 What is a data cabinet? A data cabinet is a piece of equipment that is used to store, organize and protect network equipment. Data cabinets are often referred to as racks, network, cabinets or cabs. Cabinets are usually made of metal, plastic or glass. In addition, the cabinets will have multiple shelves. Each shelf will be used for various equipment such as, routers, switches and modems. Furthermore, data cabinets can also include features such as cooling fans and cable management systems. Data cabinets help to keep data organized and protected. They can also help to improve the efficiency of data retrieval. Data cabinets come in different shapes and sizes. The size of the cabinet will be determined by the size of your cabling infrastructure and IT equipment. There are a number of options available when it comes to finding the correct cabinet for your needs. What are the different types of data cabinets? As previously stated, data cabinets are often referred to as racks, network, cabinets or cabs. Commonly when an individual uses one of these phrases they're referring to the same thing. However, technically there is a difference. A cabinet is a unit that is closed on all sides including the top and bottom. Racks do not have sidewalls, they're open. Commonly, they're referred to as open frame racks. Different types of racks or cabinets. Communication cabinet. Equipment cabinet. Server cabinet. Wall cabinet. Colo cabinet. Open frame rack. Data cabinet airflow. When allocating the space for your cabinet, the prevention of fire is of the utmost importance. The cooling strategy of your communication room plays a crucial part in protecting your premises from a fire. Additionally, the damage caused by heat is not always evident and catastrophic as a fire or meltdown. A well-designed cooling system will help to increase the lifespan of your equipment, preventing issues such as, unexpected node crashes or system failures. The biggest mistake is not factoring in the cooling when designing this space. Most network cabinets are 42U high, which is 7 feet tall. Depending on the equipment being used, it could be generating a lot of heat. The standard rule of thumb is 1U for every 10 to 15 watts of power being used. If you have a 42U cabinet, and it's full of equipment that uses 1000 watts, you could be looking at a heat load of approximately 68000 BTUs. That is a lot of heat. There are a few different options for cooling data cabinets. Air conditioning. This is the most common method of cooling data cabinets. The air conditioner will remove the heat from the air and circulate it back into the room. An open frame cabinet will be suitable for this environment. The open sides will prevent your equipment from overheating. To ensure that your equipment is operating within the recommended temperature range, you must monitor the room temperature. The simplest way to do this would be a room thermometer that is checked regularly. Air cooled. This type of cooling system uses fans to circulate the air around the equipment and exhaust the hot air out of the cabinet. Furthermore, for the best cooling solution all exhaust fans of your communication room must be installed facing the same direction. As a result, it allows the air to flow in the same direction. Lastly, having exhaust fans at the top or back of your cabinet will aid in removing the warm air faster. Liquid cooled. This system uses a coolant to remove the heat from the equipment and circulate it back into the room. A water cooled system circulates water through a network of tubing to remove heat from components. The water is then cooled using a radiator, much like the one in your car, and circulated back through the system. How to choose a data cabinet. When choosing a data cabinet, it is important to consider the following. The capacity of the cabinet, how many shelves and how much data it can hold. Security of the cabinet, how well it protects data from unauthorized access. Accessibility of the cabinet, how easy it is to retrieve data from the cabinet. 4. Durability of the cabinet, how well it withstands wear and tear. For further assistance or a free survey, please email or call on the details below, and click like and subscribe if you have enjoyed this video.