are in the back, why would you need to run cables down the side?

If you have the space, get the wider cabinet anyway - it'll give you the latitude to change things up later if you so choose.

Shad · 31 Mar 2014 at 18:12

I have the space for a wider cab but with moving house and everything else I'd rather save some cash and go with a 600 if I can. The cables from the outlets around the house (24) will enter the rack from the bottom and run up to the patch panel. I'll probably tie off the cables running back down to the servers too.

I'm keeping an eye on eBay etc for a wider cab in budget just in case...

FlailingNinja · 31 Mar 2014 at 23:01

It's an item that you'll keep as it'll never go obsolete, no new tech here. Personally I'd go 800, if you're unhappy with cable management in the 600 you'll resent it every time you look at it.

But that's just me, and I'm usually skint due to that philosophy so hey