Staying Safe Around Construction Equipment

Steel Fabrication Can Bring Your Data Center To Customized Heights

In a seemingly standardized industry, data centers and computer systems have a lot of equipment that just doesn't fit or work together. As mobile technology explodes and technological business becomes more accessible, many entrepreneurs are bringing devices that you want and need for your systems--but they just won't fit inside a standard 19-inch server rack! if you have oddly shaped devices that won't mount properly or need something better than a shelf, keep reading to see how a steel fabricator team can help.

Wait... What's Wrong With Shelves?

Many server rooms and equipment rooms use server racks with shelving for their devices. If you haven't seen them installed, they're basically sheets of metal with mounting brackets that can screw into the rails of a server rack. Operation is simple: put the devices on top of the shelf and go.

Unfortunately, this only works for single-person operations or very tight-knit groups who make no mistakes at all. With basic shelving, it's too easy for a technician to pass by and get caught on a cable, sending the device to the floor--or at least unplugging something important.

There's no stabilization with basic shelves, but in the standard server rack world, they're the most versatile option out there. Thankfully, steel fabricators can make cages to answer the stabilization problem.

Custom Cages And Enclosures

Give steel fabrication professionals a measurement of your devices. They'll need not only the size and shape of the device, but the location of different ports, indicators and vents. A cage can be built to fit the device, but for the best use, you need to be able to use the device as if there wasn't a cage at all.

The access ports and indicators are important for plugging up the device and seeing what happens, but careful attention needs to be paid to the vents. Ventilation holes can change depending on where the cage metal ends and the opening begins, which may lead to air being trapped at higher temperatures. The cage holes need to be either perfectly sized or larger than the device vents.

With these cages in place, you can install your devices using the same rails and shelving with a standard server rack. If you have bigger devices and want a customized rack design, be sure to keep your business with a steel fabrication consultant. By working with every aspect of your data center or computer system, your partnership can design a network infrastructure that lasts for decades. Visit a steel fabrication company like Jackson-Cook Cranes today for more information.


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