Being in the business of reviewing server hardware, we here at ServeTheHome sometimes find ourselves in the need of something to hold said servers. While PCs and NAS boxes are stand-alone devices, a server is not at home until it is in a rack. As a result, every now and then we have to go out and buy a rack to house our latest batch of equipment.
To that end, today we are taking a look at Tecmojo’s 12U Open Frame Network Rack. The name pretty much says it all on this one: this is an open frame rack with 12 rack units’ of capacity. Tecmojo is aiming this rack at a pretty broad base of users – essentially anyone who needs a one-off 12U rack for IT equipment or AV equipment outside of a server room.
Here is an Amazon Affiliate link to what we purchased.
Tecmojo 12U Open Frame Network Rack Overview
With 12 RUs of space and designed to accommodate 19-inch wide devices and panels, Tecmojo’s 12U rack is very nearly a cube. Its official (external) measurements are 20.47-inch D x 21.02-inch H x 20.15-inch depth. On the front and back, we have screw hole mounting while on the sides we have square holes for cage nuts.
The rack can either sit on the floor (freestanding), or it can be wall-mounted.
The difference between those configurations, besides what is convenient for the owner, is the amount of weight the rack can hold. While the rack is rated to hold 260lbs when on the floor, wall-mounting it halves that to 130lbs.
For owners that do opt to wall mount it, Tecmojo does include a basic drilling template to help with the process. The actual wall mounting holes are 16 inches apart.
Besides serving as a place to mount typical rack-mounted IT gear, the other big use case for Tecmojo’s 12U rack is AV equipment. And to that end, the rack includes two shelves for holding non-rackmount equipment.
The shelves have a grated design to them, with the numerous small holes serving as ventilation. A quick tip here is that these can also be used for tie-down points for cables. Alongside the side rails, which provide protection and structural rigidity, the racks also feature installable shelf stops to prevent equipment from going right past the end of the shelf.
Notably, these shelves are only 14-inches long. So they do not go the full length of the rack. This allows them to be installed cantilever-style, only screwing them into the front of the rack. Alternatively, back supports are included that can be attached to the shelves and anchored to the rear posts. This does not increase the usable shelf size, but it provides additional support for heavier items that require a shelf supported at all four corners.
And in the close-up shot of the shelf, you can also see that Tecmojo has labeled the RUs on the rack going both up and down, which is always handy for getting started with a rack and ensuring the first device (or shelf) is on the correct level and not a third of a RU in the wrong location. Some may ask why you might not want this installed exactly at the U markers, but with items like mini PCs, you may need a little height.
These shelves can be handy when you are rackmounting non-rackmount gear. We have several edge AI systems, and this approach works well for organizing them. Unlike a 10″ rack, we can fit full-sized gear like the MikroTik CRS812-8DS-2DQ-2DDQ-RM we reviewed, the Ubiquiti USP-PDU-PRO, and so forth.
Finally, at the top of the rack is another shelf/cover that is built into the rack and completely covers the top end. Here, Tecmojo has installed a pair of grommet holes for cable routing.
It may not be pretty, but it provides a convenient space to add a few more odd-sized devices when you inevitably add them to the rack and run out of rack shelving.
Final Words
The one somewhat less exciting part of this rack is how much space you realistically get. It is a 12U rack, but the front and side plates block the top and bottom 1U making 10U available. Then, on the rear, the wall mounting brackets take up an additional U on top and bottom, so you end up with 8U fully usable on the round hole side, but 10U on the square hole side. Of course, if you are using the shelves, you can get a bit more space.
This is going to sound a bit strange, but we purchased two of these racks and where they have been extremely useful has been in organizing many mini PCs with different types of networking and even mixing square and round hole gear so long as the airflow directions work.
Overall, this was a relatively inexpensive rack, and it fits a lot of gear. Having the two shelves, plus the top cover included, adds quite a bit of value if you need to mount gear that is not designed for rack mounting. It may not feel as nice and perfectly polished as higher-end enterprise racks, but for $90 or so, this worked well. If you just need something easy, this is one to take a look at.
Where to Buy
Here is an Amazon Affiliate link to what we purchased.
