Vertiv GL840CL-3042-2MM 2x21U Colocation Cabinet
Overview
The Vertiv GL840CL-3042-2MM is a dual-section, 2x21U colocation cabinet designed for shared-tenancy data center environments where multiple customers or workloads must be isolated within a single footprint. At 30 inches wide and 42 inches deep, it fits comfortably in standard raised-floor data center aisles without sacrificing usable rack space. The GL840CL-3042-2MM (often searched as GL840CL 3042 2MM) is built for operators who need a configurable, bay-divided enclosure rather than a generic open rack. If you are spec'ing physical infrastructure for a colo or enterprise data hall, the Vertiv cabinet and enclosure line covers a broad range of density and access configurations.
Key Features
- 2x21U Split Configuration: Two independent 21U sections within one cabinet — each tenant or workload zone gets its own lockable space without requiring two separate enclosures. This directly reduces floor tile cost in metered colo facilities where per-cabinet billing applies.
- 30" Width, 42" Depth: The 30-inch width keeps the cabinet within a standard single-tile footprint, while 42-inch depth accommodates most 1U and 2U servers with full cable management clearance behind the equipment. No de-rating of usable depth for power distribution or patch panels mounted at rear.
- Three Depth Options — 36", 42", 48": The GL840CL-3042-2MM is available across three depth configurations, letting you match the cabinet to actual equipment depth rather than buying oversized. Shallower 36-inch units suit networking and KVM gear; 48-inch depth handles dense storage or blade chassis that extend past standard server depth.
- Multiple Door Configurations: Choose from mesh front/rear (maximum passive airflow, suits hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment deployments), plexi front/solid rear (visibility into equipment without sacrificing rear panel integrity), or solid rear with two integrated fans (active rear exhaust for higher-density loads where passive mesh alone is insufficient). Matching door selection to actual thermal load avoids hotspot failures that passive-only configurations can miss at high wattage.
- Two, Three, or Clear Bay Options: The internal bay divider count — two, three, or a clear (undivided) interior — lets you configure the cabinet for strict multi-tenant separation, sub-zone logical grouping, or maximum usable U-space when colocation isolation is not required. This flexibility avoids purchasing separate cabinets for different tenant densities.
Integration and Compatibility
The GL840CL-3042-2MM is designed for standard 19-inch rack-mount equipment and integrates with Vertiv's broader power distribution, cable management, and containment accessories. The door and bay options make it suitable for pairing with both top-of-rack switching and in-row cooling architectures common in colocation and enterprise data center cabinets. For deployments where airflow management is a primary concern, matching the rear door selection to your row containment strategy — hot-aisle containment with mesh doors, or active exhaust for isolated high-density zones — is the critical configuration decision. Consult your data center power and cooling planning resources before finalizing door type for high-density deployments above 5kW per cabinet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the available depth options for the GL840CL-3042-2MM?
A: The GL840CL-3042-2MM is available in three depth configurations: 36 inches, 42 inches, and 48 inches, allowing you to match cabinet depth to actual equipment requirements.
Q: How many U-spaces does the GL840CL-3042-2MM provide in total?
A: The cabinet provides a total of 42U split across two independent 21U sections, suitable for dual-tenant or dual-zone colocation configurations.
Q: What door options are available on the GL840CL-3042-2MM?
A: Available door options include mesh front/rear, plexi front with solid rear, and solid rear with two integrated fans. Selection depends on your airflow management and visibility requirements.
Q: Can the GL840CL-3042-2MM be configured without internal bay dividers?
A: Yes. The cabinet supports two-bay, three-bay, or clear (undivided) interior configurations, giving you flexibility for single-tenant or multi-tenant installations.
Q: Is the GL840CL-3042-2MM compatible with standard 19-inch rack equipment?
A: Yes, the cabinet is designed for standard 19-inch rack-mount equipment, consistent with Vertiv's commercial-grade enclosure line.
The GL840CL-3042-2MM is the cabinet I reach for when a colo operator needs strict physical separation between tenants without the floor-space penalty of two full-width enclosures. The 2x21U split is the defining spec here — it means each 21U zone can be independently locked and managed, which is exactly what you need when two tenants are sharing a single tile allocation.
Technical Highlights:
- Three Depth Variants (36"/42"/48"): Depth flexibility matters more than most buyers realize at quote time. Specify 36" for pure networking gear to keep cable runs short; go 48" only when you have documented blade or storage chassis that genuinely require it — oversizing depth wastes aisle clearance in high-density rows.
- Solid Rear Door with 2 Fans: The active-exhaust rear door option closes the gap between passive mesh airflow and what high-wattage 1U compute actually needs. Two integrated fans in the door provide supplemental rear exhaust without requiring a separate blanking-panel-and-fan-tray installation.
- Two/Three/Clear Bay Configurations: The clear interior option is often overlooked — for a single-tenant deployment, removing internal dividers recovers usable U-height that bay hardware would otherwise consume. Size the bay count to your actual tenancy model, not the maximum available.
Deployment Considerations:
- Match door type to your row containment architecture before ordering. Mesh doors work well in hot-aisle/cold-aisle deployments; the solid-with-fans rear door is better for isolated high-density zones that are not part of a contained row.
- The 30" width fits a standard single floor tile, but confirm your raised-floor grid orientation before placement — a 30" cabinet placed diagonally to the tile grid creates containment seam gaps that defeat the airflow design.
This cabinet is best suited for colocation facilities running shared-tenant deployments at moderate density — typically 2–5kW per half-cabinet — where physical security boundaries between tenants are a contractual requirement, not just a preference.
