The Tripp Lite 14U SmartRack is a unique, compact server rack fully assembled out of the box and designed to organize and secure deeper standard-width rack equipment. Because it supports equipment mounting up to 42 inches deep, the Tripp Lite SmartRack is great for most high-density equipment installations that need additional space for cable management and removing/adding hot-swappable power supplies from the back panel of mounted devices.
The Tripp Lite 14U SmartRack is a unique, compact server rack fully assembled out of the box and designed to organize and secure deeper standard-width rack equipment. Because it supports equipment mounting up to 42 inches deep, the Tripp Lite SmartRack is great for most high-density equipment installations that need additional space for cable management and removing/adding hot-swappable power supplies from the back panel of mounted devices.
This makes it ideal for network wiring closets, retail businesses, classrooms, back offices, and other organizations that use essential rack-mount IT equipment. The unit also comes with a 5-year limit warranty.
Tripp Lite 14U SmartRack Design and Build
As we indicated above, the unit ships fully assembled (which we really appreciated, even though we always seem to like taking things apart and putting them back together), so IT users don’t have to worry about wasting time assembling everything. This is critical for edge applications.
Once we placed the SmartRack on the floor of our server room, it’s quite evident that it would be a great fit for those with space constraints, so smaller offices would certainly benefit.
Despite it being more compact size than traditional server racks, it still is capable of handling most IT equipment. Front to back, the mounting rails accept equipment up to forty-two inches. As you can see in the image above, we populated the rack with an Eaton 9PX 1500 lithium-Ion UPS (essentially a 2U version of the 9PX), a Netgear M4250-10G2F-PoE+ Switch, and a Lenovo sr630 v2 1U two-socket server. It also features very handy top access ports and an open bottom, making it easy for us to route cable throughout the cabinet when installing these devices.
The SmartRack feels very durable as well, consisting of a powder-coated steel structure with wheels for portability. It is also PCI DSS compliant, which means that it meets the compliance standards/requirements for storing payment information in data centers. All panel doors (front, rear, and side) are lockable to prevent damage, unwanted access, or theft of installed equipment. Once unlocked, they have quick-release functionality, which made it very easy to access our connected equipment and cabling.
Cooling is also no problem with the SmartRack, as it features vented doors that draw in cool air from outside and remove warm air to keep your equipment cool and functioning at its peak. As you can see below, it is very spacious inside the SmartRack, which will allow for effective airflow inside the chassis.
The top panel also supports the installation of optional case fans (such as Tripp Lite’s SRFANWM).
Tripp Lite also allows you to reverse the way the door opens, which is extremely handy if you can only place the rack in certain corners of a room.
If you need more stability for your server racks, you can also secure the cabinet to the floor via the brackets using user-supplied hardware or Tripp Lite’s SmartRack Bolt-Down Kit. Simply attach the 2 shipping brackets to the rack and secure them to the floor via a 13 mm open-end wrench (to either the outer or inner bracket mounting points of the enclosure.
The maximum weight the rack can sustain and carry is 1,000lbs, which means that even the heaviest servers can be installed into the rack without much worry (even when the rack is stationary or rolling).
Tripp Lite 14U SmartRack Extra Deep Small Server Rack Specifications
| Device Compatibility | Patch Panel; Network Switch; UPS; Server |
| Rack Type | Small Enclosure |
| Color | Black |
| Rack Height | 14U |
| Rack Depth | Standard |
| Maximum Device Depth (in.) | 37 |
| Minimum Device Depth (in.) | 3 |
| Cable Access Hole Measurement (inches) | 9.812 x 2.35 (l x w) |
| Unit Dimensions (hwd / in.) | 28.230 x 23.620 x 43.620 |
| Weight Capacity – Rolling (lbs.)/Stationary (lbs.) | 1000 |
| Number of Vertical Mounting Rails | 4 |
| Product Certifications | UL 60950-1 |
| Product Compliance | RoHS; EIA/ECA-310-E; UKCA |
Conclusion
Overall, we really liked Tripp Lite’s 14U SmartRack due to its compact, flexible build, coupled with its security features, spacious room for cord management, comprehensive IT equipment support, and the fact that it’s already assembled and good to go–right out of the box. That said, these things are mostly standard affairs among its competition. Its size, form factor, and competitive price tag of around $800 help it stand out.
At the moment, it’s probably considered more of a niche product, as it’s mainly meant for those who want to store their small server setup in a convenient, space-constrained area. However, demands for racks such as this might grow as people and businesses shift away from big offices and start downsizing the physical floor space. Hopefully, we see more niche racks from Tripp Lite.
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