Cabinets 101 WP

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Cabinets 101: Configuring A NetworkOr Server CabinetNorth, South and Central America

White PaperMay 2012


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Background Information 3

What is a network or server cabinet? 3What is the difference between a network and a server cabinet? 3What about the positioning of the rails? 4What is the maximum load bearing capacity of the cabinets? 4What about cooling? 4How should cable management be handled? 4What about security? 4

How to Build a Cabinet for Your Needs 5

What size cabinet should be purchased? 5How many side panels are needed? 6Are blanking panels needed? 7What other air flow management components are there? 8Does CommScope support side breathing equipment? 8How about additional cooling? 9What cable management options are there? 10What happens if the equipment is not rack mountable? 11

What other accessories are available? 11

What about PDUs? 12

Contents


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Background Information

What is a network or server cabinet?

A network or server cabinet is an enclosure usually made out of metal that is used in data center

server rooms, computer rooms or wiring closets to house 19 in. (482.6 mm) rack mountableequipment such as servers and other IT and networking equipment. According to TIA/EIAstandards, a 19 in. (482.6 mm) cabinet will have mounting rails which are 17 in. (450.9 mm)apart and whose height is measured in 1 in. (44.5 mm) unit increments (1U). Traditional sizes forcabinets include heights of 42U, 45U and 47U. A 42U has an internal rack unit height dimensionof 73 in. (1866.9 mm). However, the external dimensions vary between manufacturers.Conversely, a 45U has an internal height of 78 in. (2000.3 mm) and a 47U one of 82 in.(2089.2 mm).

The widths of the cabinets will vary from model to model. Because the distance between the rails isa standard 17 in. (450.9 mm) , any additional cabinet width is there to provide easier accessand allow for cable management systems. Typical cabinet widths include 23.6 in. (600 mm) and31.5 in. (800 mm). You may also hear these cabinets referred to as a 24 inch and a 32 inchcabinet respectively. However the math is not that clean. The real width of a 600 mm cabinet ininches is 23.62 in. and the 800 mm is 31.5 in. Some customers in the US are pretty adamant thatthey want true 24 in. (609.6 mm) or 30 in. (762 mm) cabinets as they suit the two foot floor tilesin their data centre. Please make sure you discuss this with your customer and get the exact widthrequirements.

Although cabinets wider than 31.5 in. (800 mm) are available, they are not as popularbecause of space constraint in the data center and server rooms. CommScope offers severalstandard sizes of cabinets including 42U and 47U as well as two dif ferent widths, 23.6 in.(600 mm) and 31.5 in. (800 mm).

What is the difference between a network anda server cabinet?

The lines dividing network and server cabinets have blurred much throughout the years. Sinceboth network and server cabinets can come in the same heights (e.g. 42U, 45U and 47U)and the same widths (e.g. 23.6 in. (600 mm) and 31.5 in. (800 mm)), what is the differencebetween a server and a network cabinet? The distinction usually comes down to just a questionof depth and airflow. Server cabinets usually house network servers which are traditionallylonger and require a deeper cabinet depth. Therefore cabinet depth of 31.5 in. (800 mm),39.4 in. (1000 mm) and 47.2 in. (1200 mm) are common. On the other hand, networkcabinets are mainly used to house routers, switches, patch panels and other networkingequipment with depth requirements of less than 31.5 in. (800 mm). Understanding theequipment that is going to be installed in the cabinet is key to deciding the depth of the cabinetthat will be required.

Another difference between network and server cabinets can be in the basic construction of

the front and sides, solid vs. perforated. Historically servers create a lot of heat and because ofheat dissipation and thermal management requirements, server cabinets usually have perforatedor vented fronts and backs. On the other hand, routers and patch panels do not generate asmuch heat, allowing network cabinets to be comprised of solid transparent tempered glassor plexiglass front door and solid rear panels. To comply to the requirements of both networkand server cabinets, CommScope offers three standard cabinet depths: 31.5 in. (800 mm),39.4 in. (1000 mm) and 47.2 in. (1200 mm).


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What about the positioning of the rails?The position of the 19 in. (482.6 mm) rails within the cabinet must also be considered.

Some pieces of equipment project quite a way forward from the 19 in. (482.6 mm) rails sothis would necessitate moving the rails back into the cabinet. All other equipment must then beinstalled on these rails so the deepest equipment would then define where the rear set of railsneeded to be. Once again, it is important to understand the equipment that will be mountedin the cabinet. The position of the rails in the CommScope cabinet is fully adjustable.

What is the maximum load bearing capacity of the cabinets?

CommScopes line of network and server cabinets has a load bearing capacity of 3200 lbs.

What about cooling?A typical method for cooling in a data center is the use of hot and cold aisles. By alternatingrows of front and rear facing cabinets, hot and cold air flow can be directed and controlled.To accomplish this, the airflow through the cabinet has to be from front to back and requiresperforated front and rear cabinet doors. Blank panels are used in places where there is noequipment bolted to the cabinet to improve air mobility. Furthermore, rear door mounting fanscan be used to increase air flow and aid in its direction. CommScope offers cabinets withperforated front and rear doors. CommScope also offers several options for blanking panels aswell as two different models of split door fans.

A different approach for cooling is a top exhaust method. For this method to work the airflow ismoved from the bottom to the top to the cabinet into a false ceiling or plenum where the hot air isdirected to the return of the air conditioning. It is not uncommon to see a chimney venting up fromthe top of a cabinet into the open room. To accomplish this, the cabinet must have solid doors andan attachment on the top (traditionally called a chimney) to connect the cabinet to the plenum (or todirect the air upwards). CommScope does not offer a chimney exhaust option for our cabinets.

How should cable management be handled?

Todays enclosures are tasked with housing more and more equipment. Poor cable

management may lead to damaged cables, performance degradation and costly downtime.Proper cable management ensures optimum data transmission, cost savings, and cableprotection. In addition, proper cable management will increase airflow and therefore coolingof a cabinet. CommScopes current cabinet offering has options for cable management thatcan be placed in the rear of the cabinet in either or both sides.

What about security?A key reason for a cabinet (instead of an open rack) can be security. Both network and servercabinets must have an option for a locking mechanism. All CommScope cabinets comestandard with locks for both the front and rear doors.


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What size cabinet should be purchased?

CommScope offers the following sizes for cabinets (see list below). The first step would be

selecting one of these sizes.

There are several key items that you will need to consider when selecting a cabinet:

Dimensions in inches are approximate; the true measurements are in millimeters

Consider the dimensions of the deepest server and make plenty of room to plug in powerand cabling

Consider the positioning of the rails and if the rails will need to move back to accommodatea particular piece of equipment. For example, if you are including a Horizontal CableManager, the rails will have to move back about 6 inches so make sure your cabinet is deepenough to accommodate for this.

Ideally the largest cabinet should be installed as this helps to future proof the cabinet andallows room for larger pieces of equipment to be installed at a later date. Here is a list ofstandard CommScope cabinets.

MID Type Size in millimeters Size in inches Description

760149708 Network Bay Cabinet 42U 600 X 800 42U 80 in. H x 24 in. W x 32 in. D Fully Perforated Front Door, Spli t Rear Door*

760150664 Network Bay Cabinet 42U 800 X 800 42U 80 in. H x 32 in. W x 32 in. D Fully Perforated Front Door, Spli t Rear Door*

760142927 Network Bay Cabinet 42U 800 X 800 42U 80 in. H x 32 in. W x 32 in. D Viewing Window Partially Perforated Front, Split Rear Door

760143016 Server Bay Cabinet 42U 600 X 1000 42U 80 in. H x 24 in. W x 40 in. D Fully Perforated Front Door, Spli t Rear Door



760143040 Server Bay Cabinet 42U 800 X 1200 42U 80 in. H x 32 in. W x 48 in. D Fully Perforated Front Door, Split Rear Door

760143057 Server Bay Cabinet 47U 600 X 1000 47U 88 in. H x 24 in. W x 40 in. D Fully Perforated Front Door, Split Rear Door




* This cabinet option is offered as a custom product and as such will have longer lead times for delivery.

How to Build a Cabinet forYour Needs


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How many side panels are needed?

As mentioned earlier, CommScope cabinets do not come with side panels. When baying

several cabinets together, traditionally side panels would be needed on the end cabinets (oneon each end). CommScope side panels are sized according to the height and the depth of thecabinet and they come two to a pack. Therefore, when baying several cabinets together, eachend of the row of cabinets would be open and panels would need to be ordered for the ends,ordering only quantity one of the applicable MID. As with the cabinets, the side panels are ofsteel construction and have textured black powder coated finish. Here is a list of CommScopeside panels.

MID Description

760143941 Side Panel 42U x 32 in. /31.5 in. (800 mm) (2)

760143958 Side Panel 42U x 40 in. / 39.4 in. (1000 mm) (2)


760143974 Side Panel 47U x 40 in. / 39.4 in. (1000 mm) (2)



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In addition to the side panels, CommScope also offers divider panels intended to go betweencabinets that are ganged together. The divider panels support the 39.4 in. (1000 mm) and47.2 in. (1200 mm) depth and are available in a 42U and a 47U model. The panels have

pass-thru openings that allow cabling between the ganged cabinets. Here is a list of theavailable divider panels.

MID Description

760143990 Divider Panel 42U x 39.4 in. (1000 mm)




Are blanking panels needed?

When a cabinet is only partially filled, airflow management can be improved by installingblanking panels. These panels go across the front of the mounting rails where equipmentwould be bolted. The width of these panels is the standard width of the 19 in. (482.6 mm)mounting rail and the height is measured in units of 1U. Two of the panels (a 1U and a 3U)are made of steel and mount via a series of clips that require no specific tool. The other panelis a 1U plastic snap-on cover which does not require a tool for installation. Here is a list of theavailable blanking panels.

MID Description760144386 Toolless Blanking Panels 3U (5 per pack)

760144378 Toolless Blanking Panel 1U (10 per pack)

760144360 Toolless Plastic Panel 1U (12 per pack)


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What other air flow management components are there?

The air brush baffles are a series of brushes that are designed to mount to the rails on the top,

bottom, and both sides. The brushes are intended to block air and redirect it where needed.The baffles are made to block airflow through the sides of the cabinets (the area between therails and the outer cabinet housing) as well as through the very top and the very bottom. Byblocking these areas, airflow is forced across the different servers and equipment mounted ontothe rails. In addition to the rails, we also offer bush rings intended to block air flow through thecable openings on the top panel of the cabinet. Each air brush baffle kit comes with enoughcomponents for a single rack. Each brush ring kit comes with four brush rings.

MID Description

760144394 Air Brush Baffle 42U x 24 in. (609.6 mm) /23.6 in. (800 mm)



760144428 Air Brush Baffle 47U x 32 in. (812.8 mm) /31.5 in. (800 mm)760144436 Brush Ring for Top Panel 4.4 in. (112 mm)

Does CommScope support side breathing equipment?

The last airflow management component CommScope offers is a side breathing air baffle.The baffle attaches to one side of the cabinet and redirects hot exhaust from side breathingequipment to the back of cabinet. It is designed for use with 31.5 in. (800 mm) widecabinets and it supports the hot/cold aisle configurations. For a CiscoNexus 7018 switchimplementation, the air baffle has to reside inside a 39.4 in. (1000 mm) wide cabinet.

MID Description

760148494 Side Breathing Air Baffle


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How about additional cooling?

If the installation requires increased cooling, CommScope offers split rear door fans that take

advantage of the front to rear airflow of most servers. These dual fan assemblies allow theuser to position the fan assembly in the most critical location within the cabinet to minimize hotspots. Two high pressure fans, 105 cfm each, provide the ability to exhaust hot air out the rearof the enclosure at a dramatically higher rate than traditional roof mount fan trays.

CommScope currently offers two types of fans. The fan assembly itself is identical with the cfmrating. The only difference is the dimensions of the mounting assembly, intended to supportthe split perforated door or the full width perforated door. Here are the two available dual fanassemblies.

MID Description

760144477 Split Door Fan 115V 11.42 in. (290 mm) H X 8.31 in. (211 mm) W X 1.73 in.(43.9 mm) D

760144485 Split Door Fan 115V 11.42 in. (290 mm) H X 12.24 in. (310.9 mm) W X 1.73in. (43.9 mm) D


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What cable management options are there?

Proper cable management is critical to proper access, cooling and air flow.

The CommScope in-cabinet cable manager is a simple, flexible andcost-effective way to organize your cables and patch cords. It is comprisedof a 9U metal housing that attaches directly to the front or rear rails. Thecable manager is available in 3.5 in. (89 mm) and 10 in. (254 mm) widthsand is 9U in height. The cable manager can be installed in a stand alone orbayed configuration and multiple units can be installed to span the entireheight of the cabinet. The cover for the cable manager is sold as a separatecomponent and it also comes in the two aforementioned sizes. The covercomes in packs of four. In addition to the cable managers, CommScope also

offers a cable collection claw and a slack spool. Last on the list of cable management options is theVelcro strap fastener. The Velcro strap attaches anywhere within the vertical rails with the included turn fastener. The Velcro straps come in packs of 10.

Below is a list of CommScopes line of cable management accessories for our cabinets.

MID Description

760144626 Cabinet Cable Management 3.5 in. (89 mm) W X 9U

760144600 Cabinet Cable Management 10 in. (254 mm) W X 9U

760144618 Cabinet Cable Management 3.5 in. (89 mm) W Cover

760144592 Cabinet Cable Management 10 in. (254 mm) W Cover

760144634 Cabinet Cable Management Cable Claw

760144642 Cabinet Cable Management Slack Spool

760144659 Cabinet Cable Management Velcro

In addition to the in-cabinet cable managementoptions specified above, CommScope alsosupports a line of roof-mounted cablemanagement components. The roof-mountedcable management system makes cablemanagement outside the cabinet easy. Thisintuitive solution easily fastens to the existing roof;just align the opening on the cable manager withthe cable entry opening on the roof of the cabinetand snap in the ring grommets. The solutioncomes in two versions; the basic rooftop cable manager and the cable manager for ladder rack.The only difference between them is that the cable manager for ladder racks comes with anadditional plate used to connect with a ladder rack system. The end caps (covers) for all versionsare sold separately. Additional Snap Ring Grommets are also available for purchase.

MID Description

760144535 Roofmount Cable Management 23.6 in. (800 mm)

760144543 Roofmount Cable Management 31.5 in. (800 mm)

760144550 Roofmount Cable Management End Covers

760144568 Roofmount Cable Management For LR 23.6 in. (800 mm)

760144576 Roofmount Cable Management For LR 31.5 in. (800 mm)

760144584 Roofmount Ladder Rack End Covers

760144469 Snap Ring Grommet


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What happens if the equipment is not rack mountable?

For equipment that does not

bolt directly onto the cabinet,CommScope offers twotypes of shelves and a set oftelescopic rails. The shelvesare made of heavy duty steeland have a vented bottomto aid in air circulation. Theshelves come in two models,fixed or pull out, and arerated up to 250 lbs. In addition to the shelves CommScope also offers a set of telescopic rails.These telescopic support rails are designed to support components from underneath, and cansupport up to 200 lbs.

MID Description

760144527 HD Fixed Shelf 250 lbs. capacity

760144501 HD Sliding Shelf 250 lbs. capacity

760144519 HD Support Rails 200 lbs. capacity

What other accessories are available?

A handful of items rounds off the product offering and they include items such as casters(CommScope cabinets come standard with leveling feet and casters are optional), baying kits (forganging together two cabinets), grounding kits (for grounding to a central earthing point as wellas among components such as the doors, side panels and roof plates), additional caged nuts and

screw kits (your cabinet comes standard with fifty M6 nuts and one hundred M6 screws) and threedifferent plates for mounting PDUs (or power strips). For a detailed list of components, see below.

MID Description

760144030 Server Cabinet Caster Kit

760144048 Adjustable Leveling Feet

760144055 Bolt Down Clamps (set of 4)

760144063 Baying Kit

760144071 Complete Grounding Kit

760144089 M6 Caged Nut w/o contact (50pk)

760144097 M6 Caged Nut with contact (50pk)

760144105 Screw Kit - M6 X 0.5 in. (12 mm) Torx 300pk

760144113 Screw Kit - M6 X 0.6 in. (16 mm) Phillips

760144337 PDU Mounting Bracket for 1 PDU

760144345 PDU Mounting Bracket for 2 PDU

760144352 PDU Mounting Plate for PDU


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What about PDUs?

CommScope offers a wide range of PDU options, such as current surge

protection, circuit breakers and standard or twist-lock style NEMA plugs in both15 and 20 amp strips. All PDUs are UL and cUL certified.

PDUs come in two main types: vertical and horizontal. The vertical PDU featurestwenty receptacles and it is 66 in. (1676.4 mm) in length. The horizontal PDUfeatures 8 receptacles and it is 19 in. (482.6 mm) in length.

Next is a list of the dif ferent PDUs options currently available.

MID Description

760083600 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, Surge Protected, with Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083618 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, Surge Protected, with Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug

760083626 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, No Surge Protection with Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083634 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, No Surge Protection with Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug

760083642 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, No Surge Protection, No Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083659 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, No Surge Protection, No Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug

760083667 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, Surge Protected, with Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083675 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, Surge Protected, with Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug

760083683 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, No Surge Protection with Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083691 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, No Surge Protection with Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug760083709 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, No Surge Protection, No Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083717 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, No Surge Protection, No Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug

760083725 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125/250V, 20A, No Surge Protection with Circuit Breaker, IEC320 Type C-20 Plug, Black

760083733 Vertical Power Distribution Strip, 125/250V, 20A, No Surge Protection, No Circuit Breaker, IEC320 Type C-20 Plug, Black

760083758 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, Surge Protected, with Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083766 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, Surge Protected, with Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug

760083774 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, No Surge Protection with Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083782 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, No Surge Protection with Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug

760083790 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, No Surge Protection, No Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083808 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 15A, No Surge Protection, No Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug

760083816 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, Surge Protected, with Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083824 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, Surge Protected, with Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug

760083832 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, No Surge Protection with Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083840 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, No Surge Protection with Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug

760083857 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, No Surge Protection, No Circuit Breaker, Standard plug

760083865 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125V, 20A, No Surge Protection, No Circuit Breaker, Twistlock plug

760083881 Horizontal Power Distribution Strip, 125/250V, 20A, No Surge Protection, No Circuit Breaker IEC320 Type C-20 Plug, Black


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For more information on the CommScope line of cabinets, please contact:

Tony ForrestProduct Manager

CommScope1300 East LookoutRichardson, TX 75082 USAOffice: (972) 792-3214 Cell: (972) [email protected]

www.commscope.com

Visit our Web site or contact your localCommScope representative for more information.

2011 CommScope, Inc. All rights reserved.

All trademarks identified by or TMare registered trademarksor trademarks, respectively, of CommScope, Inc.

This document is for planning purposes only and is notintended to modify or supplement any specifications orwarranties relating to CommScope products or services.

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Cabinets 101 WP