US 2017/0374757 A1 · BLOCK CHASSIS SLED HAVING ONE-THIRD WIDTH COMPUTING AND STORAGE NODES FOR INCREASED PROCESSING AND STORAGE CONFIGURATION FLEXIBILITY WITHIN A MODULAR, SCALABLE AND/OR EXPANDABLE RACK-BASED INFORMATION HANDLING SYSTEM

Abstract

Modular, expandable rack assembly physically supports components of information handling systems. Base structure of interconnected panels form volumetric space having front section and rear section, with opposing side panels forming front access space and rear access space, respectively, having width that supports insertion of standard full-width IT gear. Guides are located within interior surfaces of opposing side panels at the front section to rear section. Block chassis has frame that provides block height to enable insertion of at least one layer of up to N side-by-side fully functional IT gears within block chassis, which in turn is physically inserted into front section of base structure and held in place by opposing guides of opposing side panels. When N is 3, three side-by-side one-third width IT sleds, each containing IT gear, are inserted in respective one-third width IT bays of block chassis.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A modular, expandable rack assembly for physically supporting components of one or more information handling systems (IHSes), the rack assembly comprising:

a base structure comprising a plurality of interconnected panels forming a volumetric space having a front section and a rear section, with opposing side walls forming a front access space and a rear access space, respectively, having a width that supports insertion of a standard full-width IT gear;
a plurality of guides located within interior surfaces of the opposing side walls at the front section, the plurality of guides running from the front section to the rear section;
and
a block chassis having a frame that provides a block height, which enables insertion of at least one layer of up to N side-by-side fully functional IT gears within the block chassis, wherein the block chassis is physically inserted into the front section of the base structure and held in place by at least two opposing guides of the opposing side walls.

1 more element

A method for physically supporting components of one or more information handling systems (IHSes), the method comprising:

assembling a modular, expandable rack assembly having side panels spaced to receive a block chassis capable of housing a plurality of information technology (IT) gear from an open front side of the rack assembly;
assembling at least one block chassis having a frame that provides a block height, which enables insertion of at least one layer of up to N side-by-side fully functional IT gears within the block chassis, wherein N is an integer from among 1, 2, and 3;
when N=3, providing one or more layers of three (3) side-by-side fully functional IT gears inserted in the at least one block chassis, wherein the three side-by-side fully functional IT gears comprise three one-third widths IT gear that are one third a size of a standard width IT gear;
and
physically inserting the block chassis into the rack assembly.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Block chassis sled having one-third width computing and storage nodes for increased processing and storage configuration flexibility within a modular, scalable and/or expandable rack-based information handling system

Life of this patent

Block chassis sled having one-third width computing and storage nodes for increased processing and storage configuration flexibility within a modular, scalable and/or expandable rack-based information handling system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13