IT Production Equipment
IT production equipment is the servers, storage, network switches, routers, telecommunications hardware and other devices that fulfill the primary purpose of the IT installation. (Racks also have applications that may not employ typical IT equipment, such as manufacturing, but the same general principles apply.)
Racks are designed to hold all standard 19-inch rack-mountable equipment, as long as it isn’t too deep for the cabinet or too high to fit in the available rack spaces. The equipment often includes removable mounting brackets or “ears” that fasten to the vertical rack rails with screws. Heavier equipment may also include horizontal rails or shelves that mount in the rack to provide extra support. If the equipment isn’t made for rack installation, you can install a rack shelf to hold it. Just make sure the equipment isn’t too big or heavy for the shelf.
IT Infrastructure and Rack Accessories
Racks also accommodate IT infrastructure and rack accessories that support the operation of the production equipment. This includes equipment like UPS systems (uninterruptible power supplies), PDUs, cable managers, KVM switches, patch panels and shelves. Although most equipment is designed to fit in standard rack spaces, vertical PDUs and cable managers mount to vertical rails without using any rack spaces. Equipment that installs this way is referred to as 0U (“zero U”).
