Vertiv GL840CL-3042-3MM Colocation Cabinet 3x14U 30x42 Black
Overview
The Vertiv GL840CL-3042-3MM is a three-section, 14U-per-bay colocation rack enclosure in a 30-inch-wide by 42-inch-tall footprint — purpose-built for multi-tenant data center deployments where discrete zones, shared physical infrastructure, and configurable airflow management all have to coexist in a single cabinet. If you're provisioning shared colo space and need a single enclosure that cleanly separates three tenants while keeping floor density high, the GL840CL-3042-3MM is worth a close look. The model number is also searched as GL840CL 3042 3MM.
Key Features
- Three-Bay, 14U-per-Section Layout: Each of the three bays provides 14U of discrete mounting space, letting you allocate tenant zones without physical cabinet separation — reduces floor footprint while maintaining per-tenant accountability in shared environments.
- Configurable Depth — 36, 42, or 48 Inches: Three depth options let you match the cabinet to your actual equipment. Shallow 1U switches fit the 36-inch config; deeper dual-post servers or storage arrays benefit from the 48-inch option. Choose once at order time — depth drives rail selection and cable management planning.
- Mesh Front/Rear Door Option: Mesh perforations on both front and rear promote front-to-back airflow with minimal static pressure drop — the right choice when your cooling infrastructure relies on hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment and you need unrestricted CFM through the cabinet.
- Plexi Front / Solid Rear Door Option: The plexi front gives visual access to equipment status indicators without opening the door — useful in shared facilities where tenant verification and LED checks matter. The solid rear keeps the back of the cabinet clean and is paired with two integrated fans to compensate for the reduced passive airflow.
- Solid Rear Door with Dual Fans: The two-fan rear door option actively moves air out the back of the enclosure, making this config viable in environments where rear mesh isn't appropriate — blanket restrictions on open mesh, security overlays, or facilities that don't run full containment.
- Two-Bay and Three-Bay Clear Bay Options: Bay configuration flexibility (Two, Three, or Clear) allows the enclosure to be ordered to match your tenant count or repurposed as a single-tenant open rack — useful if your colo mix shifts after initial deployment.
Integration and Compatibility
The GL840CL-3042-3MM is designed to integrate within the broader Vertiv rack and enclosure ecosystem, which spans power distribution, thermal management, and monitoring accessories. When specifying this cabinet alongside PDUs, verify that your chosen PDU form factor fits the selected depth variant — a 48-inch-deep configuration provides more rear cable management clearance than the 36-inch option. For data center cabinet deployments using hot-aisle containment, pair the mesh door variant with compatible containment panels; the solid-door/fan variant is the alternative when containment panels are not in the design. Review your power distribution layout early — three tenants sharing one cabinet will each need separate PDU circuits for metering and billing isolation. Consult a data center infrastructure plan before finalizing depth and door selection, as these are typically fixed at the factory order stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What depth options are available for the GL840CL-3042-3MM?
A: The GL840CL-3042-3MM is available in 36-inch, 42-inch, and 48-inch depths. Depth is selected at order time and affects rail compatibility and rear cable management clearance.
Q: How many rack units does each bay provide?
A: Each of the three bays in this cabinet provides 14U of usable rack space, for a total of 42U across all three sections.
Q: What door configurations are available?
A: Three door options are offered: Mesh Front/Rear (best for passive airflow in contained aisles), Plexi Front/Solid Rear with two integrated fans (for visual access with active rear exhaust), and other combinations. Door type is specified at order time.
Q: Is the GL840CL-3042-3MM suitable for hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment deployments?
A: Yes — the mesh front/rear door variant is the appropriate choice for containment deployments, as it allows unrestricted airflow. The solid rear door with fans is better suited to facilities without full containment.
Q: What bay count configurations are available?
A: The enclosure supports Two-bay, Three-bay, and Clear (open single-space) configurations, allowing the cabinet to match your actual tenant count or serve as a unified open rack.
The GL840CL-3042-3MM is one of the more practical colo cabinet designs I've specified — specifically because the configurable depth (36, 42, or 48 inches) lets you match the enclosure to actual equipment rather than over-ordering depth you'll never use. In shared deployments, wasted depth translates directly to wasted floor space, and in most colo facilities, floor space costs more than the cabinet itself.
Technical Highlights:
- Three-Bay, 14U-per-Section: 42U total split cleanly into three 14U zones — each tenant gets a discrete allocation without requiring a separate cabinet, which keeps your cabinet-count billing and floor density favorable in multi-tenant colo agreements.
- Dual-Fan Solid Rear Door: The two-fan rear option on the solid door configuration provides active exhaust — critical when you're in a facility that restricts open mesh on the rear (fire suppression overlays, shared-space security policies) but still need to move heat out of a dense 14U load.
- Depth Options (36/42/48 in): Specify 36 inches for predominantly 1U switching or patch gear; step to 48 inches if any tenant is landing 2U or deeper compute or storage — rail extension kits and cable managers are sized against depth, so locking this in early saves a retrofit later.
Deployment Considerations:
- Door and depth are factory-configured options — confirm both before placing the order. Retrofitting a different door style after delivery typically means ordering a replacement door assembly separately, which adds lead time and cost.
- With three tenants sharing one cabinet, PDU selection and circuit labeling need to be done at the design stage, not post-install — each 14U zone should land on a separately metered circuit if the colo agreement includes per-tenant power billing.
This cabinet is the right call for enterprise colo providers building out shared infrastructure in a 30x42 footprint where per-tenant zone separation, configurable depth, and airflow flexibility all need to be addressed in a single enclosure without stacking multiple single-tenant cabinets.
