A colocation rack is essentially an individual mounting structure designed to house, organize, and protect critical IT equipment within a data center environment.
Colocation racks are a fundamental component in data centers, particularly in colocation facilities where multiple tenants lease space for their IT infrastructure.
Purpose and Function
The primary purpose of a colocation rack is to provide a secure and organized space for housing valuable IT assets. Key functions include:
- Organization: Keeping servers, networking gear, and other equipment neatly arranged.
- Protection: Offering physical security and housing equipment within a controlled environment.
- Mounting: Providing standard mounting points for rack-mountable equipment.
What Equipment is Housed?
While often referred to as server racks due to the common use case, colocation racks are versatile structures capable of housing various types of IT equipment.
Equipment typically found in a colocation rack includes:
- Servers (rackmount servers)
- Routers
- Switches
- Hubs
- Storage devices (SANs, NAS)
- Security appliances
- Patch panels
- Power distribution units (PDUs)
As stated in the reference, colocation racks are individual mounting structures used to organize and protect critical IT equipment, usually servers, within a data center cabinet. They can be used for a variety of devices beyond just servers.
Colocation Racks vs. Server Racks
The terms are often used interchangeably, and functionally, they are very similar. Both are standard 19-inch wide racks designed to hold rack-mountable equipment. However, the term "colocation rack" specifically implies its location and use case within a colocation data center where space is leased by individual customers. A server rack can be used anywhere, including private data centers or labs, whereas a colocation rack is typically part of a larger cabinet structure leased out to tenants.
In summary, a colocation rack serves as a secure, organized housing unit for a tenant's IT equipment within a shared data center facility.
