Server Pet Peeves

[Windows7ge]

Oh, I'd also love to see better documentation for backplane connectors.

 

11 hours ago, leadeater said:

-snip-

It does look as though the cost isn't in the material but the market itself. How many get manufactured. Unit cost. I have a NORCO RPC-4224 and it's a nice rigid steel chassis but it wasn't cheap and it has some (what I'd call) budget features. Things that should cost pennies but they omitted. The RPC-431 is also pretty good but again, little things that wouldn't cost much but they didn't do.

 

Their online support is also all but non-existent. Don't expect help from them if you run into problems.

[leadeater]

7 minutes ago, Windows7ge said:

Oh, I'd also love to see better documentation for backplane connectors.

 

It does look as though the cost isn't in the material but the market itself. How many get manufactured. Unit cost. I have a NORCO RPC-4224 and it's a nice rigid steel chassis but it wasn't cheap and it has some (what I'd call) budget features. Things that should cost pennies but they omitted. The RPC-431 is also pretty good but again, little things that wouldn't cost much but they didn't do.

 

Their online support is also all but non-existent. Don't expect help from them if you run into problems.

One thing I don't like about Norco is they have a bad reputation of non standard dimensions and locations for certain things which people have had problems with rack and rail compatibility.

[Windows7ge]

5 minutes ago, leadeater said:

One thing I don't like about Norco is they have a bad reputation of non standard dimensions and locations for certain things which people have had problems with rack and rail compatibility.

To rack mount the two chassis I grabbed their advertised Heavy Duty RL-26 kit.

 

Should have bought the shorter ones as the minimum travel on these was exactly what I set my rack depth to...they're rigid though. I'll give em that much.

 

A right PITA to install the server though when you mount the internal rail to the chassis. Here I am suspending an 80-ish pound server in the air and I can't line up the freaking rail with the little nylon guide bit thing...

[Windows7ge]

I am going to get you those pictures you asked for. Camera is still broken on my current phone but I found my old one. Charging it now. Should take half decent images with good lighting.

[Harrison Mayotte]

1 hour ago, Windows7ge said:

I am going to get you those pictures you asked for. Camera is still broken on my current phone but I found my old one. Charging it now. Should take half decent images with good lighting.

No worries! No rush!

[Windows7ge]

8 minutes ago, Harrison Mayotte said:

No worries! No rush!

I see my memory deceived me. Good lighting didn't help at all.  Sorry for the fuzzy grainy images but it's all I have to work with for the moment.

 

So these are the cable management anchors that come with the rack. In order:

1. Side view.
2. Bottom view. (the anchor locates on the four plastic pegs, screw goes in the center)
3. The rack. Self explanatory. There's only an anchor point every 7~8U which isn't great. Could really stand to have them every four or so.

Spoiler