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I am setting up a lab for learning purposes. I don't have a rack yet, but I just purchased a Supermicro 2U enclosure on eBay with some rails.

How does it work with connecting the server to the rack? I've got no experience with rack mounted equipment, and I haven't bought a rack yet. I want to make sure I don't mix the wrong types of equipment.

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Generally all 19" 4 post racks will work with all 4 post rails, if they're both "square hole universal". You may need to buy the nuts and bolts separately. I say generally, because I've occasionally seen oddball equipment.

Some racks will have tapped screw holes, I've seen several difference screw sizes in the past. I always seem to have the wrong screw size handy too.

Many rails designed for square hole, will not fit in tapped hole racks. Most rails for tapped screw holes will work with square holes racks.

I can't tell from the supermicro rail kit (on ebay, or their website) as to what kind of rails they use.

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  • Perfect! I guess that means I'll just wait to buy the rails later.
    – SkinnyGeek1010
    Feb 10, 2011 at 3:50
  • Telco racks, and Rackable tend to be the ones with Tapped Holes.. Some telco racks are also weird in that they have the support in the middle, rather than front/back.
    – Tom O'Connor
    Feb 10, 2011 at 10:34
  • I know this is late to the party, but I wanted to add that the SuperMicro rails don't require screws or cage nuts or anything, they just slot into the square-holed racks and use gravity + server weight for fixing in place.
    – Mark Henderson
    Jan 22, 2012 at 7:14
  • ^ this is true in general for the newer SuperMicro rails, which is likely what the OP has. But, the older rails are "normal".
    – Kendall
    Jan 22, 2012 at 7:28
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Rails are tricky things. I suggest.. that for the time being, you buy some rack shelves. They're more versatile, and you can always just rest the server on the shelf.

It looks like the server and the rails come from the same seller, so perhaps the smart play would be to email him/her and ask?

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  • Thanks Tom, I didn't really think about shelves...that would do the trick :) I'm not worried about pulling the server out at home. I checked with the seller and the rails came off of the same server. The problem is I don't have a rack yet, so I wasn't sure how the rail to rack connection worked. Shelves do seem like a much easier route though.
    – SkinnyGeek1010
    Feb 10, 2011 at 2:32

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