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Essential Tips for Installing Server Racks for Increased Productivity

20 August 2020

Edwin Griffin

As a business grows, there is a need to invest and install more communication equipment such as servers, switches, and routers. It is mainly the case where effective communication within and without an organisation is a crucial ingredient for success. Unfortunately, more equipment comes with a tremendous task of cable management. Notably, proper cable management is only possible with server racks, and any serious business should invest in one. However, purchasing a server rack only accomplishes half the task. The other half hinges on successful installation. This article provides a guide on how to install server racks for maximum productivity.

Install a Reliable Power Distribution Unit -- Regardless of the number of server racks you plan to install, you need a power distribution unit (PDU). As the name suggests, a PDU is integral in distributing power to servers, routers, switches, and other network devices installed in a server rack. While you can hook these devices to standard power outlets in a server room, these sources often get overwhelmed and become unsteady, and this is the last thing you need for your electronic equipment. Therefore, it is crucial to find a reliable power distribution unit that ensures an efficient and steady supply of electricity to all devices housed in a server rack. The best part is that some suppliers can customise PDUs based on your server rack's requirements.

Label Cables -- One of the primary functions of a server rack is proper cable management — courtesy of the cabling holes found on the side panels. Although the cabling holes are supposed to make cabling easy, tracking the cables for troubleshooting can be challenging. It is mainly the case if you are dealing with spools of data cables. Therefore, if you are looking to get the most out of your server racks, you have to do more than just pull each cable through its respective cabling hole. You should label every wire from the end that leaves the server rack for easy identification and tracking during troubleshooting, which saves time.

Keep Racks away from Traffic -- Server racks are perforated to assist in disseminating heat produced by the servers. Notably, installing server racks near workstations can make working uncomfortable due to the noise and heat. Moreover, it is easy for employees to bump the server racks, thereby increasing the chances of cables dislodging. For this reason, it is crucial to install server racks away from employee traffic. The best approach is to designate a room specifically for server racks and keep it locked.

To learn more, contact a server rack supplier.

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