What Is A 19 Inch Rack? Why is It So Important To Consider Before Getting A Server Rack?

Mar 5th 2021

Before start discussing the “19 inch rack”, you need to know about server racks. Server racks are open metal frames or enclosures that can store multiple electronic devices. These racks are widely used in data center environments for managing the servers in a good way. In other words, server racks let you organize your critical IT systems. Moreover, it helps in controlling the temperature of the constantly working servers. This is very vital for the good performance of the servers.

There are many types of server racks available in the market. However, if you are familiar with server racks, you must have heard about the “19 inch rack”. It must have been one of the first terms that you have learned in the world of servers. This is because it is the standard size of server racks in the industry. You will find several servers of the 19 inch rack dimension in our collection.

What is a “19 inch rack”?

The 19 inch racks are the standardized size frames or enclosures used for mounting servers. The “19 inches” of 19 inch rack refers to the mountable width of the servers. It also means the space available within the racks to store the equipment. Moreover, it offers dense hardware configurations without taking up a lot of floor space.

Each module of these server racks has a front panel has a width of 19 inches. This 19 inch rack dimension also includes the edges of the server racks. The edges of these server racks will cover each side of the equipment. Plus, it allows storing the electrical equipment safely within the server racks.

Why to go for a “19 inch rack”?

By now, you must know that the standard width of the server racks is 19 inches. This standard size was created by the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). They also used the term “rack unit” to understand the dimension of the server racks. In addition to that, they have framed many other terms that are widely used in the industry.

According to EIA, they standardized the size of the server cabinets because of a couple of reasons. Some of the reasons were to boost market share, improve the quality levels and increase customer satisfaction. You must note that EIA has no such authority over the industry. However, they are known for their popular recommendation.

What do 19 inches exactly mean?

As we have already mentioned earlier, the “19 inches” of a 19 inch cabinet refers to the standard width of the server racks. However, 19 inches isn’t the only thing that’s important when you are considering server rack width. You also need to see that your rails line up with the rack’s cage nuts or threaded holes.

You need to see that your device meets the 19 inch EIA standard. According to it, the chassis of the device stored within the rack needs to be less than 17.75 inches. If it’s any larger, it won’t fit into the 19 inch cabinet. In other words, the device cannot be mounted inside the server rack from the front. In addition to that, the rails or shelves of the server rack have to be 18.31 inches apart.

Moreover, the front panel width is the width of the actual panel of your server. This is the only thing that needs to be 19 inches. This is measured from the outer edge of one square hole on the rack to the outside of a perpendicular square hole.

Why is the width of the server rack so important to consider?

Well, you have to consider the width of the server rack if you don’t want to regret it later. Other than the width, there are three more things that you should also consider. These are the space, the depth, and the height of the server racks. Since you are investing to keep your devices, you must consider these things. This will help you choose the right server rack for your precious servers. Then only your equipment can fit into the racks easily.

However, if you are planning to buy a 19 inch cabinet, you can totally go for it. You don’t have to worry much. Your devices will most probably fit into the server racks. This is because major brands adhere to the standard size given by EIA. So, whether you have devices of Intel, Dell, HP, or IBM, they can perfectly fit into the server racks. Now, let’s get into the details of important things other than width.

Height: The height of server cabinets is measured in “rack units”. In this measuring unit, 1 rack unit (U) is equal to 1.75 inches. With this unit, you can easily guess the amount of space you will need. Plus, you will also understand if there’s room for expansion.
Depth: Sure, the depth of the racks is important. But in most of the server racks, the depth is adjustable. In other words, you can adjust the depth of the racks as per your need.
Space: This is one of the most important things that you need to consider first. According to the space you have, you can select the right server rack.

Different brands don’t need to follow the 19 inch EIA standard. However, they prefer to stick to standardization. They mainly do this because they don’t want to lose their precious clients due to some imprudent reasons. Even a brand like Apple also adheres to this standard. You must have heard about Apple’s Mac Pro. It also has a 19 inch width.

However, everything has an exception. Here, it’s the same too. There are some brands that make bigger equipment. In that case, you have shifted to a server cabinet of a bigger size. You can consider the 23 inch rack. 23 inch racks have more space, which means more capability to store things. In other words, you can totally store your bigger devices if you move to the 23 inch racks.

Moreover, if you are looking for any different kind of server, you can totally find it in our collection of server racks. However, if you need something unique, you can get in touch with us.

What else does Raising Electronics offer?

Raising Electronics offers several different kinds of server racks. Whether you want a small, medium, or large-sized rack, you will surely find it in our collection. Some of our special racks are mentioned in the following.

1. 42U Rack Mount Server Cabinet: