There's a good reason why your personal computer desktop shouldn't be utilized in a rack. The reason why is because space is an expensive commodity inside a data center. Another expensive commodity is power. Yet another is cooling. All of these things are not performed well through the typical PC computer.
Having a rack server, all the computing needs are delivered inside a space and energy saving environment. The cooling is optimized by having systems which are properly racked within the data center closet. Which means air will flow to the correct places. A non-rackmount device can make the cool air flow less ideal.
There are several factors to consider when buying a rack server. One of them is the height of the server. In terms of rack space, each slim system should be a bit less than 2 inches tall, which is often called 1U. In a typical 42U rack, it is possible to put up to 42 systems in a closet. That would not be possible with non-rackmount equipment.
Another thing to consider may be the amount of energy that is required. Today, data centers can deliver more power than ever to a single closet. However, the amount of power available is still going to be finite and scarce. That is why it's going to take systems that conserve energy to be able to refill all 42U of a closet in the most efficient way possible.
The place to buy a rack server is usually not at a consumer based store. It'll be unusual to obtain the right kind of server even in a large chain electronics store. The reason for this is simple. It's cheaper to construct a desktop pc than it is to build a space-saving and energy-saving server that's built for a rack.
The right place to appear is a specialized computer store that handles rack equipment. In many cases, it's going to be easiest to look for the right place to shop on the Internet. Certain areas will give a smaller volume discount for larger orders, so bear that in mind prior to investing in the order for computer servers.
Installing a rack server is generally really quite simple. However, it is still more difficult than getting a PC desktop computer operational. The first thing to do is to install the rails the system came with. Generally, it's a simple matter of lining up the holes in the rack with the rails while keeping everything straight. Once one rail has been installed, it's a simple matter of rinse and repeat.
After the rail has been installed properly, follow the directions to place the system onto the rails secure. Generally, this is the easy part. If the system is heavy or above shoulder level, it's highly advised to get extra people to help for safety's sake. That is all it takes to put a rackmount server on the rack.
A great selection of rackmount server options are available at Rack Mount Pro, so take a look and find the right one!