[EXT] Re: rack rails

Mon Mar 30 15:15:32 UTC 2020

On Mon, Mar 30, 2020 at 10:09:25AM -0500, Chris Adams wrote:
> Once upon a time, Chuck Anderson <cra at WPI.EDU> said:
> > I've been asking manufacturers for proper server-like slide-rails for their switches for years.  Now they've started making the switches as deep or even deeper than servers, but they still use the same old rack ear mounting method.
> 
> Maybe it's because they're primarily a server vendor, but Dell switches
> (at least the N3000 series I've used most recently) have 4-post mount
> rails.  IIRC they aren't extending sliding rails like the servers have,
> but the switch slides into the rails.

The point is that the switches need to be removable without empty
space above/below, and ideally from the rear side of the rack.  By
having extending/sliding rails, you can lift out or drop in the switch
after you slide it out.  Then you can remove the rails.

With fixed rails, you can't get the switch out without bending the ear
part of the rails when there are PDUs and other stuff in the way.