- Virtual CIO
IT Leadership for Scaling Startups
18 Mar, 2026

£2220.11 inc. VAT
AI-generated summary
For £1,850 ex‑VAT, the APC NetShelter SX Gen 2 42U is one of those “pay a bit more, don’t regret it later” server rack purchases. It’s a solid, B2B-standard enclosure that tends to play nicely with normal cable management accessories, rails, and common rack hardware—so you’re less likely to get stuck later with compatibility headaches. If you’re setting up a small-to-mid data room or a serious office/IT closet and you want something that looks professional and feels built for daily rack life, this is a safe bet.
The big caveat is “without doors.” That can be totally fine if you don’t care about dust, visibility, or security beyond basic access controls, but it’s not ideal if the rack is in a shared space or you’re trying to keep airflow predictable and clean. Also, since it’s an open enclosure, you’ll likely want to plan for additional side/blanking panels and careful cable management—or you’ll end up paying in time and airflow performance rather than upfront.
Who should buy: IT teams and resellers fitting out server rooms where reliability, clean install, and ecosystem compatibility matter more than aesthetics/security of enclosed doors. Who should not: anyone needing a secure, dust-reducing, “finished” cabinet for public areas, or anyone expecting an all-in-one thermal/security solution without investing in the missing add-ons.

STARTECH
StarTech.com 1U 19" Cable Management Organizer, D Ring Hook Network/Server Rack Cord Manager, Data Center Horizontal Wire Panel with Passthrough Holes with Mounting Hardware, EIA/ECA-310-E - 1U Ring Hook Organizer (CABLMANAGERH) - Rack cable management kit - 1U - 19"

STARTECH
StarTech.com 18U 19" Wall Mount Network Rack, Adjustable Depth 12-20" 2 Post Open Frame Server Room Rack for AV/Data/ IT Communication/Computer Equipment/Switch with Cage Nuts & Screws - 18U Adjustable Rack - Rack open frame - 2-post - wall mountable - black - 18U - 19"

APC
APC Netshelter VX Seismic Enclosure w/out Sides Black - Rack - black - 42U - for P/N: SMTL1500RM3UC, SMTL1500RMI3UC, SRT2200RMXLAUS, SRTL3KRM1UC, SRTL3KRM1UNC

APC
APC Metered Rack PDU AP7821B - Power distribution unit (rack-mountable) - AC 100-240 V - Ethernet 10/100 - input: IEC 60320 C20 - output connectors: 8 (power IEC 60320 C13) - 1U - 2.4 m cord - for P/N: SRTL2K2RM1UWC, SRTL2K2RM1UWNC, SRTL3KRM1UIC, SRTL3KRM1UWC, SRTL3KRM1UWNC