Back in 2011, over 38% of large companies were expected to exceed their IT capacity within 18 months. Almost a decade later, virtually all businesses — regardless of size — rely heavily on technology to satisfy their customers. More than ever, having access to data is vital to success. As a result, the need for data centers continues to rise.
Having a secure and controlled facility to store and process your IT operations is critical. Whether your business uses artificial intelligence to complete important tasks or you need a system that can facilitate a high volume of e-commerce traffic, data centers play a pivotal role in your daily operations. While there are several aspects that make up a data center, one of the most crucial is the server rack.
Server racks are essentially used to house different kinds of IT equipment. Notably, this includes servers — but server racks can also hold switches and provide storage. There are various types of server racks for business owners to choose from when constructing a data center. For example, there are different server rack sizes, as well as open-frame or enclosed options. But before you can choose among the types of server racks available, it’ll benefit you to know exactly what a server rack is typically comprised of.
The Structure of a Server Rack
If you’ve never seen a server rack outside of a data center before, you might mistake it for a filing cabinet or a locker at first glance. Server racks are generally tall and rectangular in shape; they’re made up of a mainframe and mounting rails. Server racks may also have a front door, which would be open in terms of design. In an open design, the door is perforated and there’s great airflow within the rack and the data center as a whole. This is one reason why many businesses will choose one of these types of server racks for their data centers. Server racks also have rear doors, side panels, top panels, and bases. Each of these areas can have certain customizations to address center needs.
The Equipment Found in a Server Rack
The design of a server rack may be rather basic, but the equipment housed inside of a server rack can process an immense amount of complex information.
Understandably, computer servers are the priority here. The various types of server racks can keep computer servers cool and secure. Housing all servers within a data center’s racks also allows the business to more easily find and fix problems. Computer servers can vary in style and size, but they’re necessary for any network for data storage, application operation, and more.
Servers aren’t actually the only things that are stored in server racks, however. Your server rack may also contain:
- Patch panels
- Blanking panels
- Routers
- Switches
- Cords and cables
- Rails
- Cable management bars
When you’re able to demystify the necessary components and even the basic structure of a server rack, you can more easily identify the features you need and what kind of data center will best serve your business. For more information on the data center products we offer, please contact AMCO Enclosures today.