A systems administrator is tasked with installing several new servers into a 42U rack that currently houses network switches in the top 5U. The new equipment includes a heavy 4U database server, a 2U application server, and two 1U web servers. To ensure the safety and stability of the rack, what is the correct order of installation, starting from the lowest available rack unit?
Install the 4U server, then the 2U server, then the two 1U servers.
Install the 4U server, then the two 1U servers, then the 2U server.
Install the 2U server, then the 4U server, then the two 1U servers.
Install the two 1U servers, then the 2U server, then the 4U server.
The correct answer is to install the 4U server, then the 2U server, and finally the two 1U servers. The fundamental principle of rack balancing for safety is to install the heaviest equipment at the bottom of the rack. This practice creates a low center of gravity, which minimizes the risk of the rack becoming top-heavy and tipping over, a significant safety hazard. In this scenario, the 4U database server is the heaviest component and must be installed first in the lowest available position. The next heaviest server, the 2U unit, should be installed above it, followed by the lightest 1U servers. The other installation orders are incorrect as they place lighter equipment below heavier equipment, raising the rack's center of gravity and making it dangerously unstable.