Comments on: What type of server rack/cabinet should I buy? http://www.bitplumber.net/2009/10/what-type-of-server-rackcabinet-should-i-buy/ A place for Google to index my learnings Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:13:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: eprosenx http://www.bitplumber.net/2009/10/what-type-of-server-rackcabinet-should-i-buy/comment-page-1/#comment-10437 eprosenx Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:51:45 +0000 http://www.bitplumber.net/?p=422#comment-10437 In my 10 years of IT experience I have not run into any weird issues with x86 servers I could attribute to grounding problems. We are not dealing with analog audio equipment that suffers horribly from ground loop issues. I have seen some extremely expensive engineered grounding systems in the past, but I have never been able to prove the value of them by pointing to poorly grounded examples that caused problems. Every piece of IT equipment (well, just about) has a ground prong on it's power cord which provides sufficient grounding (assuming the building/UPS wiring is correct). I recommend just grounding cabinets and cable trays as required by code and calling that good. I have not worked in DC power environments before so I am not sure if everything I have said above holds true. -Eric In my 10 years of IT experience I have not run into any weird issues with x86 servers I could attribute to grounding problems. We are not dealing with analog audio equipment that suffers horribly from ground loop issues.

I have seen some extremely expensive engineered grounding systems in the past, but I have never been able to prove the value of them by pointing to poorly grounded examples that caused problems.

Every piece of IT equipment (well, just about) has a ground prong on it’s power cord which provides sufficient grounding (assuming the building/UPS wiring is correct). I recommend just grounding cabinets and cable trays as required by code and calling that good.

I have not worked in DC power environments before so I am not sure if everything I have said above holds true.

-Eric

]]> By: Thomas Gronke http://www.bitplumber.net/2009/10/what-type-of-server-rackcabinet-should-i-buy/comment-page-1/#comment-10436 Thomas Gronke Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:17:19 +0000 http://www.bitplumber.net/?p=422#comment-10436 Any opinions on grounding? I don't have hands-on commercial data center experience, but from previous experience in a corporate raised floor, I saw a variety of grounding methods, which included a mix of AC- and DC-powered equipment within racks. --A ground bus ran under the floor with individual ground wires run up from the bus and attached near the bottom of the rack. --Overhead metal cable management tray used as a ground bus, with individual ground wires between the top of each rack and the tray --None at all. This was common for roll-around cabinets that were landed on the raised floor, and depended on the grounding in the power distribution within the cabinet to attach to the electrical ground underfloor. These were typically used in server-only cabinets. Any opinions on grounding? I don’t have hands-on commercial data center experience, but from previous experience in a corporate raised floor, I saw a variety of grounding methods, which included a mix of AC- and DC-powered equipment within racks.
–A ground bus ran under the floor with individual ground wires run up from the bus and attached near the bottom of the rack.
–Overhead metal cable management tray used as a ground bus, with individual ground wires between the top of each rack and the tray
–None at all. This was common for roll-around cabinets that were landed on the raised floor, and depended on the grounding in the power distribution within the cabinet to attach to the electrical ground underfloor. These were typically used in server-only cabinets.

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