Thoughts and scribbles about what could be my first server rack

[MSMSMSM]

My current setup is a Ryzen 1800X with an RX480+RX580 housed within a Cooler Master HAF XB EVO. I bought the case recently after hearing about it and being enamored by its design and bought one as soon as I could find one (which was hard, as it was out of stock nearly everywhere)

The guts of my machine will be replaced with an Intel 14th Gen processor whenever that comes out and will be having NVIDIA GPUs and my current system’s guts will be given to a family member in a different case.

What I’m trying to say is, I’d like this case to stay within my first server rack.

Second, I’ll be moving countries in a while (somewhere between a year or three, heaven knows) and the norm seems to be to sell your hardware and build a new rig when you reach the destination country. I don’t want to do that.

So, I thought of these… travel racks designed for touring musicians.

I’ve been thinking about having my HAF XB EVO, a rack mounted install for the ARM64 Mac Pro 2022 (if that ever becomes a thing), a 2U storage server to allow filesystem agnosticism between a high performance x86_64 Windows desktop and an ARM64 macOS desktop and a UPS to give enough of a buffer to perform graceful shutdowns for all three systems.

The HAF XB EVO doesn’t have official rack mounting brackets but there is a Reddit post where apparently someone made it happen, and that sparked this post.

How viable is this plan? Is it stupid? I primarily work with macOS and more of my work is becoming AArch64-specific but x86_64 isn’t going anywhere and there I times I need to use legacy Windows software for my hobby projects (and of course, vibbeo gam)

So, the idea of a self contained “pack the powerhouse in a travel rack and ship it across countries” server rack came into existence. The purchases will be quite close to when I move overseas and I’d like to move my computers and gear with me.

I’ll admit there is a coolness factor to it but… let me have my fun

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For additional context, I’m a complete beginner with server stuff and have used the standard desktop form factor. I just like the idea of having everything self-contained.

I’m also building the idea of my rack based on platforms that haven’t been out yet, Meteor Lake and the mystery SoC behind the Mac Pro 2022 (if it even is in 2022) but this is something I’m not immediately doing, I just want to know if such a plan even makes sense.

[Dutch_Master]

I like the idea and it’s certainly feasible. But don’t wait for stuff expected to appear some time in the future, buy what you need when you need it from what’s available at the time. And don’t dismiss AMD either: EPYC has ways to go yet and it’ll likely outperform the Xeon platform for a fair while doing so. Even Ryzen hasn’t seen the end of its cycle yet, AM5 promises to be as long (if not longer) supported by AMD, meaning backwards compatibility will be a thing like it was/is on the AM4 platform.

One thing to be aware of: if your rack travels with you, make sure all of your equipment can handle the mains voltage in that country. Most of the world has committed to the 240V/50Hz AC system, the 120V/60Hz AC system as found in North America is hardly found outside the US and Canada. Similarly, mains plugs are different, even for 240V systems. I know, I make them

[MazeFrame]

@MSMSMSM

The HAF XB EVO doesn’t have official rack mounting brackets but there is a Reddit post where apparently someone made it happen, and that sparked this post.

Can always custom-make a frame to hold non-rack stuff in a rack. Alu-Extrusions to the (expensive) rescue!

[thetazman]

I have the same case and what I did to get it to sit in a half rack was to simply buy a shelf that is designed to bolt into a rack and sit the case on it.

Granted the rack and case don’t ever move except for maintenance / upgrades / troubleshooting.

[redocbew]

If you did that and then employed the use of a jigsaw and a few ratchet straps you could make sure it wouldn’t go anywhere.

Or actually, you probably wouldn’t even need the jigsaw. There’d probably be enough space around the edges of the shelf to get the straps around it.

[thetazman]

OR duct tape!!!

[MSMSMSM]

don’t dismiss AMD either: EPYC has ways to go yet and it’ll likely outperform the Xeon platform for a fair while doing so

A reason as to why I’m going Intel over AMD is because I like the idea of being able to convert my Windows machine (even if temporarily) into a fully functional overkill Hackintosh for the brief moments when I need OS X legacy applications and Rosetta won’t suffice.

The reason why Intel > AMD for OS X (notice I said OS X, not macOS, we’re talking pre-rebranding versions) is due to OS X’s dependence on Intel-specific instructions and while opcode emulation could allow me to use the more economically efficient Epyc, instability makes that a complete no-no.

buy what you need when you need it

Like I said, I’m still holding out for more mature Apple Silicon as M1 does have some errata and architectural limitations. If Apple can make a modular Mac Pro with support with PCIe devices alongside what Apple Silicon offers, there’d be nothing like it.

Let’s see what WWDC 2022 has in store.

make sure all of your equipment can handle the mains voltage in that country

Thanks for the heads up! I know cheap power supplies tend to skimp out on being able to deal with multiple voltages but I’ll be sure to get them PSUs that support both 120V and 240V.

[MSMSMSM]

what I did to get it to sit in a half rack was to simply buy a shelf that is designed to bolt into a rack and sit the case on it.

That sounds like it would actually work, never thought of that. Didn’t even know that shelves existed!

OR duct tape!!!

[Trooper_ish]

The lovely Cooler Master machine will probably fit on a shelf inside a carry case like that, but please be aware most of those cases are for audio equipment.

There are versions that are deeper for regular style rack mount chassis, but are more expensive for it.

Obviously there are short depth rack chassis, which might be fun to try and build in.

Would you be transporting the case yourself, or hoping a shipper might not tip it on it’s side and upside down etc in transit?

[redocbew]

Yeah, rack shelves can be very convenient for cable modems and other non-rack-mountable things, or just as a place to put things while you’re working on stuff in the rack.