What is a Server Rack?

Meet the Connector: Server Racks

Server racks are framework structures that house and organize IT hardware components, including servers and interconnects. They are an essential element of data center design; beyond merely containing the equipment, their form and design can contribute to system cooling and performance.

Server racks may take the form of cabinets or shelves and may be wall mounted or free standing. They are highly modular and configurable and may be specified with integrated cable management solutions such as rails with conduits or notches or grooves to separate and direct cabling. Server rack design facilitates easy access for maintenance and upgrades.

Several interconnect suppliers, including Molex, TE Connectivity, JPC, and Amphenol LTW, have participated in standards and product development for the Open Compute Project (OCP), an organization dedicated to optimizing open source collaboration around data center equipment, GPU servers, storage devices and appliances, and scalable rack designs.

OCP’s Rack & Power Project Group is the first group to focus on rack standards that are designed for data centers, integrating the rack into the data center infrastructure. The group’s scope includes specs, standards, and products that support rack system architectures,  such as 19” EIA Compatible, 21” Open Rack, and Rack-Level Power Systems, Conversion, Storage, and Control Systems of power between the data center infrastructure and the IT gear. OCP products include shelves, supports, sub-chassis, and adapters needed to implement IT gear, and OCP-compliant cable and interconnect hardware. Server racks need next-gen high-speed cables and modular interconnects, including I/O, mezzanine connectors, and power connectors. The design of server racks influences the design of interconnects for this market, and vice versa.

Rack and panel connectors from the EDAC Group provide reliable connectivity using hermaphroditic contacts that deliver an 8-point connection for superior electrical continuity. This design ensures consistent signal integrity and mechanical stability, making them well-suited for high-density, vibration-prone environments such as server racks and modular enclosures.

Design Notes 

Standards: OCP’s scope includes specs, standards, and products that support rack system architectures, such as 19” EIA Compatible, 21” Open Rack, and Rack-Level Power Systems, Conversion, Storage, and Control Systems of power between the data center infrastructure and the IT gear. OCP products include shelves, supports, sub-chassis, and adapters needed to implement IT gear, and OCP-compliant cable and interconnect hardware.

Available from Heilind Electronics, Molex’s NearStack HD Connector System is a low-profile, high-density cable solution designed for 64 Gb/s PAM-4 data transfer, meeting PCIe Gen-6 standards. Ideal for AI and machine learning, it offers superior signal integrity with low insertion loss, crosstalk, and EMI. The system’s compact design saves PCB space and improves thermal management.[market_ad position="2"]

Markets and Applications

Datacom and Telecom

High-performance rack servers for advanced applications like AI and machine learning (ML) requires rack designs that help IT equipment deliver higher speeds, low latency, high bandwidth, and flexible scalability.

A key innovator of modular systems defined by OCP, Molex delivers pluggable form factors with industry-leading port and bandwidth densities, along with fully shielded designs. Rack server connectors are built for both past and future PCIe generations, ensuring reliable interoperability with existing systems. Options like drop down heat sinks and floating pedestal designs provide effective heat dissipation.

Suppliers 

Server rack components and OCP compatible interconnects are available from many suppliers, including Amphenol LTW, DigiKey, JPC, Molex, and TE Connectivity.

A variety of server rack products, including cabinets, shelves, and modular systems from DigiKey

Related products 

Mezzanine connectors

Like this article? Check out our other Meet the Connector and Connector Basics articles, our Datacom/Telecom Market Page, and our 2025 Article Archives. 

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