With the XServe gone and buried, there’s not much out there when in comes to 1U rackmount macs – or is there? This rack from Sonnet holds two Mac Minis in a rackmount enclosure that allows for full access to the CD drive, power LEDs, and even the IR port on the unibody Mini.
The kit costs $169 and includes wiring and ventilation systems so your Minis don’t get too hot. The rack will also secure your hardware in the server room, ensuring that even Sysadmin Gremlins can’t get at them.
For a long time, Apple® kept a secret that was well known to a lot of people—Mac mini computers make sweet basic servers. They even acknowledged this fact by creating Mac mini Servers with dual hard drives and no optical disc drive. Apple did not, however, mention how you should integrate Mac mini into a server rack. Setting them on a simple shelf is an option, but security is nonexistent—there is no built-in option to secure the computer, which limits the Mac mini’s potential for widespread use in server racks. Sonnet’s RackMac mini fulfills the potential, making it simple to install and secure one or two Mac mini (Mid 2010) computers inside a rugged, powder-coated steel enclosure that occupies a 1U rack space.