APC by Schneider Electric AR3357W2 48U Server Rack Enclosure — NetShelter SX Gen 2, 750mm × 1200mm, White
Overview
The APC NetShelter SX Gen 2 AR3357W2 is a 48U, 750mm-wide by 1200mm-deep rack enclosure designed for organizations that need a high-density, structured home for servers, networking gear, and storage infrastructure. At 48 rack units of usable vertical space, it supports a full complement of 1U and 2U servers, patch panels, and cable management accessories in a single footprint — meaning fewer enclosures on the floor and more infrastructure per square foot of data center or server room space.
The white finish distinguishes this unit within the APC by Schneider Electric NetShelter SX lineup, making it a practical choice for environments where color-coding or aesthetics matter alongside function — think enterprise NOCs, healthcare IT closets, or education data centers where equipment visibility and organization are operational requirements, not afterthoughts. The standard 19-inch rack width means virtually every server, switch, UPS, and patch panel from any major vendor drops in without adapter plates.
This enclosure ships at 390.77 lb (177.25 kg) assembled, so factor floor-load ratings into your pre-deployment site survey. The overall height runs 88.90 inches (225.8 cm) — plan ceiling clearance and aisle depth before the pallet arrives. Sides are included, making this a fully enclosed cabinet rather than an open-frame rack.
Key Features
- 48U Vertical Capacity: Forty-eight rack units of usable space gives you room to fully populate with 1U/2U servers, ToR switches, patch panels, and cable management in one enclosure — reducing the cabinet count and inter-rack cabling complexity in the row.
- 750mm Width: The 750mm external width is the sweet spot for high-density server deployments that need side-panel airflow management or wider blanking panels, without exceeding standard aisle-width constraints in most raised-floor environments. Compare to the narrower 600mm variants when floor space is at a premium.
- 1200mm Depth: At 1200mm deep, this cabinet accommodates full-depth enterprise servers — including dual-PSU systems with rear cabling — without forcing cable bend-radius compromises at the back. Short-depth switching gear simply gets rear-mounted with cable management arms.
- Standard 19-Inch Rack Rail: Industry-standard 19-inch mounting rails mean no vendor lock-in on the equipment you install. Every major server, storage, and networking OEM targets this width — your procurement team won't face compatibility hurdles.
- Included Side Panels: Enclosed sides ship with the unit, supporting airflow containment from day one. Hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment strategies depend on the cabinet forming a proper barrier — open-frame racks undermine that discipline.
- White Finish: The white colorway serves a real operational function in mixed-use or visually managed environments: it differentiates this cabinet from black infrastructure racks in the same row, useful for zone-coding by function (compute vs. networking vs. storage) or for visibility in brightly lit edge deployments.
- 390.77 lb / 177.25 kg Shipping Weight: This is a substantial enclosure — plan for mechanical lift equipment or a two-person crew for positioning. Verify raised-floor tile ratings or concrete slab load capacity before final placement.
Integration & Compatibility
The AR3357W2 accepts standard rack accessories including APC's own cable management arms, blanking panels, and rail kits, as well as third-party accessories built to the 19-inch EIA-310 standard. It is compatible with APC's NetShelter ecosystem of power distribution units, overhead cabling trays, and containment components — so if you're already running a NetShelter SX infrastructure, this white variant integrates without modification.
For UPS and power distribution integration, standard 0U vertical PDUs mount in the side channels, and rack-mount UPS units occupy standard EIA rail positions. This enclosure does not include integrated power — plan your PDU configuration separately based on circuit availability and per-outlet metering requirements.
Data center managers building out structured network rack enclosures for surveillance infrastructure — NVRs, PoE switches, video management servers, and storage arrays — will find the 48U depth and 1200mm cabinet depth handle mixed-depth equipment without issue. See the data center planning guide for rack density and power budgeting considerations before specifying cabinet count.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the usable rack space in the AR3357W2?
A: The AR3357W2 provides 48U of usable vertical rack space, accommodating standard 1U, 2U, and larger equipment on 19-inch EIA-310 rails.
Q: Does the AR3357W2 include side panels?
A: Yes. Side panels are included with the AR3357W2, providing an enclosed cabinet configuration suitable for airflow management and containment strategies.
Q: What are the external dimensions of the AR3357W2?
A: The AR3357W2 measures 750mm wide by 1200mm deep, with an overall height of 88.90 inches (225.8 cm). Plan ceiling clearance and aisle depth accordingly before delivery.
Q: How much does the AR3357W2 weigh?
A: The AR3357W2 ships at 390.77 lb (177.25 kg). Mechanical lift equipment or a two-person crew is recommended for positioning. Verify floor load ratings before placement.
Q: Is the AR3357W2 rack-mountable itself?
A: No. The AR3357W2 is a floor-standing enclosure, not designed to be mounted inside another rack. It is a standalone cabinet intended for data center floor or server room deployment.
Q: What rail width does the AR3357W2 support?
A: The AR3357W2 uses standard 19-inch EIA-310 rack rails, compatible with virtually all major server, networking, storage, and UPS equipment from any vendor.
The AR3357W2 is a physically substantial piece of infrastructure — 390.77 lb before you put a single server in it, standing nearly 89 inches tall. That weight spec alone tells you this cabinet is built for permanence, not flexibility. When I specify this model, I'm looking at deployments where the rack is going in once and staying put for 5–10 years.
Technical Highlights:
- 48U × 1200mm Depth: Full-depth enterprise servers with rear cable management arms fit cleanly at 1200mm. You're not forcing anyone to mount short or manage awkward cable loops at the back of the cabinet.
- 750mm Width: The extra 150mm over a 600mm cabinet matters when you're running structured cabling down the sides or need side-channel vertical PDUs without fighting for space with blanking panels.
- Enclosed with Sides: Side panels ship included — that's not always the case at this price tier. For hot-aisle containment to work, the cabinet has to form a real barrier. Open-frame racks undermine the whole strategy.
Deployment Considerations:
- At 225.8 cm tall (88.90 in), this cabinet will NOT clear standard 9-foot ceilings once you account for overhead cable tray — verify headroom and tray routing before the unit arrives on the dock.
- The white finish is a deliberate operational choice, not cosmetic. If your environment uses color-coded zones (compute = white, networking = black), this model fits that discipline. If you're in an all-black shop, it will stand out — which may or may not be what you want.
For a healthcare IT server room or enterprise NOC where zone differentiation, high density, and long-term permanence are the brief, the AR3357W2 is the right specification. It is not the right call for environments that need frequent reconfiguration or where ceiling clearance is marginal.
