5.6 KiB
+++ categories = ["build"] tags = ["server", "rackmount", "homelab"] date = 2024-11-15T17:43:15Z description = "Moving home-server hardware into a spacious rack system for better cooling, expansion, organization, and maintenance access." draft = false slug = "server-rack" title = "🗄️ Server Rack" author = "nicholas" +++
This all began as a result of a growing sense of anxiety around my old server. It was my first ever computer build: a tiny little 20L ITX box whose specifications were matched exactly to what I needed at the time with no room for physical expansion. As I added tasks to the processor, it ran hotter, the fans ran louder, and the drives, too became worryingly (~45°C) hotter especially during days in the summer. It would hobble along just fine, but I was psychologically tormented by the increasing jank of it. My first desktop computer was a pre-built Dell XPS which was also a difficult-to-upgrade machine that suffered some significant thermal throttling. Both of these systems were limited by space and the components which could fit on their motherboards -- these are the most important factors. I would not make the same mistake again, but perhaps an entirely different one. My solution was to buy a giant barebones computer case that could be configured with just about any hardware I could want. Plenty of space for cooling, and plenty of space to work in, and plenty of space to fill with components.
The Rack Solution
The eventual solution then, was a couple of giant server chassis that would accommodate up to a dual-socket server motherboard and huge 150mm+ CPU coolers. I thought about upright desktop cases, or media-center type cases, either of which I could store on a wire shelf, which was initially my favored option not least for being budget-friendly. It was hard to decide against this, after all I am a huge fan of wire shelving units, and use them for everything! Plant cart, TV stand, mixer stand, shoe racks. They are a fantastic. But the idea of a server rack, that sounded so much cooler. Totally impractical, totally overkill, totally unnecessary, and yet I asked myself again and again: why not? To which I heard not a whisper of response so compelling as to stop me.
Requirements
- Wheels
- I prefer wherever possible and sensible to put heavy, large items like shelves, racks, carts, tables, chairs, desks, etc on wheels. The ability to move such heavy things around is in any case useful, but especially so in small apartment where the layout of the room is never certain. And I like the orderliness and look of a rack. (Note, my apartment floor is not nearly flat enough to be able to roll this cabinet while maintaining squareness, sadly).
- Maximum height of ~30"
- The server rack is ~28" tall, which is a height that allows it to fit under almost any standard desk This occupies almost all of the vertical space under my desk and therefore minimizes wasteful space.
- The rack is 23.5" wide. If the rack is positioned at either end of the desk, it still leaves room enough for me to sit anywhere ranging from the center of the desk to the opposite end.
- The rack depth will be roughly 24". The maximum depth allowed by the desk is infinite, but to be flush with the edge of the desk the rack will need to be no more than 22" deep. This may not be practical or even possible, but at worst the rack will jut out a few inches.
- Accommodate two massive server chassis
- This would be for my two machines: PC and server
Components
I compared a lot of server racks, and most were too expensive to consider. The remaining options were compared on the basis of their total weight, and reviews. I reasoned that the less-massive racks, all else being ~equal, would be less stable and have a shorter life. Silly, maybe, but since I was doing something a bit unnecessary and overkill in the first place, it follows that I was no longer bound by sound reasoning. I still stand by the notion that weight is a good proxy for durability all else being roughly equivalent, though. I have no regrets.
| Type | Item |
|---|---|
| Server Rack | VIVO CART-SR12U 12U Freestanding Open Frame Server Rack |
| PDU | Tripp Lite UDRS-1215 1U 14-Outlet Rackmount PDU Surge Protector Power Strip |
| Chassis | (2) Rosewill RSV-R4000U 4U Server Chassis |
| Shelf | StarTech 1U 10" Deep Server Rack Shelf |
| Rails | iStarUSA TC-RAIL-26 |
-
I selected a 12U rack because it will fit under a desk, and my total requirements were 12U. For now, I figure I will just leave 1U vertical space between the chassis. This will occupy 9U total. The PDU and shelf both occupy 1U. This amounts to 11U. Good.
-
The PDU was selected for its 3000 Joule surge protection rating. I am informed that this is good enough, but do not know much about the implications of this number "3000". It has outlets facing both front and back. It servers dual purposes -- tidy cable management for power cables in the back and powering miscellaneous devices in the front.
Photos
I have some photos of the rack and its components. It is tucked under the desk in the corner of the apartment living room. Very pleased. Improvements are in order for the external cable management once everything is "stable".
{{< gallery name="server-rack-gallery" >}}
"Servers"
I have two chassis mounted in the rack. I have a couple of posts relating to these machines:
- server
- pc