APC by Schneider Electric AR3100X617 42U Server Rack Enclosure
Overview
The APC by Schneider Electric AR3100X617 is a 42U NetShelter SX rack enclosure designed for server and storage deployments where structural integrity, airflow management, and standards compliance are non-negotiable. At 600mm wide and 1070mm deep, the cabinet accommodates full-depth 1U and 2U servers along with high-density storage arrays without forcing compromises on cable management or airflow pathing. It ships without side panels, giving integrators flexibility to configure open-air rows or add blanking and containment hardware to match the room's thermal design. If you're building out a new equipment room or consolidating a distributed server footprint, the APC by Schneider Electric rack lineup offers a proven enclosure platform with broad accessory ecosystem support.
Key Features
- 42U of Usable Rack Space: 42U translates to roughly 73.5 inches of equipment height — enough to stack dense 1U servers, patch panels, cable managers, and a top-of-rack switch in a single cabinet without exceeding the frame. For a 10- or 20-node compute cluster, that's the difference between one cabinet and two.
- 600mm Wide x 1070mm Deep Interior: The 1070mm depth accommodates full-depth enterprise gear — dual-PSU tower-converted servers, deep storage shelves, and modular UPS units — without the rear door pressing against cable bundles. The 600mm width matches standard 19-inch rail equipment while leaving side clearance for vertical cable managers.
- 19-Inch EIA-310-D Compliant Rail System: Compliance with EIA-310-D means any standards-based server, switch, or storage unit with 19-inch rack ears will mount correctly. You're not fighting proprietary rail spacing or ordering adapter kits — standard square-hole toolless rail kits drop right in.
- IP20 Ingress Protection: IP20 confirms protection against solid objects larger than 12.5mm (fingers, tools) contacting live components. This is the correct rating for indoor equipment rooms and data centers — it does not imply dust or water sealing, which is appropriate for open-frame server environments where airflow cannot be restricted.
- 275.6 lb Structural Capacity: At 275.6 lb rated load, the AR3100X617 handles fully populated 42U configurations of 1U servers without structural concern. Dense storage deployments with multiple drive shelves approach this figure quickly — confirm your floor load rating and calculate per-shelf weights before filling all 42U.
- Black Powder-Coat Finish: The black finish isn't cosmetic — it reads well under data center lighting for cable color differentiation and reduces reflective glare on rack-mounted display hardware. It also telegraphs standard enterprise aesthetic expected in co-location and enterprise server rooms.
- Without Side Panels (Open Frame Configuration): Shipping without side panels is a deliberate design choice for high-density hot-aisle/cold-aisle deployments. Removing side panels maximizes lateral airflow, simplifies cross-cabinet cable runs, and reduces the enclosure's installed footprint on the data floor. Add rack enclosure accessories including blanking panels and side panels post-installation to tune containment.
- 5-Year Manufacturer Warranty: A 5-year warranty on a structural enclosure matters for total cost of ownership calculations — most server hardware refresh cycles run 4–5 years, so the cabinet outlasts the equipment it houses without warranty exposure.
Integration and Compatibility
The AR3100X617 integrates directly with the APC NetShelter SX accessory ecosystem. Compatible components include roof fan trays for exhaust plenum configurations, side panels for containment builds, and PDU mounting brackets for vertical power distribution units. The 19-inch EIA-310-D rail system accepts standard toolless rail kits from APC as well as third-party rail solutions designed for square-hole mounting. Cable entry is available from top, bottom, and rear, supporting structured cabling pulls from raised floors or overhead trays. For equipment rooms requiring additional PDU power distribution, the 1070mm depth leaves adequate rear clearance for zero-U vertical PDU installations alongside rear cable runs. For larger multi-cabinet deployments, this enclosure pairs with row containment kits and overhead cable ladders available in the broader racks and enclosures category.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the maximum equipment weight the AR3100X617 can support?
A: The AR3100X617 is rated to support 275.6 lbs (approximately 125 kg) of installed equipment. For high-density storage deployments, calculate the combined weight of all installed components before fully populating the cabinet, and confirm your raised floor or concrete slab load rating.
Q: Does the AR3100X617 come with side panels?
A: No — this model ships without side panels by design, making it well-suited for open-frame hot-aisle/cold-aisle airflow configurations. Side panels can be ordered separately from the NetShelter SX accessory line if containment is required for your deployment.
Q: What rack standard does the AR3100X617 comply with?
A: The AR3100X617 complies with EIA-310-D, the industry standard for 19-inch rack equipment mounting. This ensures compatibility with virtually all standard 1U, 2U, and multi-U server, storage, and networking equipment that uses standard rack ears.
Q: What is the IP rating on the AR3100X617, and what does it mean for my deployment?
A: The AR3100X617 carries an IP20 rating per IEC 60529. This means the enclosure provides protection against contact with fingers or similar solid objects on live components. IP20 is the correct specification for indoor data center and equipment room environments — it does not provide dust or water sealing, which is appropriate since sealed enclosures would impair airflow in server environments.
Q: What is the warranty on the AR3100X617?
A: The AR3100X617 carries a 5-year manufacturer warranty.
Q: What are the physical dimensions of the AR3100X617 when installed?
A: The AR3100X617 measures 78.3 inches tall, 23.6 inches wide, and 42.1 inches deep. Account for an additional 12–18 inches of rear clearance for cable management and PDU access when planning floor space.
The AR3100X617 is the enclosure I reach for when a customer needs a 42U frame that won't become the limiting factor in a dense compute build. The 1070mm depth is the spec that matters most here — most competitors ship 1000mm or 1050mm, and that last 20–70mm is exactly what separates a clean rear cable run from a door that won't close on a dual-PSU 2U server with a thick power cable bundle.
Technical Highlights:
- 1070mm Interior Depth: Full-depth enterprise servers (typically 700–900mm chassis) plus rear cabling add up fast. The extra depth over a standard 1000mm enclosure eliminates the compromises integrators make on rear cable dress — you get a proper 100–150mm service loop without fighting the rear door latch.
- 275.6 lb Load Rating: A fully populated 42U of 1U servers at roughly 4–6 lb each puts you at 168–252 lbs before PDUs and cable managers. This enclosure handles that range with margin, but a full high-density storage build (think 2U 24-bay shelves at 30+ lbs loaded) will approach the limit — plan your weight budget before the rack arrives on the floor.
- EIA-310-D Compliance at 19-Inch Width: This is the difference between a cabinet that accepts any standard rail kit and one that requires proprietary adapters. Every APC toolless rail, third-party rail kit, and sliding shelf designed for square-hole 19-inch mounting drops in without modification.
Deployment Considerations:
- This enclosure ships without side panels — that's the right default for hot-aisle/cold-aisle row deployments, but if you're installing a standalone cabinet in an open office or wiring closet, order side panels before delivery. Retrofitting them after the cabinet is populated is genuinely inconvenient.
- At 78.3 inches tall and 275.6 lbs unloaded, moving this enclosure after it's populated requires planning. Confirm door clearances (the 42.1-inch depth plus door swing needs 8–9 feet of aisle depth minimum) before committing the cabinet position.
For enterprise equipment rooms and colocation builds running standard 19-inch server and storage gear at 42U density, the AR3100X617 is the right frame — the 1070mm depth and open side-panel configuration make it specifically well-matched to high-density 2U server rows where airflow and rear cable clearance are the constraints that kill deployments.
