Trying to find full length rack rails for C1300 switch.

[SpacemanSpiff]

Hello everyone,

Just a quick one this time. I'm the proud owner of a new C1300 and the description of the product stated that it included mounting hardware. I knew at the time that the statement was slightly ambiguous but I needed the switch regardless and would try to get the mounting hardware later.

So the C1300 shows up and the mounting hardware that it came with is just the ears for the switch. I've seen switches attached to racks with just the ears before but I'd prefer something more secure with something this expensive, especially because this switch is pretty heavy.

Some models of switches I've used in the past for work included a second, longer rail section. That second section connected to the front ear and extended down to the back of the rack to get screwed in there. I'm looking for that but having a heck of a time finding anything for the C1300. I'm hoping that doesn't mean they don't make a full length rail for the model.

Does anyone know what I'm referencing? Or anyone who's run into this situation, what solution did you end up with for a more secure mount? For measurements, I'm mounting the switch into a 19" rack.

Thank you.

[Jens Albrecht]

Hello @SpacemanSpiff,

Cisco offers optional full-length rail kits or mid-mount kits only for some enterprise-class higher-end Catalyst models that are really heavy.

The SMB switches like the Catalyst 1300 are not that heavy at all (compared to those higher-end models) so using the rackmount ears is fully sufficient to securely mount them.

Of course, there are several third-party universal rack rail solutions available to mount these switches in 19-inch racks as needed.

HTH!

[SpacemanSpiff]

Ok that's fair...I guess I'm just nervous about the ears being the only thing holding it in the rack haha. Makes sense though why I can't find any if they were designed for the enterprise level devices. I have been looking for third party ones but none of them do what I'm looking for. For instance, I bought a startech rack and so bought the startech rails to go with it. The rails take up the only mount points available for the C1300 but even if it didn't, or even if I used one mount point instead of two for the rails, the rail is so thick, the switch is no longer aligned with the rack.

In any case, I may keep looking then just to have something there but thanks for the advice. If the switches are light enough to only need the ears, then I might just go with that.

[wajidhassan]

Cisco does not offer full-length rails for the Catalyst 1300 because it is considered lightweight enough that the included rackmount ears provide secure mounting. For a more secure fit, you can use third-party universal rack rail kits designed for 19-inch racks. These can provide additional support if you prefer something beyond the standard ears.

[SpacemanSpiff]

Gotchya. I figured it was something like that when I couldn't find Cisco rails for the switch easily. I am having a hard time finding third party ones though that don't block the mount points on the rack though. The majority of what I'm finding allows the rail to be mounted  but is so thick that the device I'm trying to mount with the rail doesn't line up anymore and the rail itself doesn't provide any integrated threads or cage nuts so...it just kinda sits there. Not ideal.