[PLUG] Rack-mount cases for linux boxes

[Russell Senior]

>>>>> "Rich" == Rich Shepard <rshepard at appl-ecosys.com> writes:

>> If you can, you might think about getting a rack-mountable UPS to
>> stick at the bottom of your rack...

Rich>   I may bid on a 4U case with motherboard; it's atx form factor
Rich> for the mounts so it should be upgradable in the future. Could
Rich> put a couple of SCSI drives there and use it as the server for
Rich> our little LAN. Over time I can add 2U units as workstations and
Rich> firewall. I thought about the UPS problem, too. It would be nice
Rich> to remove three mini-/mid-/full tower cases and three UPSes from
Rich> the floor under the desks and simplify the wiring. I suppose
Rich> that I could velcro the DSL modem to the side of the rack,
Rich> too. :-)

A couple things I have "learned", rack-mount cases are *expensive*.
At least historically, they've been hard to find for less than
$150-250.  In comparison, a nice adequate mid-tower costs about $40.
Secondly, anything less than 3U means that you need to mount PCI cards
sideways with a little perpendicular adapter.  This naturally reduces
the utility of PCI slots.  I quote "learned" because I've never
actually brought myself to buy one, so my knowledge here is mostly
theoretical.

-- 
Russell Senior         ``I've seen every kind of critter God ever made,
seniorr at aracnet.com      and I ain't never seen a meaner, lower, more
                         stinkin' yellow hypocrite than you!'' 
                                        -- Burl Ives as Rufus Hennessy