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We are currently upgrading our tower based build server to a new 19" rack mounted unit for our software development team.

Our new rack server has a maximum depth of 22 inches. So to accommodate this, we purchased a server rack cabinet that supports exactly 22 inches as its maximum component depth. With the vertical rack mounts moved all the way in the front of the cabinet, we are able to fit the server in the cabinet and then close the glass door to the cabinet.

We also purchased a D-Link DGS-1216T network switch, which is also mounted in the cabinet. However, since the switch has all of the ports in the front of the unit, we are unable to close the glass door in the front of the cabinet once CAT5 cables are plugged into the switch.

Does anyone know of some specialized brackets or other hardware that could be used to make a rack mountable component set recessed 1 or 2 inches from the vertical rack mounts?

In other words, we want something to make the network switch not be flush with the vertical mounts so that we can plug in CAT5 cables and also be able to close the cabinet door.

I realize that we could move the vertical mounts back a few notches, which would move the switch deeper into the cabinet, but then we would not be able to attach the server to the mounts as it would extend past them.

Skyhawk
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Marcos Vandel
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5 Answers5

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Rack mounted network hardware is typically mounted in the back of the cabinet, which reduces the amount of cable that gets run in the cabinet and makes the use of cable management hardware simpler.

Karl Katzke
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This would be why the racks should be bigger than the servers you want to put in them. You need room for cables, etc on both the front and back.

Go and hit the hardware store. Where the washers are, you can get some very thick washers which will give you enough space to mount the switch.

That or pickup a set of rack shelves and put the network switch on that.

mrdenny
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Thanks for the helpful suggestions.

The idea of placing the switch in the back of the rack makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, we purchased a cabinet enclosure so there is no access to the hardware from the back.

I resolved the issue with a set of Standoff Rack Extender Brackets

The intent for this part is to actually "extend" your component out by 4 inches, however, we installed them in our rack backwards to place the switch back by 4 inches. Worked like a charm. Even though the part took up 2U of space, this was fine for us because we added a wire management plate just below the switch to funnel the CAT5 cables through.

Thanks again all!

Jim

Marcos Vandel
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Traditionally the switches are faced to the back of the cabinet. This is because on rack mounted server hardware the network ports are almost exclusively on the back. It greatly simplifies network cable routing as you don't have to sacrifice a few U of server space for the cables to run under the switch, over a server and towards the back. Also usually there is more space between the back rack pillars and the back door to allow for cabling on both switches and servers.

Laura Thomas
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You can also put the switch in the back which usually has more room for cabling.

Antoine Benkemoun
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