Rack and stack is easier in a warehouse than in a data hall with the clock running. We build your kit into racks in our Fleet warehouse, cable, power up and test it, then our own crew delivers and installs it, London and Heathrow included. In 2024 we installed 22 routers across two London data centres this way.
To rack is to mount servers, switches or routers in a 19" rack. To stack is to build them up in the order and layout you planned, with the heavy kit low and the power and cabling in place. Doing it in our warehouse first, rather than on site, means your engineers arrive at a rack that's already built.
You might hear the same job called pre-staging, staging or hardware pre-staging. It's the same thing.
If the same kit is going to lots of sites, we can do it in waves. Say so on the first call.
The cage is a secure area in our Fleet warehouse with two 42U racks, power, monitored PDUs and connectivity. The warehouse is 6,500 sq ft including offices. We don't publish more about security than that, but we'll answer your security team's questions.
For transport we use shock mount flight cases, including SKB shock rack cases that are weather resistant. Servers and switches go into the case without their cardboard, so there's nothing to clear away at the data centre. Our Renault Master low loaders have tail lifts and air suspension, so a built rack travels upright.
Bigger loads go in the Mercedes 18t and 26t trucks. The vehicles are tracked and carry no signwriting.
We're ISO 9001:2015 certified and members of the Road Haulage Association. Our public liability is no less than £2 million. Cover for your equipment is arranged for each job to its value, up to £0.5m without referral.
A checklist to go through before kit leaves the warehouse: what has arrived, what has been built and what has been tested. Fillable PDF, no form.
The Pre-Staging and Rack Test Checklist covers everything that should happen to IT hardware between delivery from the manufacturer and dispatch to site: receipt, audit, inspection, testing, documentation and packing.
It means mounting equipment in a rack and arranging it as planned, then cabling it. See the explanation above.
It's the job of building the racks and putting the kit where it's going. Some firms do it on site. We can build it in our warehouse and deliver it built.
A rack is the frame. A stack is how the kit is arranged in it.
Yes. The cage has connectivity, so your engineers can connect remotely and configure what they need to.
Short term or long term. Tell us roughly how long and we'll work out the space. There's more on the storage and warehousing page.
Yes. We cover the UK and Europe by road.
Yes. Tell us where and when.
What's coming and when, how many racks, the layout, where it's going and by when.
Tell us what's arriving, how many racks and when it needs to be on site, and we'll come back with questions or a quote.
We have your details. Someone from the team will read it and come back to you by phone or email.
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