Quiet Rack for 4U NAS & 1U Switch

[GregN]

Ol' Shuck, a 4U Rackmount SAN/NAS DIY project has turned out to be a bit of a pain, loud, that combined with the recent addition of a PowerConnect managed switch, and I have noise issues.

The initial plan to leave the beast in the back office casita, didn't work out, the Phoenix Summer would have left it completely toasted.

One choice is case modification, adding a couple slow 12" fans to the lid of the case. The other is getting a used rack that will suppress sound.

Anyone recommend a brand of rack that has good acoustics?

Anyone build their own DIY rack to this end?

 

[GregN]

DIY Rack, but no noise abatement - add side panels and Styrofoam, with a 1U fan array?

Or pay for:

GizMac XrackPro2 Rackmount Noise Reduction Enclosure Cabinet

Anyone have any experience trying to do sound reduction?

 

[thiggins]

http://blog.deadlycomputer.com/2006/09/17/458/Anyone have any experience trying to do sound reduction?

Not in a rack, but in building a home. For true sound reduction you need isolation, like a box within a box with vibration deadening. Not easy or cheap to do.

 

[nullack]

I'd try:

* Silicone anti vibration sheet between the psu and the chassis
* Replacing the norco chassis fans with noctua fans
* Swapping the switch for a fanless design
* Running a nice and quiet GOLD rated psu like the corsairs
* Running an aftermarket quiet CPU cooler as the only active component on the mobo

You shouldnt see over 25DB at full tilt here, unless the disks themselves in the hot swap bays are vibrating?

 

[GregN]

I'd try:

* Silicone anti vibration sheet between the psu and the chassis

Will take a look, most of the noise is from the fan brace, it has 4 80mm cheap fans.

* Replacing the norco chassis fans with noctua fans

The fan brace doesn't support replacement fans, I've replaced the two case fans already. There is a 3 120mm fan replacement brace, but the current brace is heavily wired in, and if I screw up the 20 some sata cable connections I'd be hosed (ugly data loss).

* Swapping the switch for a fanless design

Most 24 port managed switches run hot, and are not consumer friendly ( what is a little more noise in a server rack ) - the switch I have I got cheap, and it is great - justifying buying another one would have a very low WAF. I am running aggregated connections to my DAS server, hence the need for a managed switch.

* Running a nice and quiet GOLD rated psu like the corsairs

Corsair is what I'm running, the PSU is not an issue.

* Running an aftermarket quiet CPU cooler as the only active component on the mobo

I am running two aftermarket coolers now (dual xeon box), and they are just fine.

* You shouldnt see over 25DB at full tilt here, unless the disks themselves in the hot swap bays are vibrating?

Again it is the six fans in the Norco 4220 SAN, and two in the switch. 20 disks in the SAN run hot, and need constant cooling when under load.

Ideally I'd like to find a case like the XRackPro but not so bloody expensive (blame Apple....)