[rescue] Deciding how to place machines in a rack...

[Brian Deloria]

The carpeting should effectively absorb alot of the dust.

The space in between the machines 1u at least is simply to let the cases
pass heat off.  Unless you're looking for good looks or say channeling cold
air in through the front / subfloor / etc. the need to specifically force
the flow of air through the machines is not neccessary.  Cooling doesn't
seem to be a problem, but if you're going for asthetics then go for it..

You could probably call up a local hvac contractor or a sheet metal place
and have those metal pieces cut for you or get something from your local
home depot.  If you're just dealing with 1u increments you can purchase off
the shelf but you do have some options if you have something oddball like 9u
or 9.5u etc.

The only other thing that I'd maybe suggest is to make sure that your top
fan isn't alble to draw air from the front of the rack.  I don't have a
picture of your rack to go on but just to make sure it is expelling out the
top the exhaust air from the machines and not a mix of cold air from the
bottom up the front of the rack as well as from the back.

On Wed, Mar 5, 2008 at 12:06 PM, Earl Baugh <earl at baugh.org> wrote:

> Thanks for all the advise.  I've begun by placing the E420R at the bottom
> of
> the rack (though having to stoop over or kneel and lift the thing to get
> it
> in the rack seems to be only a small advantage for the o'back...ugh..)
>
> I'll space each machine 1U apart, but I have a question regarding that.
>
> Will putting in "face plates" (like this :
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/Set-of-1U-2u-3U-Face-Plate-for-Rackmount-Cabinet_W0QQitemZ170076194535QQcmdZViewItem
> )
> actually improve air flow?   In this new mostly enclosed system, I'm
> trying to do whatever I can to make sure I get good cooling.   I've looked
> at some of the additional fan shelves you can get, but haven't decided if
> I
> want to add that expense yet.  If anything, I'd probably want to get some
> sort of fan assembly for the back door and then put it on and turn it on
> to
> move the largest volume of air thru the thing...
>
> Just FYI the rack is going up in my office.  Standard house HVAC is all.
> Ceiling fan in the room as well (it's also got a very high vaulted
> ceiling,
> so plenty of hot air moves up there...when I went up on a ladder I could
> tell the difference...  t sits underneath an air intake for the HVAC.  So
> in
> winter it supplies warmer air to the heater, and in summer it makes the AC
> work a bit more...)
>
> It's on carpet (yeah, I know not the most optimal...esp for rolling).  I
> added casters to it to allow it to move (as best as one can on carpet...
> the
> existing set up I have has casters as well and does move enough for me to
> get around it when I need to.. and saves space since I don't have to have
> it
> out until I need to)   I
>
> Dust on the floor hasn't been any more of a problem than the dust in the
> air
> (we have two pet rabbits, so I have to regularly clean all sorts of
> filters...being closer to the floor isn't going to make that any worse of
> a
> problem than it is now...)
>
> I'll keep in mind the idea of placing a fan in the back to blow air into
> the
> rack.... I've got a small fan on the SS10's right now to add some
> additional
> cooling, but with the new top fans I think I'll be able to remove that...
>
> I'm also going to be working on a "desk with 2-two post racks as the legs"
> to re-use the existing parts from the old 2-2 post racks being used as a
> 4-post rack.  I have some "small" printers that will fit on shelves and
> let
> me utilize more of the vertical space in the room (though the printers
> won't
> be at 7 feet.....8-) )  I'll try to take some pictures when I get this all
> done...
>
> Thanks for all the advise!
>
> Earl
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