By Jake Hugo
Are you going to develop or pump an IT infrastructure segment of your company? This process is impossible without picking an appropriate type of server. In this article, let’s see the difference between rack and tower products, and compare them.
The Key Information about Rack Devices
Rack hardware are the ones accommodated in a specialized rack designed for housing network and telecommunication equipment and accessories. Several servers can be stored in one frame by placing the vertically fastening with screws. Additionally, other hardware and auxiliary parts (cables, switches) can be placed there.
The rack size varies depending on the hardware placed in it. Its height is measured in units (1U = 1,7 inches). A standard rack must meet international IEEE requirements.
How to Maintain?
High computing devices emit a lot of heat in the environment, which can lead to overheating. To prevent this case, one should use cooling systems that will control thermal conditions inside the rack and maintain the required temperature and humidity.
Also, rack apparatus require a lot of power to run effectively. So, be ready to increase your spending on electricity. The concept is obvious: the more servers you use, the more energy will be consumed.
If you place several servers inside one rack, identifying a malfunctioning device can be problematic and time-consuming.
Where to Use?
Compared to tower servers, rack models are characterized by higher performance and more available space for accommodating, which makes rack servers more suitable for powerful applications and power-consuming businesses.
The Essence of Tower Devices
In its appearance, tower servers resemble ordinary PCs. They are designed to be placed in an office or a data center. As a rule, they are accommodated separately in a server tower cabinet since their constructions are not favorable to placing them on top of one another. Such servers are bulky and occupy a lot of space, so you’ll hardly accommodate several pieces in your data center.
How to Maintain?
Computer server tower requires an individual KVM system for management. It means that to control operations, a system administrator requires a keyboard, mouse, and video components. Also, cable routing can be problematic if more than one device is connected. However, due to low component density, hardware cools quickly and effectively and doesn’t require additional cooling equipment. As the device is separate, it is easy to define the source of a problem.
Where to Use?
One and the same tower server can cater to multipurpose tasks. According to its configuration, the device can perform both general-purpose functions and specialized tasks.
Rack VS Tower Hardware
To pick a suitable server tower rack, let’s briefly outline the main pros and cons of each type of equipment:
Rack Equipment Pros
- Perfect for businesses that need many servers and want to accommodate them compactly.
- Easier to stack and store.
- Provide a large amount of processing power out of the box.
- Space-saving and allow housing many servers in one rack.
Rack Hardware Cons
Nevertheless, there are also some disadvantages:
- take a large amount of power to keep hardware running efficiently;
- require a special cooling system.
Tower Device Pros
- Work well for companies that don’t require a large number of servers.
- Cost much less on average than rack models.
- No need to equip it with an additional cooling system.
- Easier to locate, make repairs, and perform upgrades.
- Designed to cope with diverse tasks.
Tower Apparatus Cons
There are also some shortcomings:
- problematic to store multiple tower products together because of the bulky size;
- tower servers come with minimal configuration.
To avoid damage, ensure stable operation and monitor performance indicators, it is important to pick an appropriate model. Use this guide to make the right choice.
