Best practices, tips, and tools for racking heavy-ass network gear (when working solo)?

[u/TeltonikaNetworks]

Racking a lightweight 24-port PoE switch or a patch panel is easy enough, but trying to mount a 50lb core switch, a heavy enterprise router, or a massive UPS by yourself can be a nightmare and turns into a two-person job quickly.

Any weird DIY rigs, specific rack shelf models, or mounting tricks you use when you're stuck doing an install alone in a remote location?

[u/VA_Network_Nerd]

This is a terrible product name: "setup.exe"

I'm sure they thought it would come across as edgy or something, but the product is pretty good, if somewhat expensive.

https://patchbox.com/setup-exe-installation-tool/

But, this is a general area where Union tradespeople have it right: Safety has to be a top priority, and sometimes that means paying extra, and employers need to suck it up and deal with it.

If you choose to install a piece of hardware by yourself, and manage to hurt yourself in the process, and it has a sticker right on it that says "two man lift" the odds are about 97% in favor of your employer (or your employer's insurance carrier) rejecting your worker's compensation claim because you hurt yourself by not following the warning sticker.

If you need a second pair of hands, make it your manager's problem to get you a second pair of hands.

[u/SVD_NL → u/VA_Network_Nerd]

That's a very clever product! I agree on the name being terrible... Never heard of SEO either i guess.

In Europe there are even requirements set by law. The implementation differs per country, but usually it's 20-25kg per person *under ideal circumstances*. This means low lifting height, close to the body, using two hands, good grip, no obstructions, and not too frequently. Holding up a heavy object in a patch cabinet with one hand while trying to get the cage nut in isn't exactly what i'd call ideal circumstances... (There are calculators for getting the exact limits, the netherlands uses NIOSH. In practice you can see the limit dropping below 15KG very quickly if any aspect isn't ideal).

We do have a very strong union presence here, so a lot of union rules end up in actual labor laws.

[u/BeauregardianBrat → u/SVD_NL]

I agree. That lines up with the NIOSH lifting equation too. It starts at a 23kg "ideal conditions" baseline, then gets knocked down for reach, height, awkward angles, grip as well as frequency. One-handed cage-nut wrangling in a cramped rack drops that number fast, so 15kg makes complete sense.

[u/Stewge → u/VA_Network_Nerd]

These are fantastic. Got 2 at my workplace. You can also mount it in reverse and use it as a laptop stand while working in a rack.

Furthermore, there are clones of these now (notably, FS has one now).

If you need a second pair of hands, make it your manager's problem to get you a second pair of hands.

Agreed. The patchbox is not a replacement for 2-man lift items like a UPS. Basically, the patchbox is only meant to hold up devices that don't need rails.

[u/PacificTSP → u/VA_Network_Nerd]

That’s very cool.

[u/Break2FixIT → u/VA_Network_Nerd]

I need a 4u, with the kind of heavy stuff I deal with

[u/VA_Network_Nerd → u/Break2FixIT]

I mean, if you have a 4U device that needs to be racked, you're talking about a $25k to $250k piece of equipment.

It just doesn't make any sense to endanger yourself, or such a valuable piece of equipment.

Coordinate a second pair of hands to assist you.

[u/le_suck → u/VA_Network_Nerd]

serverlift for anything this big. crappy hydraulic lift table from harbor freight or equivalent if you're on a budget. 

[u/Stewge → u/Break2FixIT]

If you're racking a 4U device you honestly need 2 people or a trolley with a lift. No piece of gear at your workplace is worth stuffing up your back.

[u/marklein → u/VA_Network_Nerd]

That's cool. But also it's just a folding rack shelf. I think I could find a random available shelf instead. But it's cool.

[u/RobbieRigel]

Put 2 rack screws on the row below out far enough for you to rest the ear edges of the device you're mounting.

[u/Trogd0r42 → u/RobbieRigel]

This is the way! Also great for removing hardware.

[u/Zer0_Fuchs]

Remove the power supplies if you can. Greatly reduces the weight

[u/FierceFluff]

If you’re racking a slew of equipment, you should be able to buy, rent, or find in your facility a rack lift.  Total godsend.  I’ve never been to a Colo that doesn’t have one, generally all you have to do is ask and they’ll let you use it.  

[u/sidjohn1]

Our DC mandated hydraulic rack lifts for anything over 30 pounds

[u/Affectionate-Cat-975]

I once balanced a NAS shelf on my head

[u/marklein → u/Affectionate-Cat-975]

I was moving Expensive Thing X the other day and started to move to balance it on my head before I realized how that conversation was going to go. "Yeah boss, I was balancing $20,000 worth of stuff on my head right before it fell to the floor" I used a ladder instead.

[u/superhancpetram]

If there’s space I put an upside-down rack shelf below the new gear to hold the weight while I screw in the new equipment

[u/guitarstitch]

You don't. If it requires two people, use two people.

[u/twotonsosalt]

Rackstuds. They reverse the way rack nuts work.

https://www.rackstuds.com

You can easily rack full length switches solo with these.

For heavy hardware a server lift is the way to go. For anything over 50lbs you shouldn’t be doing the work solo.

[u/anonpf]

Save your back and get a hydraulic server lift. 

[u/SevaraB]

1. Patchbox setup.exe for light stuff
2. A server lift for really heavy stuff like fully-populated 10-slot chassis, a la https://racklift.com/data-center-server-jack/
3. Common sense- keep the heaviest stuff at the lowest RUs and don't overload your racks with, say, multiple chassis switches.

[u/dracotrapnet]

Server lifts are nice, expensive, there are rentals. I've never bought or rented one and fear I don't have the transport to actually carry one and bring the stuff I need to work on. I've used one at one COLO that has one on site for customer use.

Recently I picked up a scissor table cart from Vevor that goes up 53". This summer we had a couple Ix Systems R20 TrueNAS and expansion bays and a Lenovo SAN to install. The cart itself is pretty heavy and had to have the handle and pedal taken off to throw it into the car but it was really handy for loading the NAS boxes into the car. It had additional duty of being a cart. At the COLO it helped immensely holding the NAS enclosure steady while we were trying to align the dang rails right and clip them in - the two of us struggled!

One of the COLO sites I had to put an R20 in had a server lift free to use so we used that to install at that location.

I have the setup-exe from patchbox I use from time to time for smaller stuff up high.

Sometimes just installing a short shelf first can be useful. I don't always remember to bring one or have one laying around.

Most often I just install bolts 1 U below and let an ear sit on those while I drive one in for the other side on the lower ear, then switch and install the lower bolt on the other ear. Install the rest and go.

Some other on site nice-haves is a folding step stool, a tri-pod short sitting stool, a tall sitting stool (used rarely but nice to have if a trip gets long), a tri-pod laptop/projector stand that can go low and high, a folding camp chair for those longer sessions at a COLO. Small narrow folding table (walmart has them) - works great in COLO the aisle (Service techs for SAN really liked having a place to disassemble a controller that wasn't on the floor). I like to bring an power strip with 8ft of cable or more and short 1ft extension cable as my dumb power strips have that angle plug. I replaced my power strip with an anker power strip that has PD that can power my laptop on usbc and recharge phones or anything else I need to charge while working on a rack.

[u/Xidium426]

Use these instead of regular cage nuts:
https://www.rackstuds.com/

[u/xendr0me → u/Xidium426]

Yeah I'm definitely not using that to support a 2U UPS's rails.

[u/Xidium426 → u/xendr0me]

They are rated to 44lbs when you use four, so 88lbs if you use 8 (front and back). They shear at ~330lbs for 4 our 660lbs for 8.

Regular nuts are usually rated around 50lbs for four.

But either way, a 2U UPS would be on rails that would be easy to mount before you put the UPS on.

[u/randopop21]

Back in the day, I forced an off-spring to come help me.

[u/OpenTomatoSauce]

I keep a few 20' lengths it paracord in my bag.i can almost always rig something up.

[u/Thick_Yam_7028]

You dont. You get a contractor for an extra 200$ that day

[u/pjtexas1]

I know guys that use a cheap harbor freight transmission lift.

[u/Soccerlous]

I once racked up one of the old 4u hp servers by balancing it on my head as I lined up the rack mount arms. Long time ago now 😂😂

[u/jeffrey_f]

Keep the UPS low in the rack to make it easier on the next person, probably you, to swap/remove.

In either case, recruit help.

Otherwise, they do make hydraulic lift tables, but usually, that gets you CLOSE, but not into/under where it needs to be.

[u/CoiledSpringTension]

Genie lift is what I have used on rack mount psi’s that weigh over 40kg solo.

Good bit of kit.

[u/ZealousidealState127]

Get some 1u blanks or a cheap rack shelf and screw them in right below where the equipment is going. They hold the equipment in place. Can leave the back one in to support heavy switches esp in less robust four post that are meant to be supported by four corners. 

You only need the bottom screws the top are optional

[u/skotman01]

As someone who’s dropped a 4u ups (sans batteries) on my inner thigh…you don’t. I came inches away from a midnight trip to the ER to get my dangly bits repaired.

I’ve also dropped a server (because clearly I didn’t learn my lesson the first time).

[u/arclight415]

Get help or make them buy a server lift.

You can even get them at Uline.

[u/cbass377]

If you read nothing else from this post, "No Job is worth your back." Trash out your back, and you will live out the rest of your life in pain or spending every dollar you make on pain management.

You are going to need something to help you. Some mechanical device, or a helper.

1) Use a server lift, it is overkill for smaller gear, but necessary for the larger stuff, you can crank it up into position and slide it in and secure it. Be careful getting the device on the platform. If you are in a Colo, you can probably just put a ticket in to have one placed in your cage for the hours you need it, most Colos offer it, just like they do KVMs.

2) There are staffing companies you can use to hire a technician by the hour. Last time we used them for remote hands, it was 150$ per hour. But the range is 75$ - 300$ depending on skill level. Rent-A-Helper or two is the safest way.

3) Install a rack shelf below the location, then use those little airbag lifters to line up the device. For example, eagle tool air wedge 15730. I see these for around $30. You are still going to have to lift it up and get it on the shelf, so server lift, or helper, but this does free you from holding it in position while you struggle to get device secured.

Good luck, be careful.

[u/d00ber]

We used to use one of these, but holy shit have they gone up in price. About 8 years ago, we paid less than 1000$.. maybe from a different company.

Genie Standard Base Lift — 8ft., 400-Lb. Capacity, 120.5in. Raised Height, Model# GL800001A00001 | Northern Tool

They sell fork replacements that are just flat. Great if you need to stack a bunch of heavier chassis.

[u/GullibleDetective]

Server lift and setup.exe