12/8/2014 SONAS Information Center

Planning > Installation site requirements > Planning for space, rack positionina, and other
physical requirements
Meeting floor load requirements
It is very important to meet floor load requirements.

About this task

Ensure that your location meets the floor load requirements and determine the weight distribution
area that is required for the floor load:
Procedure

1. Find out the floor load rating of the location where you plan to install the IBM SONAS system.

Important: If you do not know or are not certain about the floor load rating of the installation
site, check with the building engineer or another appropriate person.
2. Determine whether the floor load rating of the location meets the minimum floor load rating
used by IBM, which is 342 kg per m2 (70 lb. per ft2).

3. Using Table 1, perform the following steps for each IBM SONAS rack:
a. Find the rows that are associated with the IBM SONAS rack.
b. Locate the configuration row that corresponds with the floor load rating of the site.
c. Identify the weight distribution area needed for that IBM SONAS rack and floor load rating.
4. The 8-inch rack extender, introduced in IBM SONAS Version 1, Release 2, decreases the area
of the rack, and increases the weight distribution area slightly.

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required weight distribution areas

Weight distribution areas
(Notes a, b, and c)

Sides with Sides with

19-inch 8-inch Front Rear
extender extender

610 (125) 0 mm (0 in.) 0 mm (0 in.)

2851- 794 Kg 488 (100) 23 mm (0.9 31 mm (1.2

RXA FC in.) in.)
762 mm (30 762 mm
9006, (1750 82 mm (3.2 89 mm (3.5
9007, Ibs) 439 (90) in.) (30 in.)
9008 in.) in.)

342 (70) 275 mm 287 mm

(10.8 in.) (11.3 in.)

610 (125) 0 mm (0 in.) 0 mm (0 in.)

489 (100) 36 mm (1.4 41 mm (1.6

2851- 817 Kg in.) in.)
RXC 1800
94 mm (3.7 102 mm (4.0 762 mm (30in.) 762 mm
lbs 439 (90) in.) in.) (30 in.)

295 mm 307 mm
342 (70)
(11.6 in.) (12.1 in.)

Table 1. Floor load ratings and

loor load
Model rating
I
and
kg per m
feature w (lb per
code
ft2)
(FC)

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Note: Consult a structural engineer if you are unsure about the correct placement and weight

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12/8/2014 SONAS Information Center

distribution areas for your units.

Notes:
a. Weight distribution areas cannot overlap.
b. Weight distribution areas are calculated for the maximum weight of the racks.
c. Weight distribution areas are calculated for individual frame model types only.

To account for the weight distribution area of individual frames when installing multiple
frames in the same row, add their required clearances. In other words, the space between
adjoining frames is cumulative, with each frame contributing to the required clearance.

Each cumulative clearance requirement is the total of the required clearances of adjoining
frames and reflects the accumulated weight distribution areas of the adjoining frames.

The rack that is used for the IBM SONAS system is the IBM Enterprise Class 42U rack. This
rack addresses the special r II enclosure to house the maximum amount of
equipment in the smallest possible floor space. The 42U rack is 2.0M (2015 mm or 79.3 inches)
tall.
Table 2 shows the dimensions of extended racks.

Table 2. Dimensions of the racks

Dimensions Properties
Height 2015 mm (79.3 in.)
Width 646 mm (25.4 in)
Depth 1103 mm (43.4 in.)
Depth with 8-inch extender 1329 mm (52.3 in.)
Depth with 19-inch extender 1608 mm (63.3 in.)

Area with 8-inch extender 0.859 m2 (9.23 ft2)

Area with 19-inch extender I 1.031 m2 (11.1 ft2)

Table 3 shows the weights of major components and the weight of each empty expansion
rack.

Table 3. Component and rack weights

Component Weight

Interface Node (2851-SIx) 23 kg (50 Ibs)

Storage Node (2851-SSx)
Empty Interface Expansion Rack 307 kg (675 Ibs)

(2851-RXC) (with PDUs and 19-inch extender)

Empty Interface Expansion Rack 284 kg (625 Ibs)

(2851-RXC) (with PDUs and 8-inch extender)

Multiple other hardware components contribute to the total weight of the rack. Switches, the
monitor, and cabling can contribute up to 69 kilograms (165 pounds) of additional weight.
Parent topic: Planning for space, rack positioning, and other physical r

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