On point #1, I typically look for a part number and use Google. If a part number is present it often provide clues as to the brand, if not a range of compatible models. If no part number, sometimes the finish can provide clues - e.g. powder coated black rails or mounts often went with other items that have a similar coating (Belkin KVMs, some UPS units), while flat metal rails are common with other brands (Dell servers, Cisco routers/switches). I've taken to wrapping rails together in plastic wrap (the kind for wrapping pallets or moving boxes) and using a marker to label each set. Makes life easier down the road.

On point #2, I've found that using the brand name rail can save me hours of time. Either in easing the initial mounting or preventing problems down the road if a server needs to be pulled for maintenance or decommissioned. For anything that doesn't have a rail, and I find the matching rails either prohibitively expensive or unavailable for purchase, a rack mount shelf can be used. Find one that works well with your racks to minimize the time required to mount/unmount. Good racks can make all the difference here. If you use a lot of Dell servers, Dell's newer racks provide plenty of depth for their servers and the square holes are a perfect match for their square rails, making it possible to rack servers in a couple minutes. I've found Dell racks (or racks that work well with Dell servers) also work well with Cisco, APC, and servers from other vendors. I have not found the reverse to be true (e.g. racks made for network equipment often do not work well for many servers). In short, my time was more valuable than the money saved on struggling with mounting issues caused by bad rails or bad racks. Good racks and good rails save time.

--Blake

On 3/30/2020 7:14 AM, David Funderburk wrote:

1 - We now have some time on our hands to do some things in our storage area which includes identifying a # of rack rails found in a box. Does anyone have any tips or tricks for identifying what equipment rails might match?

2 - Do you know of any universal rail kits for 1U, 2U and 3U servers, routers, switches that work well? The brand names are nice but expensive. Thought I'd explore some cheaper options first. We use a lot of MikroTik, HP, Dell and some CISCO with a few other things here and there.

TIA

--

David Funderburk
GlobalVision
864-569-0703

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