When you need to move server racks or cabinets to another location, you may think you’ll save time if you don’t unload all of the equipment first. Moving a fully loaded cabinet seems so much simpler than having to unpack everything, move it all, reassemble the components, and cross your fingers that everything has been configured correctly and still works as it should.
But is this the best way to move them?
There are two answers. The first is “No, unless your equipment was specifically designed for movement while fully loaded.” The second is “No, unless you have a device designed specifically for moving fully loaded racks or cabinets.” Never attempt a populated server move with a non-safety-certified solution or with a warehouse/material handling lift.
However, if you have rack-moving device that is designed to move fully loaded cabinets, then you can move them to your heart’s content. Here at ServerLIFT®, we are in the midst of developing such a product, but otherwise, to the best of our knowledge, none exist on the market that are safely up to the task.
Attempting to move full cabinets and racks fully loaded without the right equipment could result in many catastrophic problems:
- Thin cabinet legs or casters could bend or even break off.
- Tiny casters could get stuck in precarious positions as you move over raised floors or ramps.
- The weight of a fully populated rack may exceed the weight limits of any elevators.
- Traversing ramps might be impossible. The angle would almost certainly cause an accident.
- Your delicate equipment could be damaged in transit, because forklifts are not meant for finesse jobs.
- The entire, populated rack could tip over, damaging it, other racks, the facility infrastructure, or worse yet people.
1. Make a plan before you touch anything.
You need to do a lot of work before you disconnect the first cable. Speak with your team, including any energy efficiency consultants you may work with, to devise a strategy for the move. You will need to answer several questions:- How will the move be carried out?
- How far do you need to move?
- What equipment will be needed to make the move successful?
- Which team members are in charge of which tasks?
- Will the new configuration support your cooling and energy-efficiency solutions?
- What are the problems you expect to encounter?
- What can you leave installed in the rack and what must be removed?
- How will you pack and move the equipment that was taken out of the rack?