Vertiv GL840CL-3048-3MM Colocation Cabinet 3x14U 30x48 Inch Black
Overview
The Vertiv GL840CL-3048-3MM is a three-bay, 14U-per-bay colocation cabinet designed for data center and colocation environments where multiple tenants or independent equipment sets share a single enclosure footprint. With a 30-inch width and 48-inch depth, the GL840CL-3048-3MM fits within standard data center floor tiles while providing dedicated, separately accessible bays — a layout that matters in multi-tenant colo facilities and enterprise environments running segmented infrastructure in a shared rack row. For larger deployments, explore the full Vertiv cabinet and enclosure lineup.
Key Features
- Three Independent 14U Bays: Each of the three clear-divided bays holds 14U of equipment independently. In a colo context, this means three tenants can share one cabinet footprint with physical separation — reducing your floor tile lease while maintaining distinct equipment boundaries. Compared to a single open 42U rack, the bay structure enforces airflow and cable discipline by zone, which simplifies troubleshooting in dense deployments.
- 30x48 Inch Footprint with Depth Flexibility: The 30-inch width accommodates wider equipment and side-by-side cabling trays without encroaching on adjacent aisles. The 48-inch depth (with 36-inch and 42-inch options also available) handles full-depth servers, 2-post patch panels, and rear-mounted power strips simultaneously — no compromise between front and rear equipment depth. If your data center standard is 24-inch tiles, this cabinet spans 1.25 tiles, so verify floor grid alignment before ordering.
- Mesh Front / Rear Door Option: Mesh front and rear doors maximize passive airflow through the cabinet without restricting hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment systems. For environments using in-row cooling or blanking panels to direct airflow, mesh doors are the default-correct choice — they add no impedance to the cooling path.
- Plexi Front Door Option: The plexi front door provides a visual inspection window without opening the bay — useful in managed colo environments where a tenant or remote hands tech needs to confirm LED status or cable routing without physical access. Plexi does restrict airflow slightly compared to mesh, so pair it with adequate cabinet-level cooling.
- Solid Rear Door with Integrated Dual Fans: The solid rear door option includes two integrated fans, actively drawing heat out of the rear of the cabinet. This is the right configuration for high-density compute loads in facilities where passive containment is insufficient — the fans provide positive pressure exhaust without requiring an external top-of-rack fan unit.
- Two or Three Bay Configurations: While the GL840CL-3048-3MM is the three-bay configuration, the same cabinet platform also ships in a two-bay layout. If your tenancy split is two parties rather than three, the two-bay variant preserves the same footprint with more U-space per tenant. Confirm bay count against your actual tenancy model before committing to floor space.
- Black Finish: Standard black powder coat finish integrates with virtually all data center row aesthetics and is the default for most server rack and enclosure deployments. If your facility uses a grey or custom color standard, verify finish compatibility with Vertiv's product configurator before ordering.
Integration and Compatibility
The GL840CL-3048-3MM is designed to integrate with standard 19-inch rack-mount equipment across all three bays. The 48-inch depth accommodates full-depth 1U through 4U servers, networking gear, and patch panels simultaneously in front and rear positions. The door options — mesh, plexi front, and solid with fans rear — are configurable to match your facility's airflow management strategy, whether that is hot-aisle containment, in-row cooling, or traditional raised-floor cooling. For facilities managing structured cabling alongside compute, pair this cabinet with cable management accessories to maintain lane discipline across all three bays. For power distribution within each bay, standard 0U vertical PDUs and 1U horizontal PDUs mount to the rear rails in the conventional manner. Consult your power distribution selection against the per-bay U count — 14U per bay leaves enough room for a vertical PDU alongside compute without consuming rack units.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the U capacity of the Vertiv GL840CL-3048-3MM?
A: The GL840CL-3048-3MM provides three independent bays, each rated at 14U, for a combined total of 42U across the cabinet. Each bay is physically separated, so equipment in one bay does not share U-space with an adjacent bay.
Q: What door configurations are available on the GL840CL-3048-3MM?
A: Three front door options are available: mesh, plexi (clear acrylic), and solid with two integrated rear fans. Mesh maximizes passive airflow; plexi allows visual inspection without access; solid with fans provides active exhaust for higher-density loads.
Q: What depth options does the GL840CL-3048-3MM support?
A: The cabinet is available in 36-inch, 42-inch, and 48-inch interior depths. The GL840CL-3048-3MM designation corresponds to the 30-inch width, 48-inch depth variant. Confirm your required depth against your deepest equipment plus rear cabling clearance before ordering.
Q: Is the GL840CL-3048-3MM suitable for colocation environments with multiple tenants?
A: Yes — the three-bay structure with independent bays is specifically suited for multi-tenant colo deployments. Each bay can be assigned to a separate tenant or equipment domain, providing physical separation within a shared cabinet footprint, which reduces floor tile consumption in leased colo facilities.
Q: Can the GL840CL-3048-3MM be used with standard 19-inch rack equipment?
A: Yes. All three bays accept standard EIA 19-inch rack-mount equipment. The 48-inch depth accommodates full-depth servers and networking gear with rear cabling clearance.
The GL840CL-3048-3MM is the right cabinet when your floor plan math demands multi-tenant density without blowing your tile count. The three-bay, 3x14U structure in a 30x48-inch footprint is a specific architectural decision — you're trading the flexibility of a single open 42U column for hard physical zoning between tenants or equipment domains. That's a real operational benefit in managed colo deployments, not a spec sheet nicety.
Technical Highlights:
- 3x14U Bay Structure: Three fully independent 14U bays in one cabinet means three tenants share a single floor tile lease without sharing U-space. At 14U per bay, each tenant has room for a small compute stack, a patch panel, and a vertical PDU — tight but workable for edge or satellite colo deployments.
- Depth Options (36/42/48 in): The 48-inch depth in this SKU handles full-depth 1U servers plus rear cabling clearance simultaneously. If your deepest equipment runs 32 inches, the 36-inch depth variant may be sufficient and easier to position in tighter row spacing — but confirm before ordering.
- Solid Rear Door with Dual Fans: For high-density bays where passive airflow through a mesh door is inadequate, the solid rear door with two integrated fans provides active exhaust. This eliminates the need for a separate top-of-rack fan tray and keeps the bay sealed from adjacent hot exhaust in open-aisle environments.
Deployment Considerations:
- Verify your floor grid alignment before specifying the 30-inch width — this cabinet spans 1.25 standard 24-inch tiles. In raised-floor colo facilities, confirm with the facility manager that the footprint clears tile cut-outs and perforated tile positioning before the cabinet lands on the floor.
- The plexi front door restricts airflow compared to mesh. If you select plexi for visual inspection access, account for the reduced cooling path in your thermal model — particularly relevant if the bay is running compute at or near the 14U maximum with no blanking panels.
The GL840CL-3048-3MM is the correct specification for managed colocation providers building out shared-tenant rows where physical bay isolation is a contractual or operational requirement — not for single-tenant deployments where a standard open-frame or single-bay cabinet is more cost-effective.
