APC by Schneider Electric AR3355W2 NetShelter SX Gen 2 45U Server Rack Enclosure
Overview
The APC by Schneider Electric AR3355W2 is a 45U freestanding server rack enclosure from the NetShelter SX Gen 2 line — a purpose-built cabinet format widely deployed in server rooms, data closets, and edge compute installations. At 2124mm tall, 750mm wide, and 1200mm deep, it provides enough front-to-back clearance for full-depth servers, high-density patch panels, and cable infrastructure without forcing compromises on airflow paths. The included side panels enclose the rack fully, which matters in open-floor environments where cable accessibility and aesthetics both count. White finish is specified for environments — lab spaces, clean rooms, broadcast facilities — where the standard black cabinet finish doesn't fit the installation context.
Key Features
- 45U Capacity: forty-five rack units of usable mounting space accommodates a dense mix of 1U servers, patch panels, KVM switches, and power distribution units in a single enclosure — reducing the footprint compared to splitting across two smaller cabinets.
- 1200mm Depth: the 1200mm front-to-back interior supports full-depth blade chassis, large UPS units, and high-density switching gear without rear-door interference — a common pain point in shallower 800mm or 900mm enclosures.
- 750mm Width: standard 19-inch EIA rail spacing fits virtually all rackmount equipment; the 750mm external width leaves enough side clearance for cable trays and adjacent cabinets in typical row-based layouts.
- Freestanding Design: no floor anchoring required for deployment, making it practical for leased spaces or installations where floor penetration is restricted — though seismic anchoring is still recommended in earthquake-rated facilities.
- Included Side Panels: factory-installed side panels ship with the AR3355W2, saving the separate ordering step common with open-frame rack kits and keeping the enclosure fully enclosed from day one.
- White Finish: purpose-specified for environments where standard black enclosures are unsuitable — medical facilities, broadcast control rooms, and clean-room edge deployments are the primary use cases.
Integration and Compatibility
The AR3355W2 follows standard 19-inch EIA-310 rail spacing, making it compatible with all standard rackmount equipment from APC rack accessories including PDUs, blanking panels, cable managers, and toolless rail kits from the NetShelter SX accessory ecosystem. The 1200mm depth accommodates APC Smart-UPS and Symmetra rack-mount units natively. For deployments requiring hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment, the NetShelter SX Gen 2 enclosure line supports APC's containment accessories — verify compatibility with specific containment SKUs before ordering. Pair with an appropriate rack-mount UPS and a rack PDU to complete the power infrastructure. For environments running physical security infrastructure, the 45U capacity is sufficient to consolidate NVR servers, network switches, and storage arrays in a single enclosure when rack-density is planned correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the rack unit capacity of the AR3355W2?
A: The AR3355W2 provides 45U of usable rack space in a freestanding enclosure measuring 2124mm H x 750mm W x 1200mm D.
Q: Does the AR3355W2 ship with side panels included?
A: Yes — side panels are included with the AR3355W2 as specified in the product configuration.
Q: What finish color is the AR3355W2?
A: The AR3355W2 is finished in white, distinguishing it from the standard black NetShelter SX variants and making it suitable for environments where black enclosures are inappropriate.
Q: Is the AR3355W2 compatible with standard 19-inch rackmount equipment?
A: Yes. The AR3355W2 follows EIA-310 19-inch rail spacing, compatible with all standard rackmount equipment including servers, switches, patch panels, and PDUs.
Q: What is the depth clearance inside the AR3355W2?
A: The external depth is 1200mm, which provides sufficient interior clearance for full-depth servers, blade chassis, and rack-mount UPS units — consult APC's internal clearance specification for the precise usable depth after door and rail deductions.
The AR3355W2 is the white-finish variant of the NetShelter SX Gen 2 in the 45U/750W/1200D form factor — the depth is the spec I look at first on this enclosure. A 1200mm external depth gives you legitimate full-depth server clearance once rails and door swing are accounted for, which rules out the shelf-depth problems you hit with 800mm or 1000mm cabinets in dense compute rows.
Technical Highlights:
- 45U Capacity: enough vertical space to run a complete NVR-plus-network stack in a single enclosure — 16U for NVR servers, 4U for switching, 8U for patch, and still have headroom for PDU and cable managers without compromising airflow lanes.
- 1200mm Depth: accommodates full-depth blade chassis and rack-mount UPS units natively — the two equipment classes that most commonly force integrators to upsize or custom-order enclosures mid-project.
- White Finish with Side Panels: purpose-spec'd for white-wall environments; the included side panels mean the enclosure ships ready to close, not as an open-frame kit requiring separate panel orders.
Deployment Considerations:
- Verify internal usable depth with APC's published clearance spec before committing to full-depth chassis placement — the 1200mm figure is external; actual rail-to-rear-door clearance will be less.
- The white finish is a special-configuration variant; lead times and accessory color-matching (blanking panels, cable managers) may differ from the standard black NetShelter SX line — confirm accessory availability before finalizing the BOM.
This enclosure is the right pick for medical imaging control rooms, broadcast facilities, and clean-room edge compute deployments where white cabinetry is a hard spec requirement and 45U density removes the need for a second cabinet in the same footprint.
