NavePoint has been offering up server rack cabinets for over 15 years. One thing we’ve always believed is that it’s not enough to provide well-constructed, professional-grade enclosures with welded frames, steel panels, and a powder-coated finish. Our customers are also looking for the right feature sets to meet their unique needs.

Of the dozens of features included with our various lines of server rack cabinets, we have chosen six of the most useful ones and described them below. This might change your mind about what features you thought you needed, and we hope it helps you narrow down your choices as you consider a cabinet purchase.

Server Racks with Fans

Heat buildup inside server rack cabinets can disrupt the smooth running of your network. High temperatures can cause CPUs and other devices to throttle, reducing their performance to prevent overheating. This can result in slower processing speeds and overall system slowdowns. In the long run, it can shorten the lifespan of your components.

The best way to prevent such heat buildup is to buy server cabinets with built-in fans. NavePoint’s Professional Series, Swing-Gate Series, and Basic Series of wall-mount networking cabinets all come with two low-noise fans built into the top panel. Our Consumer Series has one built-in fan. These fans pull cool air in through the vents that are installed on all sides, and they keep a steady flow of air moving inside a cabinet.

We also have cabinets that allow you to easily install fans in the top, as well as several types of add-on fans that are top-mount or rack-mount.

Space-Efficient Server Racks

Standard wall enclosures are nice and roomy inside, but they also take up room. They typically stick out from a wall 2 to 3 feet, so you can forget about installing them in most hallways or retail spaces, or even in some IT closets.

But if you think you can’t fit anymore wall cabinets in a room, look at NavePoint’s line of vertical wall enclosures and you might change your mind. They are top-loading, turning your components 90 degrees so that they face the ceiling. In such an orientation they do not stick out from a wall nearly as far as horizontal racks do. A 2U vertical enclosure sticks out only about 5 inches and an 8U needs less than 12. And yet they are tall enough (up to 36 inches) to hold your deepest components.

Vertical wall enclosures are also very accessible. Swing open the enclosure door and you can immediately access the front and rear of your components to get to the cable ins and outs. It is not quite as easy to reach the rear of most horizontal enclosures.

To hold narrower rack-mount components, NavePoint also has a line of 10-Inch-Width Series cabinets. They are becoming more popular due to the increase in home office setups and higher costs for office space.

Server Racks with Easy Access

Almost every server rack allows you quick access to the front of your components. But getting to the back of the cabinet, where many of the cables are connected, is not so easy. If the enclosure is floor-standing, installing caster wheels on it is helpful, but you still have to pull the cabinet forward and rotate it into position first.

That’s why NavePoint started offering its Swing Gate Series of server racks. These wall-mount enclosures offer the ultimate in easy access. Hinges toward the rear of one of their side panels enable the entire cabinet to swing forward so you can quickly reach rear cables. The steel hinges can hold up to 200 pounds of gear and won’t wear out with repeated movement. Performing routine cable maintenance has never been so easy.

Another access feature of NavePoint server rack cabinets is removable side and back panels.

Server Racks with Caster Wheels

Having caster wheels on a server rack is simple, inexpensive, and extremely useful. They allow much more flexibility in moving your electronic components within a room or from room to room. Wheels also enable you to roll a server rack forward and rotate it so you can get to the cable connections in the back.

NavePoint offers several options regarding caster wheels. Two of our product lines, 42U server rack cabinets and audio/video rack cabinets, all come with pre-installed locking caster wheels as well as leveling feet that can be lowered into place for added stability. Our entire Bright White Series of networking cabinets will hold caster wheels, while some models come equipped with wheels.

Server Racks with Locks

The components in your server rack cabinets are too important to be unlocked, especially if they are in a room that is not locked or they are located in a hallway, retail space, or other area that sees a lot of foot traffic. You cannot afford to allow unauthorized access to such sensitive devices as your servers, network switches, data storage devices, backup systems, and security appliances such as firewalls and intrusion detectors.

All of NavePoint’s server rack cabinets have key locks on the front door. In addition, lockable side and rear panels are on our Swing Gate Series, Mid-Depth Series, and audio/video cabinets. Front and side locks are on our Professional Series, Consumer Series, Performance Series, Bright White Series, and 42U server rack cabinets.

Server Racks with Shelves

Server rack cabinets are made to hold rack-mount devices, but what about items with no rack ears? This might include laptops, modems, routers, external hard drives, test equipment, power strips, audio/video components, and more. Some of these items could be stored in a rack-mount drawer, but for quicker access and better visibility, a rack-mount shelf can be ideal.

NavePoint offers an assortment of cabinet shelves that are specifically sized for our Professional Series, Performance Series, and Swing-Gate Series cabinets. They consist of four fixed-depth shelves and one adjustable-depth shelf. Two of them are white, matching our Bright White Series of enclosures. Each 19-inch-wide shelf is made of cold-rolled steel, holds up to 55 pounds, and is perforated to generate air flow within the cabinet.

In addition, metal shelves are included with some of the cabinets in our 10-Inch-Width Series.

The vast majority of NavePoint’s server rack cabinets are in stock now and available with FREE standard same-day shipping. If you have product questions or need recommendations, contact our U.S.-based team of experts at +1 (866) 312-5401 or email us at sales@navepoint.com.