Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Server Weight and Rack Mounting

This is topic Server Weight and Rack Mounting in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 03-02-2013, 06:47 PM:

Just unpacked my GDC SX2000AR server this morning and was getting ready to put it in the rack and was wondering if I'm really supposed to hang an $11k server off of 4 rack screws?

Seems like a lot of weight, and a lot of torque against the flange ears.

Looking at the server chasis - it looks like it has holes for some other type of support... any clues.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-02-2013, 07:10 PM:

Does the rack have the threaded holes, or does it have the square holes where an insert is placed in each hole?

Some older amplifiers are heavier than your server and holds nicely in any rack - have to think: you have the entire flat "ears" on each side of the device that is going to lay flat against each side of the mounting surface of the rack held down by 1/2" screws very tightly - it's not going to go anywhere and the weight is being spread evenly by those four screws.

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 03-02-2013, 08:17 PM:

There are slides available for pretty much every server chassis. With Doremi you get them with the 2K4 servers (4 RU and the CRU drive) but not with the 2000 servers (3U) although you can order them. Dolby DSS200 units come with slides. If you're interested you should call GDC and see what's available.
Note that all these slide systems require rear rails in a deep rack, and need quite some improvising to use in a shallow rack with only front rails.
I've mounted a lot of Doremis and a few GDCs without slides without any problems: it's nice to have them on top of something else (monitor, amp) so one doesn't have to hold them up while putting the rack screws in.
I would not try to mount a Dolby DSS200 without its slides though - it's very deep, pretty heavy, only 3U high, and only has one screw hole in the middle of each ear.
Having the server on slides makes it much easier to service.

Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 03-02-2013, 09:23 PM:

I have the MIT S2 MS2 digtal projection pedestals. They have the full 14 space rails with the tapped and threaded holes, as opposed to the rails with the square holes and inserts. They seemed pretty stout and didn't show any signs of flexing or bending as we mounted them. Still might cut something and wedge it up under there.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 03-03-2013, 08:42 AM:

Not sure about the GDC, but most servers come with rails. As mentioned above, rails make service easier because they allow you to slide the server out of the rack without necessarily disturbing anything else in the same rack. If I were to mount a server without rails, I would try to leave an empty rack space above or below it; otherwise, it may be hard to remove the unit for service later.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 03-03-2013, 06:31 PM:

Common shelf brackets work. You will probably only need one (or two.)