Rackmount switch with power and sockets in the rear

No, network engineers want them in front so they can be changed easily. They aren't concerned about esthetics.

Can you turn it around and mount it to the rear rack rails, and put a blank plate in front of it?

There is a company or two that cater to the "Home Theater" crowd and make switches like you are looking for - I remember seeing the switch but I cannot remember the name.

Mounted to the rear rails, a switch would be flush with the back of the rack, possibly causing issues. But, I think this is how it's usually done, unless you have the money for the fancy switch.

39 cent stamp has suggested to add a third set of vertical rack rails, if rack depth allows, toward the rear of the rack, perhaps 6 inches from the back. This allows for the addition of small, unusual components and takes advantage of the voids behind the components. I did this in my very deep rack, and it works great.

And, since switches are usually shallow, you can probably mount it directly behind another component, saving you 1 U of rack space.

Brief discussion of front v. rear switch:

http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin...eywords=21501&

You can search for other similar discussions in that forum.

Pakedge and Crestron offer switches with rear-facing ports, but as mentioned in that thread, the rear of the switch may be difficult to access.

I really like Stamp's solution to a forward-facing switch, with the cables coming through the side rack ears. But, I think the rear mounted is much easier.

For my rack, my original plan was to mount one of the 1/3-depth "utility shelves" to the rear rails, and just set the switch on that - so it wasn't flush with the rear of the rack, and I didn't have to buy a rack-mount switch.

Since I just needed a little 8-port switch (same would work for larger port counts, though), I ended up not even using the shelf - I velcro'ed the switch to the bottom of another shelf. Since my rack pulls out for service, I mounted it sideways, so I can see the lights from one side and the cables are easy to access from the other. The U space consumed was covered with a blank plate anyway...

Jeff

As soon as I saw the thread title, both Pakedge and a regular switch with the MA brush grommet came to mind. So, +1 for both aforementioned suggestions. I have used both in the field.

Hi,

You can also do this with a HP Pro Curve switch. You can put the mounting ears on the rear of the switch with the ears facing out to the rear rather than the front. I am using a ProCurve 1800-24G for a top of rack switch. Once I have it mounted I will post pictures.

Bryan

Any other recommendations for this? (looking for 16 port)

You can mount a small 16 port switch anywhere, with zip ties.

How about this...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833316165

and then put it onto a standard Middle Atlantic rack shelf which has been cut to fit the switch? It isn't a direct rack mount option, but will give you the clean front face that you can look at to see what connections are live, and the power and network jacks will all be on the back side and accessible to you.

I personally just mounted to my rear rack rails.

Netgear GS116



You can find space for that switch anywhere in the rack.