This chapter describes the physical characteristics of the tall (42U) and short (20U) Altix racks in the following sections:
At the time this document was published only the tall (42U) and short (20U) Altix racks shown in Figure 5-1 and Figure 5-2 were tested and approved for use with Altix 450 systems. Use of other racks are at the discretion of the owner and no testing of usability, serviceability or durability is implied.
 | Note: While the Altix 450 can be installed in a non-Altix 450 rack, it is preferable to install it in an Altix 450 tall (42U) or short (20U) rack. The mounting rails on the Altix racks are recessed to allow for flush mounting of the IRU in the rack. The Altix rack also has provisions for PDUs to be mounted in the front. Installing the Altix 450 in a third-party rack will require that the unit protrude from the front of the rack. It will not be possible to use a front door on the third-party rack due to the protrusion of the unit. Power cables for the IRU power supplies will need to be routed to the rear of the rack if the PDUs are located in the rear of the rack. Airflow in the rack must be front to rear. Other devices installed in a rack must have their airflow direction front to rear. Cables may need to be routed from the rear of the devices to the front of the Altix 450 IRU. Vertical space must be left (U space) for cable routing front to rear in the rack. |
The Altix racks (shown in Figure 5-1 and Figure 5-2) have the following features and components:
Front and rear door. The front door is opened by grasping the wide end of the triangle-shaped door piece and pulling outward. Note that the tall rack uses a key lock for security purposes; the short (20U) rack does not.
The rear door of the tall (42U) rack has a push-button key lock to prevent unauthorized access to the system. The tall rack's front door and rear door locks are keyed differently. You cannot use the rear door key to secure the front door lock.
Cable entry/exit area. Cable access openings are located in the front floor and top of the rack. Cables are only attached to the front of the IRUs; therefore, cable management occurs primarily in the front of the rack. In the case of storage modules, cables are attached to the front connectors on the IRU and routed to the rear of the storage enclosure. I/O and power cables normally pass through the bottom of the rack.
Rack structural features. Each rack is mounted on four casters; the two rear casters swivel. There are four leveling pads available at the base of the tall rack. The base of both racks have attachment points to support an optional ground strap, and/or seismic tie-downs.
Power distribution units within the racks. Up to four single-phase power distribution units (PDUs) are needed in a tall rack, depending on the number of IRUs and other optional modules installed. The 42U rack systems are also available with one (18-socket) three-phase PDU. Short racks use a maximum of two single-phase PDUs. Each IRU requires two outlets from the 5-outlet single-phase PDUs.
Table 5-1 lists the technical specifications of the Altix 450 tall rack.
Table 5-1. Tall Altix Rack Technical Specifications
Characteristic | Specification |
|---|---|
Height | 79.5 in. (201.9 cm) |
Width | 25.8 in. (65.5 cm) |
Depth | 43.45 in. (110.4 cm) |
Weight (full) | 1500 lb (682 kg) |
Table 5-2 lists the technical specifications of the Altix 450 short rack.
Table 5-2. Short Altix Rack Technical Specifications
Characteristic | Specification |
|---|---|
Height | 42.8 in. (108.7 cm) |
Width | 25.8 in. (65.5 cm) |
Depth | 40.9 in. (103.9 cm) |
Weight (full) | 750 lb (340 kg) |