2u Rack Mount Servers

A rack mount chassis framework is used by companies to house a configuration of computer equipment. The rack itself is the standard metal frame, which may be made of aluminum or stainless steel, which holds the server and other devices. For example, the vertical system may also house hard disk drives, modems, switches, and routers. Racks can also be used for storing audio and video equipment. Manufacturers of these metal frames follow established measurement formats that have become the industry standard. In computer terminology, the amount of vertical space used by a server is called a rack unit or a U-space. This has been further shortened to the letter U. In the world of computer geekdom, a single U equals 1.75 inches (or 4.45 cm.). This is a vertical measurement. Therefore, a customer who is interested in purchasing 2U rack mount servers will need a metal framework that is two times 1.75 inches, or 3.5 inches, in height, to house those servers. In computer lingo, a full rack is forty units with each unit measuring vertical 1.75 inches. The shelving structure is designed to vertically stack the various components.

Some computer hardware vendors recommend the 2U rack mount servers for most small and medium-sized companies. This size will handle most of the computing application and internet needs required by such businesses. Though a very small company may not require the additional power and features of a server of that size, a 2U rack mount chassis may still be a cost-effective purchase. This is because the vertical audio port on some motherboards is too tall to fit into a 1U rack mount chassis. The taller audio port requires the extra inch to fit securely into the framework. Most servers, whether they are 1U or 2U rack mount servers, or even larger, are designed to fit the standard size of the framework established within the industry. As in other industries, standardization allows companies to choose from a wide variety of vendors and provides the vendor a large pool of prospective clients.

For a simple example of how standardization improves the ease of buying and selling, think back to the early days of hard drives when some computers came with a drive requiring a large floppy disk and others used the smaller hard plastic ones. This caused frustration when people with one kind of disk needed to transfer information to a computer that required the other type. Eventually, the floppy disk went the way of the dodo bird. With the advent of CDs, the small disk also seems headed for extinction. But isn't it interesting that CDs and DVDs are the same size? Because they are identical, at least on the outside, the computer hardware only requires one drive to accommodate either type. Though the ancient Hebrews did not know anything about the heights of standard servers or vertical audio ports and had never heard of disks, floppy or otherwise, they understood the importance of standard measurements. Consider these few verses: "A just weight and balance are the LORD's: all the weights of the bag are his work" (Proverbs 16:11); "Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD" (Proverbs 20:10); and "Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good" (Proverbs 20:23). As an aside, the word "divers" may be translated as "different."

Because the framework of a rack mount chassis can hold so many different types of computer hardware equipment, it is often referred to as LAN (local area network) or network furniture. Some people interchange the terms rack and cabinet when discussing their hardware configuration, however, the terms actually mean different things. As already stated, the rack is the framework, or the shelving structure, housing the equipment. A cabinet is just what the name suggests -- the door and side panels that surround the metal framework. An attractive cabinet provides aesthetic appeal and hides the mass of metal, panels, and wires that make up a framework and, for instance, the 2U rack mount servers and other devices a small company needs to stay in business in the competitive marketplace. Most cabinets do not have a back. This allows easier access to the back of the hardwire devices and allows airflow.

Online sellers of these shelving structures may provide charts of the different sizes and their capabilities. This allows customers to select the housing framework and casing that will best fit their company's needs while staying within the allotted budget. A grid-like chart may provide such headings as the following factors: CPU types, number of drive bays, number of card slots, the depth, and the hot swap power option. The rack mount selections will be listed along the side and the appropriate number or a check mark (for example, regarding the appropriate CPU types) will be placed in the correct box in the chart. This enables clients to quickly see which of the options fit their requirements according to the listed factors. Air-flow is very important when housing servers because, as anyone who has sat too long with a laptop knows, they get hot!

Most small and medium-sized businesses need to assess their computer software needs to effectively determine the types of hardware configurations which will best fit those needs while also providing capacity for future growth as the company becomes more established as a serious contender in the marketplace. Comparing the costs and features of 2U rack mount servers and cabinetry is a good place to start when evaluating shelving structures and computer hardware. Many vendors simplify the evaluating process, as stated before, by providing excellent charts that showcase the products they offer.

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