APC Netshelter SX GEN 2 48U Server Rack Enclosure 750MM X 1070MM W Sides Black - AR3157B2

APC by Schneider Electric AR3157B2 48U NetShelter SX Gen 2 Server Rack Enclosure

Overview

The APC AR3157B2 is a 48U floor-standing server rack enclosure from the NetShelter SX Gen 2 family, built for data centers, server rooms, and IT closets where structured, high-density equipment deployment is the priority. At 750mm wide and 1070mm deep with a standard 19-inch rail width, it accommodates full-depth servers, network switches, patch panels, and power distribution units without compromise. The floor-standing design — not rack-mountable — means this enclosure anchors your infrastructure rather than hanging off existing structure, which is the right call for loaded, multi-U deployments where stability and cable management matter.

Standing 225.8 cm tall and rated to support 160.8 kg of equipment, the AR3157B2 is sized for enterprise-scale builds. The black finish is consistent with standard data center aesthetics and pairs cleanly with other APC by Schneider Electric infrastructure products.

Key Features

• 48U Rack Capacity: 48 rack units gives you enough vertical space to house a full server stack — compute nodes, top-of-rack switching, KVM, and PDUs — without stacking multiple shorter enclosures side by side. For a mid-size server room, one AR3157B2 can consolidate what would otherwise require two 24U or 25U cabinets, simplifying cable runs and reducing floor footprint.
• 750mm Width: The 750mm external cabinet width is a common data center standard that fits comfortably in standard hot-aisle/cold-aisle rows. Wider than entry-level 600mm enclosures, it leaves more room for side-mounted vertical cable managers and high-density patch fields on the sides — important when you're running structured cabling to a full 48U of gear.
• 1070mm Depth: At 1070mm deep, this enclosure comfortably handles full-depth 1U and 2U rack servers — including models with rear-facing PSU cables, hot-swap drive bays, and rear-access management ports. Shallow enclosures (600–800mm) force cable compromise on full-depth compute; the 1070mm depth eliminates that constraint entirely.
• 19-Inch Rail Standard: The universal 19-inch rack rail standard means virtually every enterprise server, switch, UPS, and appliance you're considering will mount without adapter hardware. This is the deployment baseline for commercial IT infrastructure — any deviation adds cost and complexity.
• 160.8 kg Load Rating: Supporting up to 160.8 kg (approximately 354 lbs) of installed equipment, the AR3157B2 handles dense compute loads — a fully populated 48U with 1U servers averaging 15–20 lbs each pushes 300–450 lbs. Know your actual equipment weight before populating every U; this rating sets the structural ceiling.
• Floor-Standing (Non-Rack-Mountable) Design: The floor-standing form factor means the enclosure itself sits directly on the raised floor or concrete slab. This is the correct configuration for a primary server rack enclosure deployment — it distributes load to the floor rather than to an overhead or wall structure, which matters when you're approaching the weight limit with dense hardware.
• Black Finish: Standard black finish integrates with virtually any data center or IT room environment. Consistent with the broader NetShelter SX Gen 2 line, so mixed-enclosure rows maintain a uniform appearance — a minor but real factor in professional installations where visual coherence affects perceived facility quality.

Integration and Compatibility

The AR3157B2 is designed to integrate with the broader APC NetShelter SX ecosystem. The 19-inch, 48U rail configuration accommodates standard EIA-310-compliant equipment from any vendor. For power distribution within the enclosure, APC rack PDUs mount cleanly on the vertical rails or in dedicated PDU mounting positions. Pair this enclosure with an APC UPS for protected power delivery to rack-mounted equipment, or with APC cable management accessories for structured horizontal and vertical cable routing.

For security and surveillance deployments, this enclosure is well-suited to housing NVR appliances, network switches supporting PoE camera infrastructure, and associated compute hardware in a single organized footprint. If your project involves consolidating network video recorders and switching infrastructure into a single rack, the 48U depth provides enough space to separate compute, switching, and power layers within one enclosure. Consult your rack planning guide when mapping U-positions to ensure adequate airflow between high-heat compute and storage nodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the internal rack unit capacity of the AR3157B2?

A: The AR3157B2 provides 48U of usable rack space on a standard 19-inch rail configuration.

Q: What are the external dimensions of the AR3157B2?

A: The enclosure stands 225.8 cm tall, 750mm wide, and 1070mm deep.

Q: How much equipment weight can the AR3157B2 support?

A: The AR3157B2 is rated to support up to 160.8 kg (approximately 354 lbs) of installed equipment.

Q: Is the AR3157B2 rack-mountable?

A: No. The AR3157B2 is a floor-standing enclosure — it is not designed to be mounted inside another rack. It sits directly on the floor as a primary enclosure.

Q: What rail standard does the AR3157B2 use?

A: The AR3157B2 uses the standard 19-inch rack rail format, compatible with EIA-310-compliant equipment from virtually all enterprise hardware vendors.

Q: Is the AR3157B2 compatible with APC rack PDUs and cable management accessories?

A: Yes. The AR3157B2 is part of the NetShelter SX Gen 2 family and is designed to accept APC rack PDUs, vertical and horizontal cable managers, and other NetShelter SX accessories. Verify specific accessory compatibility against current APC product documentation before ordering.

Marty Allison

When I spec the AR3157B2 for a project, the number I anchor on first is the 160.8 kg load rating against the 48U capacity — that works out to an average allowable weight of roughly 3.35 kg per rack unit, which is tight if you're mixing high-density blade chassis or storage arrays with standard 1U compute. Map your actual BOM weights before you commit to populating every U in this enclosure.

Technical Highlights:

• 48U / 19-inch Rails: Full 48U on universal 19-inch rails means no vendor lock-in on equipment — servers, switches, KVMs, and UPS units from any EIA-310-compliant manufacturer drop straight in without adapter kits.
• 1070mm Depth: The 1070mm internal depth is the spec that separates this from shallower cabinets. Full-depth 1U/2U servers with rear-access PSU connections, hot-swap backplanes, and cable egress at the back all fit without forcing cable bends that compromise airflow or increase failure risk.
• 225.8 cm Height / Floor-Standing: At just over 7.4 feet tall, this enclosure requires ceiling clearance planning in existing rooms — not an issue in purpose-built data halls, but worth measuring in converted IT closets or low-ceiling server rooms before delivery.

Deployment Considerations:

• Floor loading is a real constraint with a fully populated AR3157B2 — 160.8 kg of equipment plus the enclosure's own weight can exceed raised floor tile ratings in older facilities. Confirm your floor's point-load spec before positioning.
• The 750mm width fits standard aisle spacing, but verify your row layout allows for rear door swing clearance at 1070mm depth — this is the most common overlooked dimension in dense row deployments.

The AR3157B2 is the right enclosure for a primary server room or data center row where you're consolidating full-depth compute, top-of-rack switching, and rack PDUs into a single 48U footprint — not for cramped IT closets where a 24U or 600mm-wide enclosure would be more practical.