Server Rack Shelves

Server rack shelves are hardware components designed to provide reliable support and storage space for various equipment within a server rack. Typically constructed from durable materials like metal, they are installed horizontally, creating sturdy platforms for securely placing servers, networking devices, and other rack-mountable equipment. Ideal for Australian businesses, these shelves help optimise your server room setup and ensure everything is organised and accessible.

While the standard width of a rack shelf is 19-inch, server rack shelves do come in different sizes and configurations to accommodate different types of equipment while ensuring proper ventilation.

A data rack shelf also assists in keeping critical information technology equipment secure and organised.

What Is A Server Rack Unit?

A rack unit (U), also known as a rack space or simply "U," is a standard unit of measurement describing the vertical space within a server rack or equipment enclosure. It also goes by the acronym ‘RU’.

One rack unit represents the height of the rack-mounted equipment and the available space for mounting hardware.

One rack unit (1U) is equivalent to 1.75 inches or 44.45 millimetres in height. This measurement is standardised and widely adopted in the IT industry. Rack-mounted equipment such as servers, switches, and storage devices are typically designed to occupy one or multiple rack units.

The total height of a rack is often specified in terms of the number of rack units it can accommodate. For example, a 42U server rack can hold equipment up to 42 rack units in height. By using this standard unit of measurement, it becomes easier to determine the amount of space required for equipment and plan for efficient rack deployment and organisation.

Beyond directly rack-mountable equipment, rack mount shelves like cantilever shelves also utilise these rack unit measurements. Cantilever shelves, which secure to the front and suspend equipment, offer versatile placement for non-rack-mountable items within the server rack.

Different rack unit sizes cater to various equipment and density needs:

1U: Ideal for patch panels, KVM consoles, or compact servers where space efficiency is crucial.
2U: Commonly houses smaller servers, storage arrays, or larger networking components that require more vertical space than a 1U unit.
3U: Often used for mid-range servers, blade enclosures, or specialised data rack equipment needing additional height for cooling or internal components.
4U: Accommodates larger servers, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), or specialised computer rack shelf systems that demand substantial vertical clearance and airflow.
8U: Suitable for combining several smaller network rack shelf units, or for housing mid-sized servers and networking gear, providing a flexible solution for growing infrastructure.
24U: Represents a half-height server rack, popular for small data centres, remote offices, or departmental deployments. Allows for a significant amount of servers, storage, and networking equipment in a compact footprint.

What Are the Benefits of Server Rack Shelves?

Organisation: Rack shelves provide a structured and organised environment for equipment placement
Space Efficiency: By utilising vertical space, server rack shelves optimise the use of floor space.
Accessibility: Rack shelves facilitate easy access to equipment for installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
Airflow and Cooling: Proper airflow is critical for cooling server equipment. Rack shelves are designed with ventilation features, such as perforations or mesh patterns, which promote the smooth circulation of air.
Cable Management: Server rack shelves often incorporate cable management features, such as cable routing channels, hooks, or clips. This helps to organise and secure cables, reducing clutter, and minimizing the risk of cable damage or accidental disconnections.
Security: Enclosed server rack shelves with lockable doors provide a level of physical security by restricting unauthorised access to the equipment
Scalability and Flexibility: Server rack shelves are designed to accommodate various sizes and types of equipment. They offer flexibility to scale up or down as the needs of the data center or server room change, allowing for easy installation or replacement of servers and devices.

Types of Server Rack Shelves

Server rack shelves come in a variety of designs, each engineered to fulfil specific functions within your server rack setup. RS Australia offers server rack shelves in common colours like black, grey, or white to suit your data centre aesthetics.

Fixed Server Rack Shelves

Fixed server rack shelves provide stable, non-moving platforms for equipment. Engineers use them when frequent access to the mounted device is unnecessary. One typically finds them supporting routers, modems, or lighter servers that require a permanent resting place within the rack.

Adjustable Server Rack Shelves

An adjustable server rack shelf offers versatile depth positioning. Users can extend or shorten its depth to perfectly accommodate equipment of varying sizes or to suit different server rack depths. They are ideal for optimizing space and ensuring a snug fit for diverse networking or server hardware.

Sliding Server Rack Shelves

Sliding server rack shelves are designed to pull out from the rack, much like a drawer. This functionality allows easy access to equipment for maintenance, inspection, or cable management without having to remove the device from the server rack. They enhance accessibility for items like keyboards or KVMs.

Solid Rack Shelves

Solid rack shelves feature a completely unperforated, flat surface. One uses them for supporting non-rack-mountable equipment, such as smaller UPS units or monitors, that do not require airflow from below. They also prevent any small components from falling through the shelf’s surface.

Vented Rack Shelves

Vented rack shelves incorporate perforations or mesh patterns across their surface. This design promotes optimal airflow, which is essential for cooling active servers and networking equipment. They function as an effective rack mount tray, ensuring proper thermal management within the server rack and extending equipment lifespan.

Heavy Duty Rack Shelves

Heavy duty rack shelves are constructed from thicker gauge steel and reinforced designs to support substantial loads. Rack mount shelves are used for exceptionally heavy equipment like large servers, battery backups, or industrial control units, providing superior stability and preventing sagging or deformation under extreme weight within the server rack.

Available Shelf Depth for Computer Rack Shelf

Selecting the correct shelf depth is as important as its width, as it ensures proper equipment support and airflow within the server rack. Depths for a computer rack shelf vary significantly, catering to diverse equipment sizes and rack configurations.

Fixed Depth Shelves: These rack shelf options offer a non-adjustable depth, designed to fit specific standard server rack sizes or particular equipment dimensions. They provide a stable, consistent platform when the exact depth requirement is known and remains constant.
Adjustable Depth Shelves: An adjustable rack shelf provides flexibility, allowing users to extend or shorten its depth. Such adaptability is especially useful for accommodating various equipment sizes within a single server rack, or for matching different server rack depths efficiently.
Standard Depths: Computer rack shelf units are commonly available in standard depths such as 450mm, 600mm and 800mm. These industry-standard measurements ensure compatibility with most server rack models, providing a reliable shelf for your server rack setup.

2-Post and 4-Post Racks

When setting up your data centre or network infrastructure, you will typically choose between two main types of open-frame server racks: 2-post and 4-post designs. The fundamental difference lies in their structural support, which dictates the kind of equipment they can safely house and their overall application.

2-post racks feature two vertical mounting rails. People commonly use them for lighter equipment like networking gear, patch panels, and audio/video equipment where full depth support is unnecessary. They offer a simple, cost-effective solution for organising wiring closets or small network installations. While good for saving space, their limited depth and weight capacity mean they are not ideal for heavier servers or deep computing equipment.

Conversely, 4-post racks provide four vertical mounting rails, resembling a server rack cabinet without the sides or doors. Engineers design them for greater stability and much higher weight capacities, making them the standard for housing servers, storage area networks (data rack) devices, and other deep, heavy computer rack shelf equipment. They offer full front-to-back support, improving weight distribution and facilitating better cable management and cooling solutions for a denser setup.

Weight Limit for a Server Rack Shelf

Choosing the correct weight capacity for a server rack shelf is crucial for ensuring safety, stability, and preventing damage to your valuable equipment. Different rack shelf types offer varying load limits to suit diverse equipment needs within a server rack.

20KG: Ideal for lightweight networking devices, modems, or patch panels that don't exert significant downward force.
35KG: Suitable for smaller servers, KVM switches, or multiple lighter components needing reliable support.
45KG: A common capacity for standard servers, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), or general IT equipment in typical deployments.
60KG: Designed for denser servers, storage arrays, or industrial components that require more substantial support.
80KG: Provides robust support for heavier servers, larger battery backups, or industrial-grade gear with considerable weight.
100KG: Rack mount shelves with this capacity are built for very heavy duty applications, accommodating large, high-density servers or extensive storage solutions with maximum stability.

Industrial Applications of Server Rack Shelves

Server rack shelves are essential for optimising space, organisation, and equipment protection across a wide range of industrial and commercial applications. They form the backbone of efficient data centres and network infrastructures, providing versatile mounting solutions within every server rack.

Server Rack Mounting: Fixed or adjustable server rack shelves provide secure and stable platforms for mounting various server units. They ensure proper weight distribution and optimal airflow, protecting crucial server hardware.
Networking Equipment: Network rack shelves, often vented, are ideal for organising routers, switches, and patch panels. They help ensure proper airflow for cooling, maintain tidy cable management for improved network performance, and simplify access for maintenance.
Storage Systems: For storage needs, heavy duty rack shelves or solid rack shelf designs are commonly used. They support network-attached storage (NAS) devices, storage area networks (SAN), and external drive arrays, managing large volumes of data securely within the data rack.
Telecommunication Equipment: Fixed or adjustable rack shelves are frequently deployed to house modems, voice gateways, and other communication infrastructure, centralising components and ensuring easy accessibility for maintenance and upgrades.
Power Distribution: Solid rack shelves or reinforced rack mount shelves are used to support Power Distribution Units (PDUs) and Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS), ensuring reliable power delivery and organised cabling for all server and networking equipment.

How to Choose the Right Rack Shelf

Selecting the correct rack shelf is a key step in optimising your server rack setup for performance, organisation, and safety. Careful consideration of these factors ensures your equipment receives the right support and environment.

Equipment Type and Dimensions: Match the shelf to the equipment it will hold, whether it is a server, networking gear, or a computer rack shelf unit. Confirm the device's width, often 19-inch, height (in U), and depth to ensure it fits securely on the rack shelf.
Load Capacity: Always verify the rack shelf's weight rating against the total weight of the equipment it will support. Exceeding the load limit can compromise safety and potentially damage both the shelf and valuable servers.
Airflow and Ventilation Needs: Consider the thermal requirements of your server and network rack shelf equipment. Vented rack shelves or a rack mount tray promote airflow, essential for cooling. Solid shelves suit equipment that does not require under-ventilation.
Mounting Type and Adjustability: Decide between fixed, sliding, or adjustable rack shelves. Sliding options offer easy access for maintenance, while adjustable depths provide versatility. A rack mount shelf secures directly into the server rack framework.
Material and Durability: Opt for rack shelves made from sturdy materials like steel, ensuring long-term durability and stability within the server rack. Consider finishes for corrosion resistance if the environment demands it.
Cable Management Integration: Look for rack shelves with integrated cable management features. These can include routing slots, hooks, or channels that help organise power and data cables, reducing clutter and improving airflow around servers and data rack equipment.

Buy Server Rack Shelves and Enclosures Online from RS Australia

RS Malaysia offers a comprehensive selection of server rack shelves and enclosures. Our range includes adjustable options, cantilever shelves, and telescopic shelves. Products are sourced from top brands like Rittal, StarTech.com, and nVent SCHROFF, ensuring high-quality solutions for your server rack. Explore our vast stock to find the ideal rack shelf or shelf for your server rack.

Ordering your enclosures from RS is simple and straightforward. Search for the specific rack shelf you need, add it to your basket, and proceed to online checkout. Business account customers can use quick order functions or set up parts lists. We also accept orders via phone, email, or fax for your convenience.

Beyond our server rack shelves, one can find a wide selection of other enclosures, including junction boxes, power supply cases, and DIN rail enclosures. Find out more about our nationwide doorstep delivery on our Delivery Page.