This rack planner is fast, intuitive, and informative. Pull it up in a browser, drag in your gear, check the stats, and export to PDF. No account, no software, no subscription.
It keeps everyone on the same page. The installer, the project manager, and the client all see exactly how the rack should be built and where each piece of equipment goes before anyone shows up on site.
The built-in power tracking adds up wattage as you build, so you can size your UPS and verify your circuit load before the purchase order goes out.
What This Rack Diagram Tool Does
Drag-and-Drop Layout
Drop any 1U through 4U faceplate into any open slot. Move devices within the rack, reorder them, or shift them to another rack in the same project. Nothing snaps where you don't want it.
Live Power, Heat, and Weight Stats
Understand your power and cooling needs in the planning stage.
Three Rack Frame Types
Choose 4-post server rack, 2-post open frame, or wall-mount enclosure. Mix all three in the same project and drag equipment between them freely.
One-Click PDF Export
Print the layout to PDF in one click. Works as a client deliverable, a quote attachment, or a job folder record. The PDF matches what you built on screen.
What's in the Equipment Catalog
Every item in the catalog has real watt ratings, weight, and BTU output. Drop anything in and the stats panel updates instantly. The numbers match what you'd see on the datasheet.
Network Switch
8-port through 48-port, managed and unmanaged
Router
Small branch and enterprise edge
Firewall
Small office through enterprise next-gen
Patch Panel
24-port and 48-port copper
Fiber Panel
1U, 2U, and 4U high-density modular
Cable Manager
1U and 2U horizontal, plus vertical side rails
Blank Panel
1U and 2U filler panels
A typical rack (firewall and router up top, switches and patch panels in the middle, cable managers where needed) lays out in the tool the same way it works in the field.
How Contractors Use This Rack Planner
Before the Purchase Order Goes Out
Drop in the gear you're planning to buy, check that it fits the rack, and verify the circuit load before anything ships. Finding a U-space conflict or a wiring problem in the tool is free. Finding it out on site costs a return trip.
For Client Proposals
Export the rack diagram to PDF and attach it to the quote. Clients who've never seen a rack before can follow a faceplate drawing. It answers the "how does all that equipment fit in one cabinet?" question before they have to ask. A one-page PDF beats a verbal description every time.
For As-Built Documentation
Two-year-old as-built drawings nobody has updated are standard in this industry. An MSP or IT manager who inherits an undocumented rack can rebuild it in this tool in 20 minutes, export the diagram, and have a current record. Beats taking photos and hoping the labels are still readable.
Built-In Rack Power Load Calculator
A 20A circuit derated at 80% gives you about 1,920 watts. The stats panel tracks your cumulative draw as you add devices.
Every watt of electrical load becomes 3.41 BTU/hr. A 1,500W rack generates over 5,100 BTU/hr. Small IDF closets fail when nobody runs this number before the install.
Most 4-post racks are rated to 1,500 to 2,000 lbs. A fully loaded network and security rack can hit 600 to 800 lbs. Know the number before you pick the floor anchors.
All three numbers update live as you drag equipment in. No separate spreadsheet, no mental arithmetic. The stats panel is the reason this tool is more than a rack diagram. It catches real problems before the install.
Frequently Asked Questions
A rack planner is a diagram tool for mapping out which equipment goes in which U-space before installation. You drag in faceplates, check the total power load, and see exactly what fits before anything ships. Contractors use it before buying equipment. MSPs use it to document existing racks. IT managers use it to plan a server refresh before the hardware ships. If you're putting more than two pieces of gear in a rack, planning it out first saves time on site.
No login, no account, no registration. Open the browser tab and start building. The tool saves your work locally between sessions so your layout is still there when you come back to it.
Yes. Microsoft Visio requires a Microsoft 365 subscription (around $60 per month), and finding the rack shape library inside Visio isn't straightforward. This tool loads in a browser tab, has 4-post, 2-post, and wall-mount rack frames built in, and takes about 30 seconds to start using. No license, no shape library hunting.
The tool supports standard 42U 4-post server racks, 2-post open frame racks, and wall-mount enclosures. Equipment in the catalog includes network switches, routers, firewalls, patch panels, fiber panels, cable managers, and blank filler panels.
Each faceplate in the catalog has a watt rating. As you add devices to the rack, the stats panel adds up total wattage, converts it to BTU/hr heat load (watts times 3.41), and tracks combined rack weight. All three numbers update live as you drag equipment in. Use it to catch an overloaded circuit or spot a heat load problem before anything ships.
Yes. Click the export button and the layout outputs to a PDF. The file shows your rack with all faceplates labeled. Attach it to a client quote, drop it in the job folder, or use it as an as-built record.
Yes. You can add multiple racks to a single project and switch between them. Equipment moves freely between racks. The stats panel tracks totals per rack so you can check each cabinet's power load independently.
In the tool, the rack type sets the visual frame. A 4-post rack is the standard enclosed server cabinet with square-hole rails and cage nuts, used for dense switch stacks and heavier equipment. A 2-post open frame is what most low-voltage installers use in MDF and IDF closets; it's lighter and better for patch panel access. A wall-mount enclosure is for small network closets where floor space is limited. All three support the same equipment catalog.
