APC Netshelter SX Server Rack GEN 2 45U 2124H X 600W X 1200D MM with Sides W - AR3305W2

APC by Schneider Electric AR3305W2 45U NetShelter SX Gen 2 Server Rack Enclosure

Overview

The APC by Schneider Electric AR3305W2 is a 45U freestanding server rack enclosure from the APC NetShelter SX Gen 2 line — a workhorse data center cabinet built for dense server, storage, and networking deployments where structural integrity and cable management matter as much as rack unit count. At 2124mm tall, 600mm wide, and 1200mm deep, the AR3305W2 ships with side panels installed and in a white finish, making it a practical fit for both raised-floor machine rooms and open-plan server areas where aesthetics factor into facilities approval.

If you're planning a structured server rack infrastructure rollout — whether for a new build or an expansion wing — this enclosure gives you the physical envelope to house full-depth blade chassis, tower-to-rack conversions, or mixed compute and networking gear without compromising on depth clearance or weight tolerance.

Key Features

• 45U Rack Capacity: 45 rack units of usable vertical space means you can stack a dense configuration — think a pair of full-height blade chassis plus top-of-rack switching and a patch panel tier — without splitting gear across two cabinets. Fewer enclosures means simpler cable runs and lower per-rack power drop costs.
• 1200mm Usable Depth: The 1200mm internal depth accommodates virtually every current full-depth server platform on the market. Deep-format storage arrays and GPU compute nodes that ship at 900–1000mm slide in with room to route rear cabling cleanly. Shallower racks that force cable compression behind equipment are a common source of airflow problems; this cabinet avoids that tradeoff.
• 600mm Width (Standard EIA Footprint): The 600mm width aligns with the EIA standard column spacing used in most raised-floor tile grids and hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment systems. You won't need custom floor cutouts or non-standard PDU bracket kits.
• 4,000 lb (1,814.4 kg) Static Weight Capacity: That ceiling is high enough to load the cabinet to practical limits without engineering a special floor reinforcement plan for most commercial raised-floor installations rated at 150–250 lbs/sq ft. It's also a meaningful differentiator if you're deploying high-density storage shelves or stacked UPS equipment in the same enclosure.
• Freestanding Design with Side Panels Included: Ships with side panels installed — no separate accessory order required to enclose the rack for containment or cable-tray integration. Freestanding footprint means it can be positioned independently or bolted to an adjacent unit for row configuration without requiring a wall or seismic anchor as a primary structural element.
• White Finish (Gen 2): The white colorway is the AR3305W2 variant identifier within the NetShelter SX Gen 2 family. It's common in healthcare data closets, broadcast control rooms, and co-location suites where the enclosure color is part of the facilities standard. If your site specifies black enclosures, the equivalent black variant exists in the same family — verify the alternate MPN before ordering.
• Gen 2 Platform: The second-generation NetShelter SX updates cable management channels, door latch geometry, and airflow baffling relative to the original SX line. Existing NetShelter SX accessories — PDU mounting brackets, blanking panels, mounting rails — are broadly compatible, which matters if you're expanding an existing installed base.

Integration & Compatibility

The AR3305W2 integrates directly into APC's broader power and infrastructure ecosystem. APC's rack-mount PDUs, hot-swap fan trays, and cable management accessories are engineered to the NetShelter SX rail and door dimensions. Third-party 19-inch rackmount equipment follows EIA-310 standards and mounts without modification. The 600mm width and 1200mm depth are also compatible with most hot-aisle containment kits and in-row cooling units available from major data center infrastructure vendors.

For mixed-use deployments — compute plus network video recorders, storage nodes, or communications gear — the 45U height provides enough segmentation to apply horizontal cable management trays between equipment groups without eating into usable rack units in a way that forces overflow into a second cabinet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the maximum static load capacity of the AR3305W2?

A: The AR3305W2 is rated for a maximum static weight capacity of 1,814.4 kg (approximately 4,000 lbs). This is the structural limit under static (non-moving) load conditions. Always verify that your raised floor or concrete slab can support the combined weight of the loaded cabinet before installation.

Q: Does the AR3305W2 ship with side panels installed?

A: Yes. The AR3305W2 ships with side panels included and installed. No separate side panel accessory purchase is required.

Q: What is the internal rack unit count of the AR3305W2?

A: The AR3305W2 provides 45U of usable rack space within an overall enclosure height of 2124mm (approximately 83.6 inches).

Q: What are the external dimensions of the AR3305W2?

A: The enclosure measures 2124mm (H) x 600mm (W) x 1200mm (D). Confirm ceiling clearance and door swing space before positioning, particularly in rooms with low overhead cable trays.

Q: What finish/color does the AR3305W2 come in?

A: The AR3305W2 is finished in white. Within the NetShelter SX Gen 2 family, the W suffix in the MPN designates the white color variant. Black variants carry a different MPN — verify the correct part number if your site standard specifies black enclosures.

Q: Is the AR3305W2 compatible with standard 19-inch rackmount equipment?

A: Yes. The AR3305W2 follows EIA-310 19-inch rack standards, so standard rackmount servers, switches, patch panels, and PDUs mount without modification. APC NetShelter SX Gen 2 accessories — blanking panels, PDU brackets, cable management arms — are also compatible.

Ted Perry

I've spec'd the AR3305W2 into several high-density edge data rooms and found the 1,814.4 kg static weight ceiling to be one of its most underappreciated specs — it's the number that keeps you out of a floor reinforcement conversation with your structural engineer on most standard commercial slab installations. At 45U and 1200mm depth, this cabinet is engineered for the kind of mixed-density loads that mid-size machine rooms actually run: blade chassis in the bottom half, rackmount storage mid-tier, and top-of-rack switching at the top, with room to route cabling without compressing it behind the equipment.

Technical Highlights:

• 45U / 1200mm Depth Combination: Full-depth servers at 900–1000mm slide in with enough rear clearance for structured cabling. This avoids the airflow restriction you get when equipment is forced into a shallower cabinet with cables jammed behind it.
• 1,814.4 kg Static Capacity: Enough headroom to load the cabinet to practical density limits — high-density storage shelves, stacked rackmount UPS units, or GPU compute nodes — without exceeding the structural rating of most raised-floor installations.
• Side Panels Included: Ships installed, which matters for containment row builds where every gap in the cabinet row is a hot-aisle bypass. You're not waiting on a separate accessory shipment to close the enclosure for airflow management.

Deployment Considerations:

• At 2124mm tall, verify ceiling clearance — specifically overhead cable tray height — before committing to a floor position. Some facilities with 8-foot drop ceilings or low cable ladder systems require a front-loading angle to get the cabinet into final position.
• The white finish (the 'W' designator in AR3305W2) is a hard order decision: white and black variants are separate MPNs. If your site standard requires black, confirm the alternate part number before the PO goes out — color swaps after delivery aren't feasible without a return.

This cabinet is the right call for a structured data room expansion where you need proven depth clearance, a high static load ceiling, and Gen 2 accessory compatibility with an existing NetShelter SX installed base — particularly in healthcare or broadcast environments where white enclosures are the facilities standard.