Middle Atlantic DRK19-44-36PROLRD 44U 36-Inch Deep Open-Frame Gangable Data Rack
Overview
The Middle Atlantic DRK19-44-36PROLRD is a 44-space (77 in. usable height), 36-inch-deep open-frame steel rack built for demanding AV, security, and IT infrastructure deployments where structural integrity, cable management, and future scalability all matter from day one. At 30 inches wide and designed to gang side-by-side with companion units, this is a rack you plan an entire equipment room around — not just a shelf you drop gear into. The DRK19-44-36PROLRD ships as a frame-only configuration with cage-nut rackrail and integrated cable management ducts, giving integrators a clean canvas to build out exactly the way the installation demands.
For Middle Atlantic racks and enclosures, the DRK series represents the brand's floor-standing open-frame line engineered for high-density, mission-critical buildouts. If you're specifying equipment rooms for enterprise security systems, network operations, or broadcast infrastructure, this rack sits squarely in that bracket.
Key Features
- 44U / 77-Inch Usable Height: Seventy-seven usable rack inches means you can fit a full complement of NVRs, switches, patch panels, UPS units, and cable managers without running out of vertical real estate mid-build. Overall frame height is 83.49 in. (212.1 cm), so verify ceiling clearance before specifying — particularly in low-ceiling MDF or IDF rooms.
- 10,000 lb Static Weight Capacity: The frame-level weight capacity is rated at 10,000 lbs (4,535.9 kg) — far beyond what any realistic equipment load will reach. In practical terms, this means the steel welded construction won't flex or rack (pun intended) under asymmetric front-heavy loads, which is exactly what you get when you stack dense 2U servers or high-port-density switches top-to-bottom.
- UL-Listed, 2,500 lb Dynamic Load Rating: The UL load capacity of 2,500 lbs (1,134 kg) is the figure that matters for code-compliant installations. UL listing gives you documentation for the AHJ — important in jurisdictions that require rated enclosures in commercial builds.
- Seismic Rating — OSHPD 96-967, ASCE 7-10: OSHPD certification (Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, California) is the toughest seismic qualification in the US market. Seismic load capacity is 755 lbs (342.5 kg). If your project is in California — hospitals, government facilities, data centers — this certification closes the spec without needing additional seismic anchoring analysis. ASCE 7-10 compliance broadens that coverage to federally-applicable seismic standards.
- 36-Inch Depth / 28.85-Inch Usable Depth: The 36-inch overall depth provides 28.85 usable inches between rackrails front-to-rear. That clears virtually all enterprise-class 1U and 2U servers with room for rear cable dressing, which is where shallow racks always cause problems at year two of a deployment when you're adding cable.
- Cage-Nut Rackrail — Universal Equipment Compatibility: Cage-nut railing means you're not locked into a single mounting standard. Every major NVR brand, network switch, patch panel, and power distribution unit ships with cage-nut hardware. If you've ever dealt with the headache of threading equipment into proprietary toolless railing that doesn't align right, cage-nut is the reliable workaround.
- Gangable Design — Side-by-Side Expansion: The DRK19-44-36PROLRD (often searched as DRK19 44 36PROLRD) is designed to gang with adjacent DRK-series frames. For equipment rooms that will grow in phases — additional camera counts, expanded NVR storage tiers, added networking — gangable racks let you bolt on capacity without rebuilding the room layout.
- Integrated Cable Management Ducts: Built-in vertical cable management ducts keep structured cabling routed and strain-relieved without requiring aftermarket vertical managers on every aisle. In a dense security rack with dozens of PoE runs, HDMI, and fiber, this is the difference between a serviceable install and a rat's nest at the 12-month maintenance visit.
- Open-Frame, No Rear Door: The rear-door-less configuration (Product Configuration: Frame Only) is intentional for environments where airflow, accessibility, and rear-cable access matter more than physical security of the enclosure. If the equipment room is secured at the room level, removing the rear door obstacle speeds up every future service call.
- Steel Construction, Black Finish: Welded steel frame with black finish. Not a painted-aluminum budget rack — steel construction is what delivers the 10,000 lb static rating and the seismic certification. The black finish is standard for equipment rooms and broadcast environments where aesthetics and heat absorption under lighting both matter.
Integration & Compatibility
The 19-inch panel width (48.3 cm) is the universal standard for rack-mount network video recorders, managed PoE switches, patch panels, fiber enclosures, KVM drawers, and power distribution units. Any equipment rated for 19-inch EIA-standard racking installs directly. The cage-nut rail accepts standard M6 cage nuts and their associated hardware. The 44U height is compatible with full-depth server-class equipment from all major vendors. Gangable attachment points allow side-by-side joining with companion DRK-series racks when expanding a security or IT infrastructure room in phases. This frame does not include a rear door — specify separately if rear panel security is required for your installation. For open-frame racks in secured equipment rooms, the no-rear-door configuration is standard practice and reduces installation and service time.
When designing the full rack ecosystem, pair this frame with a rack power distribution unit sized to your actual load and a horizontal cable manager between high-density patch fields to keep the installation serviceable long-term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the usable rack height of the DRK19-44-36PROLRD?
A: The usable height is 77 inches (195.6 cm), providing 44 rack units of usable space. The overall frame height is 83.49 inches (212.1 cm).
Q: Is the DRK19-44-36PROLRD seismically rated?
A: Yes. It carries OSHPD certification (number 96-967) and meets ASCE 7-10 seismic standards. The seismic load capacity is 755 lbs (342.5 kg). This makes it suitable for California healthcare, government, and data center installations requiring seismic compliance.
Q: What is the weight capacity of this rack?
A: The static weight capacity is 10,000 lbs (4,535.9 kg). The UL-listed dynamic load capacity is 2,500 lbs (1,134 kg). For practical equipment loads, the UL figure is the one to cite for code-compliant documentation.
Q: Does the DRK19-44-36PROLRD come with a rear door?
A: No. This model is configured as a frame only with no rear door. If rear enclosure security is required, a compatible rear door accessory should be specified separately.
Q: What type of rack rail does this unit use?
A: Cage-nut rackrail — the universal standard compatible with all major rack-mount equipment from network switches and NVRs to patch panels and power distribution units.
Q: Can the DRK19-44-36PROLRD be ganged with other racks?
A: Yes. This rack is gangable and designed to join side-by-side with compatible DRK-series frames for phased equipment room expansion.
When I spec the DRK19-44-36PROLRD for a project, the first thing I point to is the OSHPD 96-967 certification — not because every project needs it, but because it tells you this frame was engineered and tested to a standard that most open-frame racks never even attempt. At 755 lbs seismic load capacity with ASCE 7-10 compliance, you're getting a rack that a structural engineer can sign off on without custom analysis, which saves real time on permit-heavy projects.
Technical Highlights:
- 10,000 lb Static Capacity: That number sounds like overkill — and for most loads it is — but it reflects the weld quality and steel gauge behind this frame. A rack that flexes under a lopsided load of servers causes alignment problems at the rackrail that translate into stripped cage-nut threads over time. This one doesn't flex.
- 28.85 in. Usable Depth: Out of the 36-inch overall depth, 28.85 inches is usable between rackrails. That accommodates all standard enterprise-class 1U and 2U equipment with enough rear space left for cable dressing — critical when you're running 48-port patch panels with 48 individual runs each.
- Gangable Frame Design: Equipment rooms that start at one rack almost always need two or three within 18 months. The DRK-series gangable attachment points mean that second rack integrates flush without requiring room reorganization or additional anchoring calculations.
Deployment Considerations:
- Overall height is 83.49 inches — confirm ceiling clearance plus installation overhead before delivery, especially in retrofit MDF rooms with suspended ceilings or conduit runs at the 7-foot mark.
- This is a frame-only configuration with no rear door. If your equipment room is accessible to non-technical staff or the room-level physical security is insufficient, budget for a compatible rear door accessory — the frame alone provides no rear access restriction.
This rack is the right call for California-sited security operations centers, hospital surveillance infrastructure, and any enterprise equipment room where the AHJ is going to ask for seismic documentation. The OSHPD number is your answer to that question before it's even asked.
