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Are you thinking of purchasing a server cabinet or a server rack? You must know the difference between the 2 products before actually buying one. This will make sure that you get exactly what you need. Server cabinets are like racks in that they can hold assorted modules for electronic equipment. In a nutshell, the difference between a cabinet and a rack is that racks are open and have open sides, while cabinets are fully enclosed.
But first, let's discuss in detail what they are and how they differ.
What is a Server Rack?
A server rack is a rack specially designed to organize and keep IT equipment. A lot of companies require more than one server to perform their necessary functions. Stacking servers and other IT equipment on a rack help keep everything organized and prevent overheating.
Server rack cabinets (not to be confused with data center cabinets) are usually 24 inches in width and 36 inches deep. We offer server rack customization services to suit your needs. Server racks are usually perforated at the front and rear. This ventilates the equipment being enclosed and crucial to providing cooling air as equipment like these generates a fair amount of heat.
What is a Network Cabinet?
People always confuse network cabinets or data center cabinets for server cabinets. But, they have their differences. Network cabinets are often used for router storage, central office cables, switches, panels, networking equipment, and networking accessories. In many cases, network cabinets are shallower than server rack cabinets. Generally measuring less than 31 inches deep. Sometimes network cabinets are also equipped with a strong plastic front door or glass. They also don't have perforated enclosures. This type of equipment won't generate the same amount of heat versus one that is enclosed in a server rack.
It is crucial that you are aware that improperly housing equipment that generates heat is dangerous. This can cause damage, or worse, it could become a fire hazard.
Difference Between Server Racks vs Data Center Cabinets
Now that we have discussed the definition of a server rack and a data center cabinet let's proceed to talk about their differences. Let's summarize their major distinctions, shall we?
Depth
Because a server rack cabinet will house longer network equipment, it should be deeper than a network cabinet in depth. Similarly, a network cabinet is used to store patch panels, house routers, and other network equipment. Let's say a fiber optic cable requires significantly shorter depth. There is usually a difference of 800mm to mm in terms of their depth.
Airflow
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Let's admit it, servers produce a significant amount of heat. The type of equipment generally enclosed in a data center cabinet does not generate the same amount of heat enclosed inside a server rack. To prevent overheating and generate airflow over the hot servers, a server rack cabinet is designed and made with perforated material with vents on the front and back. A network cabinet and its equipment stored inside does not generate as much heat. So they are just made with plexiglass or tempered glass on its front door and solid material in its rear.
Conclusion
You can't fulfill all the requirements of storing company equipment in just one enclosure. It may actually be necessary to get both! Make sure you discuss this with your IT personnel and server experts to do an extensive evaluation of the types of equipment your company is using or will be using. This is so you won't make an impulsive purchasing decision, albeit an informed one. In most cases, offices require the use of both a server rack and a data center cabinet. For other situations, they just outsource the storage to 'cloud' servers.
What is the difference between a rack and an enclosure? Both structures can keep your equipment organized and accessible, but although all enclosures contain racks, not all racks have enclosures. Enclosures are essentially enclosed racks ' racks surrounded by side panels and front/rear doors, which provide an extra layer of security ' and they are sometimes called 'rack enclosures.' Racks, on the other hand, if not enclosed, are sometimes known as 'open-frame racks.' Not sure whether you need open-frame racks or enclosure racks? Below we've summarized the primary advantages and disadvantages of each type.
Since open-frame racks offer a more modest selection of advantages, let's start with their primary benefit: Open-frame racks are more affordable than enclosures. Due to their simple design, they require fewer building materials and labor costs. If you're on a tight budget and you're working with a lot of equipment, you might enjoy the significant savings offered by open-frame racks. Enclosure racks are more expensive because they require additional materials in order to form a fully enclosed and protective structure.
The other main advantage of open-frame racks? Accessibility. They work well with equipment that needs to be accessed frequently because they make it very easy for anyone to access the equipment. Enclosures' lack of easy accessibility may cause issues when quick maintenance is necessary, but sometimes it's important to trade accessibility for protection, as we discuss more below.
Climate-controlled enclosed racks are perfect for equipment that is sensitive to extreme temperatures. While open-frame racks provide unobstructed airflow and are typically easy to keep cool, they lack the control of an enclosure. To customize your enclosure, you can add fans and cooling devices. Enclosure racks also provide more active and passive airflow management, and you can select ventilated doors to encourage more airflow. For flexibility and control, you can't beat a high-quality enclosure.
Open-frame racks should never be used to organize sensitive equipment and data because anyone can walk up to the rack and push buttons on the equipment, unplug cables, swipe a storage device, etc. They lack the security and protection offered by enclosure racks. Plus, you can increase the security of your enclosure by adding protective features, like a keyed entry to lock out unauthorized personnel.
If you have sensitive equipment, you probably aren't just worried about people accessing your equipment without permission. A harsh environment can throw a lot of threatening things at your equipment, like dust, debris, moisture, and other particulates. Open-frame racks are not ideal for harsh environments. In fact, they can be dangerous and threaten the lifespan of your equipment by allowing the buildup of dust and particulates. In addition, cables are less secured with open-frame racks, so they may be pulled or stress the ports into which they're plugged. Only consider an open-frame rack if you're working in a safe, secured space.
An enclosed rack, on the other hand, can prevent impact damage and ward off dust, debris, moisture, and particulates, which could otherwise accumulate on your equipment and damage it. Enclosures also protect your equipment if something (or someone) bumps against the rack, and they reduce the risk of the cables being damaged.
Because open-frame racks are not covered, the equipment and cables are visible. You may or may not be bothered by this, but keep in mind that it will create a messier look. An enclosure rack, on the other hand, conceals everything within, creating a more streamlined and aesthetically appealing appearance.
If you're in the market for a computer enclosure, DustShield is here to help. The leader in industrial computer enclosures for production environments, DustShield has an extensive line of enclosures designed to protect LCD monitors, tower and desktop CPUs, and printers. Heavy-duty and delivered completely assembled, our enclosures suit a variety of applications. And if you can't find the ideal product to suit your needs, we can design and fabricate a custom enclosure that meets your requirements. To learn more, please contact one of our enclosure specialists toll-free at 800-587- or contact us online.
P.S. You might also be interested in our blog post Open-Frame Racks vs. Rack Enclosures.
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