How do I build a server rack?

Play video

In this video, guidelines and best practices will be discussed for constructing server racks.  Constructing a new server rack can be a bit daunting, but there are some general guidelines that you can use when you assemble most of the server racks StarTech.com sells.  Let’s have a look at the guidelines.

Before You Begin

1. Make sure there’s enough room where you will be building.
2. If you intend to move the rack, make sure it will fit through any doors or hallways.

While Building

3. Make sure that you have all of the parts listed in the manual.
4. Make sure that you have all of the tools that you will need.
5. Assemble the rack in the correct order, according to your manual.

After Building

6. Double-check that everything is where it should be and then tighten everything down.
7. Be careful not to strip screws.
8. Install casters and any server rack accessories.

Now that you have reviewed the guidelines, you can begin assembling the server rack.

It is advised to take all of the parts out of the box and ensure they match up with the parts outlined in the manual.

You should also make sure that you have all of the tools that you need. 

First, the adjustable beams should be assembled. 

On this server rack, these adjustable beams control the depth of our rack and are marked with Index numbers.  The Index numbers allows you to set the depth of your rack, based on your equipment. Make sure that you choose the same Index numbers for all of the adjustable beams.  You can use the measurement chart in the manual for reference.

As you screw in your first screws, it is a good idea to only tighten them finger tight. That way, if you need to unscrew anything, you can do so easily. 

You should now have your adjustable beams together.

You will now use the beams to line up one set of left and right vertical rails and the top and base brackets.  It is often easiest to build the rack on its side.

There are a few important things that you should check for at this point in the assembly:

• Make sure that the numbers on the adjustable beams and vertical rails are facing the right way
• Make sure that you refer to the manual for the fastening pattern as this is crucial to the rack’s stability once it is assembled.  The same fastening pattern will be used for the other corners of the server rack.  For this rack, you can see that the screw is going through the top or base bracket, then the vertical rail, and then into the adjustable beam, in that order.  This is essential and will be the same for all of your corners.

The two adjustable beams, two of the vertical rails, and the top and base brackets should all be in place now.   You can now attach the other two vertical rails and our final two adjustable beams.

It’s time to double check that everything is in the right place before you tighten all of the screws.  Make sure that the numbers on your beams are all facing in the correct direction, the fastening pattern for each corner is correct, and that all of the cable guides are facing in the same direction.

Once you are sure that everything is correct, you can go ahead and tighten your screws, remember to be careful not to strip them.

Now that your rack is fully assembled, you can attach the casters and server rack accessories.  Note that all of your casters and server rack accessories should be installed facing in the same direction.  You may find it easier to invert the server rack to install the casters.

As you can see, rack builds are fairly straightforward as long as you take your time.  If you experience issues in setting up your StarTech.com server rack, contact the technical support team for further assistance.