Different rack sizes for various industries

Most common format for a rack is 19 Inches in Width size, which has been the standardised format for a very long time, and has stayed consistent even when the technology that is mounted in it has changed considerably. Racks are most commonly used as server racks, although they are quite often used to hold other hardware depending on the industry.

The 19 inch rack is used in industries such as computing, audio, video, entertainment and various other similar industries. They are design to occupy heavy equipment without taking up too much floor space. Therefore they are capable of holding a variety of different audio and video equipment such as amplifiers, effect units, audio mixers etc. Usually a 19” rack comes in 2 to 4 post form, allowing for equipment in modern data centers and server rooms to be mounted.

In the military and commercial uses, 19 Inch racks with reinforced plastic are widely used for various electronic operations, along with specialised rackmount cases which are also reinforced with various specialised materials.

But 19 Inch racks aren’t the only rack format available; 23 inch racks are also pretty common depending on the industry. Although they are as common as 19” racks the 23 Inch racks are used in a variety of industries including computing, audio and primarily in housing telephones. Finally there are Open Racks which have the same exterior width as a 19 Inch racks but are capable of supporting hardware that is up to 21 Inches wide and are generally used for more specific hardware.

The ‘u’ is a measurement of the internal size of the rack, and of course different sized racks are meant to accommodate different hardware in various industries. Varying from 1U all the way up to 47u or more. Hardware in different industries is what determines the size of a rack size, for example a broadcasting console can take up only 1 or 2U, where as a server might take up 45U or more.

Final factor to consider is the four and two post racks. The difference is that four post racks allow for rack rails to be mounted in order to provide quick and easy access to the hardware as well as support it and allow access from any from the front, rear, side panels or the top. While the two post racks allow equipment to be mounted at the front or towards the center of gravity so that the rack doesn’t tip over. The 2 post racks are generally used in telecommunications while most other industries tend to go for the 4 post rack.