Network equipment can quickly become difficult to manage when switches, patch panels, cables, power connections and other devices are installed without a structured enclosure.
A suitable rack can help create a more organised infrastructure by providing a dedicated location for rack-mounted equipment.
It can help with:
For a factory, this becomes particularly important because networking infrastructure often needs to operate alongside production and other industrial systems.
Instead of placing switches and networking equipment on shelves, desks or improvised surfaces, a properly sized rack provides a structured foundation for the installation.
Before selecting a rack, start with the network rather than the rack itself.
Understand what equipment needs to be installed and where it will be located.
Consider:
Once these requirements are clear, you can determine whether a wall-mounted rack, floor-standing rack or outdoor rack is appropriate.
A wall mount network rack can be appropriate when the factory has a relatively compact networking installation and floor space needs to be preserved.
It can be useful for:
Elixir's Wall Mount Network Racks are available in 4U, 6U, 9U, 12U and 15U configurations. The range includes adjustable 19-inch mounting rails, cable entry provisions, ventilation and fan cut-outs. Elixir Network
For example, a small manufacturing unit with a switch, patch panel, PDU and limited additional equipment may not require a large floor-standing cabinet.
A wall-mounted rack can provide a more compact solution.
A floor mount rack becomes more appropriate when the factory has a larger amount of network or IT equipment.
This could include:
Elixir's Floor Mount Network Racks are available from 17U through 42U. The range is designed for applications including server rooms, LAN/WAN networks, telecom installations and other professional networking environments. Elixir Network
The larger floor-standing format also provides greater capacity for future equipment additions.
For a growing factory, this can be important because selecting a rack purely for today's equipment can result in insufficient space later.
Rack capacity is commonly expressed in U, where 1U represents one rack unit of vertical equipment space.
The required U height depends on the equipment that needs to be installed.
A small installation may only need a compact wall-mounted enclosure, while a larger factory network may require a 24U, 32U, 36U or 42U floor-standing rack.
Elixir's floor mount range includes 17U, 21U, 24U, 27U, 32U, 36U and 42U configurations. Elixir Network
However, the calculation should not stop at the amount of equipment being installed today.
It is useful to leave appropriate room for:
A rack that is completely full on day one can become difficult to manage as the network grows.
Factories can have a large number of network cables entering and leaving the rack.
Without proper organisation, cables can become difficult to identify, maintain and replace.
This is why cable management should be considered while selecting the rack rather than treated as an afterthought.
Elixir's rack accessories include 1U Cable Managers, along with cantilever trays, cooling fans and other supporting components. Elixir Network
Cable entry points are also important.
Elixir's wall mount racks and floor mount racks provide cable entry provisions, allowing network cabling to be routed into the enclosure in a more organised manner. Elixir Network
Network equipment generates heat, particularly when several active devices are installed within the same enclosure.
A factory rack may house multiple switches, servers, UPS equipment or other electronics, making airflow an important consideration.
Depending on the equipment and rack configuration, cooling provisions may need to be incorporated.
Elixir's wall mount racks include fan cut-outs, while its floor mount racks include ventilated top and bottom sections and fan cut-outs. Elixir Network
Cooling requirements should ultimately be determined according to the equipment manufacturer's requirements and the expected heat load.
Not all networking equipment in a factory is installed inside an office or server room.
Some facilities may have network equipment located in:
In these situations, a conventional indoor rack may not provide the environmental protection required.
Elixir's Outdoor Racks include IP55 and IP65 configurations designed for outdoor networking, telecom, surveillance and industrial infrastructure applications. Wall- and pole-mounting options are available. Elixir Network
This makes outdoor rack selection an important consideration when network equipment itself needs to be installed outside.
If equipment is going to be installed outdoors, the enclosure's environmental protection becomes an important part of the selection.
Elixir offers both IP55 and IP65 outdoor rack configurations.
The appropriate choice should be based on the actual environmental conditions and the level of protection required for the equipment and installation.
Instead of selecting an outdoor rack solely because it has an IP rating, consider:
The rack should be treated as part of the overall outdoor network design.
Large manufacturing facilities can have several buildings or network zones.
For example:
Main office → Production building → Warehouse → Security building
Each location may have a local network cabinet or rack, while the main network infrastructure is housed elsewhere.
In such cases, the factory may need a combination of rack types rather than one large rack.
A central server room could use a floor mount rack, while smaller network distribution points could use wall-mounted racks.
Outdoor equipment can be housed in appropriately rated outdoor enclosures.
This approach can make the network easier to organise and maintain across a large site.
The exact equipment depends on the factory's IT and networking architecture.
A rack may contain:
Elixir's floor mount racks are designed to accommodate equipment such as servers, switches, patch panels and UPS systems. Elixir Network
For smaller installations, a wall-mounted rack may accommodate the essential networking equipment without requiring a full-height cabinet.
The rack and network cabling should be planned together.
A factory may use CAT6 cables for connections between network points, switches and other compatible equipment.
The network rack then becomes the central location where many of these connections are terminated and organised.
Elixir's CAT6 cable range includes indoor UTP, outdoor double-layer UTP, flat/lift, armoured cables and patch cords for different networking requirements. Elixir Network
For example, an industrial network could use:
The rack selection should therefore account for not only the equipment but also the amount and routing of cable entering the enclosure.
In most growing factory environments, planning for future expansion is worth considering.
A network can grow when the factory adds:
If the rack is already filled to capacity, expansion may require replacing the cabinet or adding another one sooner than expected.
Elixir offers multiple wall-mounted and floor-mounted rack sizes, allowing the rack capacity to be matched to different installation requirements. Elixir Network
The objective is not necessarily to buy the largest rack available.
Instead, choose enough capacity for the current installation while allowing sensible room for future requirements.
Networking equipment needs reliable and organised power connections.
Depending on the installation, the rack may require a suitable PDU to distribute power to rack-mounted equipment.
Elixir's rack accessories include multiple PDU configurations, including Indian round-pin options and C13/C19 configurations. Elixir Network
The appropriate PDU should be selected based on the equipment, electrical requirements and installation design.
Power planning should be done alongside network rack planning rather than after the rack has already been installed.
A factory environment can have multiple people working around networking infrastructure.
A network rack with a lockable enclosure can help restrict physical access to equipment.
This can be particularly relevant for:
Elixir's wall mount racks include lockable front doors, while its outdoor rack range also includes lockable doors. Elixir Network
The level of physical security required will depend on where the rack is installed and who needs access to the equipment.
A dedicated server or network room can make network infrastructure easier to manage, especially in larger facilities.
However, not every factory will have the same infrastructure requirements.
A small facility may use a compact network rack in a dedicated office or secure technical area.
A larger manufacturing facility may have a dedicated server room with multiple floor-standing racks.
The important consideration is that the rack should be installed in a location that provides appropriate access, environmental conditions, power and cable routing for the equipment.
One of the biggest mistakes in network infrastructure planning is assuming that every part of the factory needs the same rack.
A more practical approach is to match the rack to the application.
For example:
A wall mount rack may be appropriate when only a limited number of network devices need to be housed.
A floor mount rack may be more appropriate when the installation includes several switches, patch panels, servers, UPS systems and other rack-mounted equipment.
An appropriately rated outdoor rack should be considered when networking equipment is installed in an exposed environment.
A combination of floor mount, wall mount and outdoor racks may be more practical than trying to centralise every network device in one location.
Before selecting the rack, check the following:
Count the switches, patch panels, servers, UPS systems and other equipment that will need rack space.
Calculate the approximate U requirement and leave sensible room for expansion.
Make sure the rack is deep enough for the equipment being installed, including space for cables and connectors.
Check how network cables will enter and exit the rack.
Consider the heat generated by the equipment and whether additional cooling is required.
Determine the required PDU configuration and available electrical capacity.
Decide whether the rack will be installed in an office, server room, production area, security room or outdoor location.
Determine whether the equipment requires a lockable enclosure.
Consider additional network devices that may be added later.
Plan cable managers, trays, fans, PDUs and mounting hardware as part of the rack installation.
Factory networking requirements can vary significantly from one project to another.
A small industrial unit may need a compact 6U or 9U wall-mounted enclosure, while a larger manufacturing facility may need several floor-standing racks.
An outdoor security installation may require a weather-resistant enclosure.
Working with a manufacturer that offers multiple rack configurations can make it easier to select a solution based on the actual infrastructure rather than forcing every application into the same cabinet.
Elixir Network's current portfolio includes wall mount racks, floor mount racks, outdoor racks, telecom racks, open-frame racks, networking cables, POE junction boxes, accessories and customised enclosure solutions. Elixir Network
Before finalising a rack, ask:
Answering these questions first can make rack selection much more straightforward.
There is no single rack type that is best for every factory. A wall mount rack may suit a small network installation, while a floor mount rack is generally more suitable for larger equipment requirements. Outdoor network equipment requires an appropriately rated outdoor enclosure.
Yes. Wall-mounted racks can be useful for smaller network distribution points, CCTV systems, security rooms and other installations where equipment requirements are relatively compact.
A floor mount rack is worth considering when the installation includes multiple switches, patch panels, servers, UPS systems or other rack-mounted equipment requiring greater capacity.
The required rack size depends on the amount of equipment being installed and the space required for cable management, power and future expansion. Elixir's floor mount range extends from 17U to 42U, while its wall mount range includes 4U to 15U configurations. Elixir Network
Only when networking equipment itself is installed in an outdoor or environmentally exposed location. In such cases, an outdoor-rated enclosure should be selected according to the environmental conditions.
Depending on the installation, a network rack may house switches, patch panels, routers, firewalls, servers, UPS systems, network storage, PDUs and cable-management equipment.
Factories can have large numbers of network connections. Proper cable management helps keep connections organised and makes maintenance, troubleshooting and future changes easier.
It is generally sensible to account for future expansion rather than sizing the rack only for equipment being installed on day one. The appropriate amount of spare capacity depends on the factory's expansion plans.
Choosing a network rack for a factory starts with understanding the equipment, environment and future requirements.
A small network distribution point may only require a compact wall-mounted rack. A larger factory network with switches, patch panels, servers and UPS systems may need a floor-standing rack. Equipment installed outdoors requires an appropriately protected outdoor enclosure.
The rack should also be planned alongside cable management, cooling and power distribution rather than treated as a standalone product.
Elixir Network offers Wall Mount Racks, Floor Mount Racks, Outdoor Racks and networking accessories, allowing factory networking infrastructure to be planned around different equipment and installation requirements. Elixir Network
For a factory project, the best network rack is not necessarily the biggest one. It is the one that provides the right capacity, protection, accessibility and room for the network to grow.
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Debut House members have access to engage with their industry's top pros and sharpen their creative skills.
Debut House members have access to engage with their industry's top pros and sharpen their creative skills.
Debut House members have access to engage with their industry's top pros and sharpen their creative skills.
"I had ordered several DVR Racks from Elixir Network. They offer top-quality racks in the industry. I highly recommend it to everyone. I would recommend using Elixir racks."
"Elixir Network offers a dependable range of racks and networking infrastructure products. The products are well-finished and suited to professional installations, making them a reliable choice for our requirements."
“We have been impressed with the overall quality of Elixir Network’s products. The racks are sturdy, well-finished and practical for professional installations, while the support team has been responsive throughout.”
“Working with Elixir Network has been a smooth experience from product selection to delivery. Their racks are well-built, professionally finished and suited perfectly to our infrastructure requirements.”
“Elixir Network has a good range of networking racks and enclosures for different applications. The product quality and finishing have been consistently reliable, making them a dependable choice for our projects.”
Elixir Network is an ISO 9001:2015-certified manufacturer of racks, enclosures, networking cables and infrastructure solutions, backed by 30+ years of manufacturing excellence. With in-house fabrication, coating and quality control, we deliver reliable and customised solutions for IT, networking, surveillance and telecom applications.
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