Re: Article about IBM racks

Yes, two things.

First; STEEL. IBM racks are made to withstand most any abuse, stand straight, and more importantly don't flex like other racks do. I was in a data center about 6 months ago that had a row of OEM racks, and one with all IBM racks. The OEM racks (about 7 of them) actually leaned to the right (as you were looking at the front) nearly 1/2 inch. It was enough to enable you to visibly detect it. This was due to the weight distribution in them and the way the cables were run over the top. The rails on the servers were useless since with the slight pitch, you could not easily get a server in and out anyway. The IBM racks -- straight as they day they were installed. Also, IBM racks come with a real man tip plate that keeps the rack from coming over on top of you when servers are rolled out. Other racks don't have them. Significant safety feature.

Second and more important reason. The space allocated on the sides allows for proper cable management and room for any of the systems (In this case POWER) IBM builds. Cables are kept out of the way allowing proper air flow. Plenty of space to mount 4 PDUs in the sides out of the way, or if you like horizontally at the top or bottom.

Lastly, the real cost of the rack is not list. It's usually included in the order (if needed) and discounted at the same percentages as the balance of the equipment. If you buy OEM racks, the discount may not be as good.

APC makes an excellent rack. IBM is actually working with them on various cooling solutions and sells the APC racks as well. You'll see them in many of the IBM customer centers.

Jim Oberholtzer
Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects


On 4/6/2011 8:24 AM, jmmckee wrote:

Saw this article about racks. It detailed the costs of IBM racks and mentioned another company's rack. I was wondering if the article glossed over any detail that might have justified the higher cost of an IBM rack.

http://www.itjungle.com/fhg/fhg040611-story03.html


John McKee