Big Bang, Small Buck with Rack-Mount Drawers, Panel Spacers and Patch Panels

Everybody with a computer networking setup is looking for value these days. So, let’s talk about three rack-mount accessories that punch way above their weight in terms of giving you benefit for your hard-earned money: drawers, panel spacers, and patch panels. At NavePoint, all three product groups are cost-effective and yet offer benefits that will more than pay for themselves by saving you time and effort.

Rack-Mount Drawers

Rack-mount drawers provide several benefits that contribute to organization, convenience, and efficient management of IT and networking equipment. Here are some of the key benefits of installing rack-mount drawers:

• Organization and Storage: Rack-mount drawers provide a designated space for storing various items, such as cables, tools, spare parts, documentation, and other accessories. This helps keep the rack environment neat and organized, reducing clutter and making it easier to locate and access essential items when needed.
• Security and Protection: Lockable, steel drawers add an extra layer of security to your equipment rack. You can store sensitive or valuable equipment, such as hard drives, small devices, or confidential documents, in a locked drawer to prevent unauthorized access and tampering.
• Space Optimization: With space at a premium, rack-mount drawers provide a way to utilize the vertical space within the rack. They maximize the available area for equipment while keeping small items accessible and organized.
• Quick Access: Having a drawer within the rack allows you to store frequently used tools or components in close proximity to the equipment. This can save time and effort, as technicians don't need to leave the rack area to retrieve necessary tools or parts.

NavePoint Rack-Mount Drawers

Our rack-mount drawers fit in any standard 19-inch-wide rack or enclosure. They are big enough to hold laptops, software, tools, cable management supplies, patch cables, and much more.

Key Benefits:

• Generous Depth: Each drawer is 13.4 inches deep and most open about a foot for easy access
• Comes in Your Size: 5 capacity options − 1U, 2U, 3U, 4U, or 6U
• Rugged: Made of cold-rolled steel and holds 22 pounds of gear
• Secure: Lockable with key
• Certified: NEMA-rated Type 1 and compliant with HIPAA, PCI, and EIA/ECA-310-E

Rack-Mount Panel Spacers

Panel spacers, aka blanking panels or filler panels, cover unused horizontal rack spaces to protect your interior components from dust and to give your rack a finished, professional look. Panel spacers also help direct air flow for more efficient cooling, in four ways:

• Preventing Hot-Air Recirculation: In a properly designed data center or server room, a cooling system is set up to circulate cool air through the front of the rack and exhaust hot air from the rear. However, if there are gaps or empty spaces between active equipment components, hot air from the rear can easily flow back to the front without effectively passing through the cooling system. This is known as hot-air recirculation. Rack spacer panels fill these gaps, ensuring that the hot air is forced to follow the desired airflow path from front to rear, improving cooling efficiency.
• Promoting Front-to-Back Airflow: The layout of modern equipment racks is typically designed for front-to-back airflow. Cold air is drawn in from the front of the rack and expelled as hot air from the rear. By using rack spacer panels to block off unused spaces, you help guide the airflow along the intended path, preventing the mixing of hot- and cold-air streams.
• Enhancing Air Pressure Differential: Rack spacer panels can help create a positive air pressure differential within the rack, pushing cool air through the active equipment and preventing the intrusion of hot air. This positive pressure can prevent dust and debris from entering the rack and clogging the equipment, which can lead to overheating and reduced performance.
• Minimizing “Hot Spots”: Hot spots can occur when certain areas of the rack experience higher temperatures due to poor airflow management. These hot spots can lead to overheating and potential hardware failures. By using rack spacer panels to maintain consistent airflow patterns, you can help minimize the formation of hot spots and ensure more uniform cooling throughout the rack.

NavePoint Rack-Mount Panel Spacers

NavePoint offers a full line of over two dozen rack-mount panel spacers.

Key Benefits:

• Size Options: 8 size options from 1U to 8U
• Lighted Panel: 1U light panel holds a bulb to illuminate the front or back of your rack
• Cable Management: Vented panels with slotted vents accommodate hook-and-loop ties for directing cables
• Innovation: 1U brush panel allows cables to pass through but keeps dust out

Patch Panels

An Ethernet patch panel is an arrangement of ports that can be mounted either horizontally to a standard, 19-inch-wide rack or vertically to a wall. They allow you to bundle and connect multiple ports for incoming and outgoing copper lines. They’re a great way to centralize telecommunications and data equipment in communications closets, central offices, and data centers.

As more and more organizations develop high-density cabling installations, the popularity of Ethernet patch panels continues to grow. In fact, they have become the cornerstone of a well-tuned data center. They provide a method to the madness of incoming and outgoing networking cables, make troubleshooting easier and less time-consuming, and facilitate future growth of a network. All that and they’re inexpensive to boot.

NavePoint Patch Panels

NavePoint offers a wide array of inexpensive patch panels, from 12-port wall-mounted models for your home office to 48-port rack-mounted panels for your company’s data center. Check out our selection and find what might end up being the most cost-effective solution in your network.

Key Benefits:

• Easy ID: Bold numbering identifies front ports
• Easy Install: Color-coded wiring simplifies installation
• Options to Fit Your Network: Solutions for Cat3 through Cat6e
• Big Enough: 48-port panels keep dense cable installations tidy
• Small Enough: Mini patch panels are perfect for small offices

Our rack-mount drawers, rack-mount panel spacers, and Ethernet patch panels are in stock now and available with FREE same-day shipping.

Questions? Need recommendations? Our U.S.-based team of experts is eager to help you at +1 (866) 312-5401, or email us at sales@navepoint.com.