Feature Rack design Going behind the rack There is a belief that many IT managers have diverted their attention away from increasing
processing power and are focusing on energy efficiency. After all, an organisation still demands instant access to its IT resource and therefore pushes for more speed and storage, but at the same time demands greater efficiency. So how can the rack not only deal with greater processing demand but also a demand for greater efficiency? Barry Maidment from Rittal comments
“Rack design is not just about
mechanical fit, form and function, it is about
understanding the application,” says Maidment
ogy, however, have resulted in the rack selection being more critical then ever, especially when integrating the power and cooling.
I
So, what makes a rack future-proof to these different technologies and how is it possible to ensure consistent quality? Look at the three major factors of great design, sophisticated manufacturing and slick logistics and break these down a bit further. As an example, let us take a look at enclo- sure manufacturer Rittal.
Rack design is not just about mechanical fit, form and function, it is about understanding the application. This means that the designer needs to be aware of a plethora of technologies that could sit within the rack’s mechanical frame – varying from the humble patch panel to the power hungry blade servers. Getting into the
n the mind of the IT purchasing manager the humble rack has always been bottom of the supply chain. Changes in server technol-
mind of both the installer and the customer is therefore essential when initiating the design, and it is these nuances that make a great rack. Good design is about solving problems, not creating them. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to get a server to fit into a rack when it is obvious that these two items have never met before in their lives. The best place to learn about an application is in the field, scraping knuckles on a protruding edge or snagging a fibre optic cable as it enters into the rack!
Partnering with key OEM’s is essen- tial, not only for covering the business overheads but also sharing and under- standing where the next generation of servers, storage or switches will be going to. This means companies such as Rittal design not only for the present requirement of today’s market but also those of tomorrow. This is why exten- sion frames that connect to the back of the rack allow the depth of the rack to be upgraded at any point within its life
cycle, allowing for future-proofing. Design
New design tools at Rittal’s UK manu- facturing site in Plymouth allow the modern rack designer to not only build in 3D in a virtual world but also to test. Using finite analysis the rack concept can be tested under different forces and frequencies to determine potential weaknesses before any metal is cut. There is no replacement for load testing in the real world and therefore when simulating drop tests, curb is essential to validate the virtual tests. By linking the CAD with state of the art laser cutting it is possible to go from concept to prototype in under 15 minutes, a benefit with businesses demanding faster reaction times – and sophisticated design and prototyping tools are allowing us to do this. There is a balance between design- ing for manufacture. The purists will always advocate design without thinking how you are going to build
Climate control from the smallest to the largest.
ENCLOSURES POWER DISTRIBUTION Enter 26 CLIMATE CONTROL
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