Equipment Racks - Cisco Router 3600 Hardware Installation Manual

Chapter 2 Preparing to Install the Router

Equipment Racks

You can mount the Cisco 3620 and Cisco 3640 routers in a 19-inch rack (with a 17.5- or 17.75-inch
opening), a 23-inch rack, or a 24-inch rack.
The Cisco 3631 and Cisco 3660 routers can be mounted in a 19-inch rack (with a 17.5- or 17.75-inch
opening), or a 23-inch rack.
The following information will help you plan your equipment rack configuration:
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Allow clearance around the rack for maintenance.
Enclosed racks must have adequate ventilation. Ensure that the rack is not congested, because each
router generates heat. An enclosed rack should have louvered sides and a fan to provide cooling air.
Heat generated by equipment near the bottom of the rack can be drawn upward into the intake ports
of the equipment above.
When mounting a chassis in an open rack, ensure that the rack frame does not block the intake ports
or exhaust ports. If the chassis is installed on slides, check the position of the chassis when it is
seated into the rack.
Baffles can help to isolate exhaust air from intake air, which also helps to draw cooling air through
the chassis. The best placement of the baffles depends on the airflow patterns in the rack, which can
be found by experimenting with different configurations.
When equipment installed in a rack (particularly in an enclosed rack) fails, try operating the
equipment by itself, if possible. Power off other equipment in the rack (and in adjacent racks) to
allow the router under test a maximum of cooling air and clean power.
Cisco 3600 Series Routers Hardware Installation Guide
General Site Requirements
2-5