Understanding rack units and rack-mounted gear
How RU height works, blank panels, PDUs, and mixed-depth gear in a elevation.
When to use this
Use when planning rack capacity or explaining elevations to non-technical PMs.
Rack units (RU)
One rack unit (1U) is 1.75 inches (44.45 mm) of vertical rack space.
Devices consume whole or half RU depending on template — a 2U switcher occupies two consecutive units.
Adding gear
- Search the library for switchers, routers, audio gear, PDUs, blank panels, and patch panels.
- Set correct RU height on custom devices if you build templates.
- Use notes for asset tags, serial numbers, or "spare 1U" reservations.
Common gear examples
- 1U — patch panels, small converters, network switches
- 2U — many video switchers, multiviewers, larger DSP
- 3U+ — large processors, UPS segments, drawer units