The Server Rack FAQ » Dell

Dell R410 Rail Kit Overview and Installation Options

will — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 21:53:57 +0000

The Dell R410 Rail Kit uses the new Ready Rail design. This design is is compatible with square hole racks as well as clearance hole racks. Clearance hole racks have a non-threaded, 0.25″ round hole. The attachment of the rail to the rack is on the front mounting surface instead of the the rear which has been the typical attachment method of Dell rails in the past.

The Dell R410 Ready Rails can be installed in a threaded hole rack using the RackSolutions adapter kit, P/N: 1UKIT-R4. This adapter kit has a small bracket that is attached to the front of the rack. This adapter bracket converts the round holes to square holes. The rear section of the rail is replaced by a section that is compatible with round holes. This kit slightly changes the over all installation depth of the server by moving the front attachment forward 7/8″.

	Mounting Depth
Dell Ready Rail	26 7/16″ to 35 5/16″
Dell Ready Rail with RS adapter kit	26 7/16″ to 35 5/16″
Dell Static Rail – 4Post Square Hole	23 1/8″ to 32 1/2″
Dell Static Rail – 4Post Round Hole	23 3/16″ to 33 5/16″
Dell Static Rail – 2Post Centermount	3″ to 6″
Dell Static Rail – 2Post Flushmount	3″ to 6″
RackSolutions Rail – 4Post any hole type	13″ to 31 1/2″
RackSolutions Rail – 2Post Centermount	2″ to 8″
RackSolutions Rail – 2Post Flushmount	2″ to 8″

The Dell static rail available when the Ready Rails are incompatible or in 2Post installations. Please review the following article which provides additional information on the Dell Static Rails.

RackSolutions offers a 3rd party rail kit, P/N: 1UBRK-R4 for 4Post installations where there is some type of obstruction issue. This rail kit is also compatible with 2Post installations as well. This rail kit captivates the mounting lugs on the side of the server chassis preventing any movement of the chassis itself. This rail kit can be used in transport applications where the Dell rails may not be compatible with the shock isolated racks.

Dell Static Rails

will — Mon, 24 May 2010 21:15:02 +0000

Some of the Dell 11g servers have a static rail available for installations where the standard Ready Rails are incompatible or for use in 2Post installations. This Dell rail kit is configurable depending upon what type of rack is used. Section A of the rail kit is an assembly that has the new Ready Rail mounting pins for use in square hole racks as well as a set of clearance holes for use in any type of rack. This mechanism is similar to the previous generation of Dell Rail Kits in that the mechanism rotates to allow for the use of both types of attachment methods. The difference in this mechanism is that it must be unscrewed compared to the previous generation rail kit that used a locking lever. The previous generation rail kit also had PEM nuts instead of clearance holes. Section B is the primary support bracket for 2Post centermount applications. This support bracket is riveted directly to the main rail frame and uses clearance holes as the attachment method. Section C is an adjustable bracket with a range of: 3″ to 6″. This bracket is used for 2Post flushmount configurations. These brackets can be removed if the front assembly is removed first, however they cannot be reversed. These brackets have clearance holes for use in any type of mounting interface. Section D is a 13 7/16″ bracket that is similar to Section A having both the Ready Rail mounting pins on one end and clearance holes on the other end. This bracket is reversable to allow the use of both attachment methods. In 2Post centermount installations the clearance holes are used in conjunction with section B. This allows the rail to be installed in 2Post racks with center channels ranging in size from: 3″ to 10 1/16″. In 4Post installations this bracket is configured based on the mounting interface. The Ready Rail mounting pins are used in square hole racks, the clearance holes are used for any type of rack. In 4Post installations this bracket allows the rail to to be installed in a range of: 23″ to 32 9/16″ using the Ready Rail mounting pins and 23 1/4″ to 33 5/16″ using the clearance holes.

The Dell static rail is susceptible to obstructions in 4Post racks in all 4 sections shown in the photo. 4Post racks with mounting post that are not a simple “L” shape will have the highest potential of causing an obstruction with Section A. If an obstruction occurs with Section C then the bracket can simply be removed. Obstructions caused by Section B will be difficult to resolve due to the permanent attachment of the support bracket. Obstructions in this area will more than likely effect Section D as well and will be equally difficult to resolve. In situations where unresolvable obstructions are preventing the proper installation of this rail kit the recommended solution is to use a 3rd Party Rail kit, P/N: 1UBRK-R4. This rail kit is far less likely to have the obstruction issues that the Dell Rail kit is vulnerable to.

How to install Dell Ready Rails into a threaded hole rack

will — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:14:52 +0000

The Dell Ready Rails, that are larger than 1U, can be installed into a threaded hole rack using RackSolutions Adapter Brackets. Photo #1 shows the Ready Rail Mounting Mechanism that is used on the Dell 11G servers. This mechanism has two large pins that are inserted into a square hole or a non-threaded hole rack. These pins are 1/4″ diameter and will not fit into the common threaded hole racks. The mechanism has two small spring loaded hooks that lock the rail into the rack.	Photo#1: Ready Rail Mounting Mechanism
RackSolutions Adapter Brackets convert round holes to square holes. In order to use the brackets the screws must be installed in a location where they do not interfere with the pins or hooks on the Dell Ready Rails. There are two holes available on the bracket to install the screws into that will not interfere with the pins and hooks. Photo #2 shows where the screws are installed as well as how the pins and hooks are inserted into the adapter bracket.	Photo #2: Screw Placement
Once the bracket is installed on the rack the Dell Ready Rail can be installed using the normal method. The rail will protrude from the front of the rack 0.89″. This will typically not cause any issues with cabinet doors. Photo #3 shows a top view of how the rail is installed. Notice the pins are flush with the side of the bracket.	Photo #3:Front Rail Attachment
The rear attachment of the Dell Ready Rails is achieved by using a 2″ Adapter Bracket. The bracket is installed on the inside surface of the rack. This will reduce the installation depth of the rack by 2″ which will not typically cause an issue. In shallow racks a bracket can sometimes be installed on the outside of the rack, however using brackets bigger than the 0.59″ can sometimes result in additional obstruction issues with the rail itself. Photo #4 shows the 2″ bracket with the Dell Ready Rail attached. Using the 0.59″ and 2″ brackets on a rack with an installation depth of 29″ will provide 27.59″ of installation depth. This is within the mounting depth range of the Dell Ready Rails. If your rack has an installation depth shallower than 29″ then other obstruction issues may occur using the adapter brackets. Racks that are deeper than 29″ will not be as prone to obstructions as the shallower racks due to the adapter brackets being installed on the inside of the rack. There are a variety of sizes of adapter brackets available that will solve most common installation issues with the Dell 11G Servers. These brackets can be ordered online or through a Dell Account Rep. There are also 3rd Party Replacement Rails available in circumstances where the adapter brackets do not provide an acceptable solution. Order Adapter Brackets Order 3rd Party Rails Kits	Photo #4: Rear Rail Attachment

Dell’s Ready Rail for 11G Servers

will — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:28:33 +0000

Dell has introduced a new design for their 11G Servers. This rail kit is like no other before. The first thing that you will notice is that the rails themselves no longer attach to the rear mounting surface of the rack post but now wrap around and attach to the front mounting surface. The square hooks that Dell has used for years on their rail kits have been replaced by a set of pins and a small safety latch. The mounting depth range of this new rail kit changed from the previous kit as well. The following table compares the previous rail kit with the new one.

	Mounting Depth	Overal Depth
Universal Rail	26 15/16″ to 29 5/16″	35 3/16″
Ready Rail	27 1/4″ to 29 3/4″	35 3/8″

The 11G Rail Kit is less likely to cause obstructions than the Universal Rail kit. The 11G Rail Kit has a very clean line from the front to the rear rack post. There are very few racks that this rail kit won’t install in. The exception being a rack that has threaded holes instead of the common square holes. If your rack is tapped then this rail kit will not work! The only option for installations that use a rack with tapped holes is to use a fixed rail or a 3rd Party Rail Kit.

The installations that use 2PostRelay Racks will be able to use the Ready Rail with the addition of a 2Post Conversion Kit. The 2Post Conversion Kits are a set of 4 steel brackets that when installed onto a 2Post Rack provide the 4 corner attachments similar to a standard Server Rack. These Conversion Kits are available in sizes from 2-7 Rack Units and are capable of mounting multiple servers.

How to Rackmount a Dell Precision Workstation – T3400, T5400, & T7400

will — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:49:39 +0000

The Dell Precision Workstations can be rackmounted using several methods. The T3400 and the T5400 can use a Tower to Rack Conversion Kit. This kit allows the Workstations to be installed into most types of Server Racks. This kit is not compatible with the T7400. Additional installation methods utilize rackmount shelves. In order to choose the proper shelf you first must know the dimensions and weight of the equipment.

Model	Dimensions (W x H x D)	Weight
T3400	6.8″ x 17.6″ x 18.4″	39lbs
T5400	6.73″ x 17.64″ 18.54″	39lbs
T7400	8.5″ x 22.26″ x 22.3″	55lbs

The opening of a Server Rack is 17.7″ wide. The Dell Precision T3400 and the T5400 can both lay on their side however the Dell Precision T7400 would be too wide to lay on it’s side. The T7400 can be installed in pairs on a shelf if it’s standing up.

There are two types of Shelves that can be used to install the Dell Precision Workstations. The first type is a Fixed Shelf that will support up to 150lbs of equipment. This shelf is an economical and versatile product that will install into any type of Server Rack.

The second type is a Sliding Shelf. These shelves are purchased based on the weight they need to support. The Dell Precision T3400 & the T5400 are both 39lbs which is within the weight limit of any of the Sliding Shelves. The 45lb Capacity Sliding Shelf is the best choice for these workstations. The Dell Precision T7400 has a large chassis and would require a 95lb Capacity Sliding Shelf. The T7400 will have to stand upright on this shelf, however two of them can be installed on this product. The Sliding Shelf has a front and rear equipment stop that secures the equipment. For additional support especially if installing the Precision T7400 in pairs there are nylon straps available that further secure the equipment.

Dell R900 Rack to Tower Conversion Kit

will — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:28:19 +0000

Dell manufactures rackmount servers and tower servers. Some of these servers have conversion kits that allow them to be utilized in both configurations, however the R900 is not one of them. The Dell R900 does not have a Rack to Tower Conversion Kit like the PE2900. The PE2900 Rack to Tower Conversion Kit replaces various chassis panels and components and what you end up with is a very nice Tower Server. The R900 requires a 3rd Party Rack to Tower Conversion Kit manufactured by RackSolutions. This kit looks like a small furniture dolly molded to the chassis of the R900. The dolly attaches to either side of the R900 with the shoulder screws that would normally attach the rail kit to the chassis. The casters allow the R900 to be easily rolled around wherever it’s needed. There are several places on the dolly to tie off cables and there’s even four lifting handles built into the dolly itself. This Rack to Tower Conversion Kit for the R900 provides an economical and versatile solution to utilizing the Dell R900 in a Tower Configuration.

Dell Rail Ears

will — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:18:27 +0000

The current Dell Rail Kit design is compatible with both square hole Server Racks as well as round hole Server Racks. This innovative design is the first production Rail Kit that has this unique feature. The ends of the Dell Rail have a rotating assembly that has square hooks on one surface and PEM nuts on the opposite surface. This mechanism is simple and versatile but has the potential to cause an obstruction with some types of Server Racks, specifically ones with C Channel uprights. The following photos show the potential obstruction points and the front end of the PE2950 Rail Kit detailing the rotating mechanism.

If you are having obstruction issues installing Dell Rail Kit there are several products that will fix your problem. RackSolutions makes several different kits that replace the rotating portion of the Dell Rail Kit with a simple bracket that does not cause an obstruction.

The following three photos show the 1U, 2U, and 5U Rail Ear kits available for the Dell PE1950, PE2950, and PE2900 Servers. There are other Dell Servers that share these rail kits as well.

Click on Photos for purchasing and additional information.

Rackmount a Dell PowerEdge T300

will — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:10:34 +0000

The Dell PE T300 is one of Dell’s new Tower Server’s. Technically the T300 is not a Rackmountable Server but that does not stop people from attempting to install it in a Server Rack.

The T300 has a physical height of 17.94″ which would neccessite the server being installed in the tower conifguration. It would be nice to lay the T300 on it’s side but it would not fit through the 17.7″ opening of the Server Rack.

In the tower configuration the T300 requires over 10 Rack Units of space, not including the shelf the T300 sits on. This might be acceptible if there was an abundance of rack space but if the T300 was installed on it’s side it would only occupy 5 rack units of space.

The T300 has 4 pedestal feet on the bottom of the server. If these are removed then the overall height is reduced to 17.5″. Laying on it’s side it will easily fit through the 17.7″ opening of a 19″ Standard Server Rack. The perfect product to do this is a Medium Duty Sliding Shelf.

Low Profile Power Cords

will — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:03:28 +0000

The latest generation of servers just keep getting deeper and deeper. This can cause obstruction issues with the Cable Management Arms and the Power Distribution Units at the back of the Server Rack. The following photo shows a Dell PE1950 installed in an APC 2100 NetShelter Server Rack. The CMA is very close to preventing the Power Cord from being plugged into the APC powerstrip.

The following installation shows a large number of PE1950s installed in an APC 3100 NetShelter Server Rack. There are so many cables that the APC powerstrip is buried and cannot be seen. The client was unable to plug the power cords in due to the large number of cables and the PE1950 CMAs that were causing an obstruction.

This photo shows how the installer attempted to resolve the issue by spacing the PE1950s apart. Notice here how the CMA is approximately 1″ from the receptacle. A standard NEMA 5-15P will not physically fit into that space. What is needed is a Low Profile Power Cord.

The Low Profile Power Cords are less than 1″ in height and can be used to resolve installations where the CMA, Cables, or other device is causing an obstruction with the power receptacles. These cords can be custom ordered with numerous different types of NEMA as well as IEC connectors. Custom lengths are also available.

Dell PE2950 Rails installed in a C Shaped Upright Rack

will — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:18:24 +0000

The Dell Rapid/Versa Rails can be installed into a square or a round hole Server Rack. This is accomplished by a rotating assembly on the ends of the rails with square hooks on one side and threaded pim nuts on the other side. This is a very unique design and works with most Server Racks. However it does not work with a Server Rack that has C Channel Shaped Uprights. The rotating assembly causes an obstruction with the rear surface of the upright that prevents the Dell Rail Kit from being installed.

The Solution to this problem is to replace the rotating assembly on the ends of the rails with a simple mounting flange. This can be accomplished quickly and easily by using the PE2950 Rail Ear Replacement Product: P/N 2URAIL-2950-EARS

The following video shows how this product is used to install the Dell PE2950 into a C Channel Server Rack.