Do Rack-Mount Máy chủ thực sự cần phải ở trong một Rack?

I can get some decent deals on eBay for rack-mount servers (described as, for example, 2U rack-mount server) that I am looking at to replace my Synology NAS.

Would I be able to just buy this 2U server and sit it under my desk somewhere, or is it a requirement that you absolutely have to have a rack to put it in?

What does a rack give you that sitting on its own somewhere does not?

You do not necessarily need a rack or cabinet, but here are some points to keep in mind though:

• If you keep it under your desk, it will accumulate dust.
• The fans of such servers can be rather loud (putting it mildly)! You really do not want that near you all the time!
• The power consumption might be much higher than that of a SOHO NAS box.
• Rack-mountable servers are 19 inches wide and might be twice that in length.
• If you get an old server with parallel SCSI (not SAS), you will not be able to easily put in SATA-HDDs for regular SOHO-NAS Systems.
• Upgrading parts might be more difficult since they use server hardware (RAM, CPU, HDD, etc.).

A rack has the advantage that you can mount more than 10 servers in a single rack easily, and if you have them on rails, still be able to access them (slide out, open up, swap parts etc.). Also, the issues of cable management, airflow management, and power distribution come to mind.

If what you are looking for is a way to avoid buying an expensive rack, you might be able to make do with a (stack of) IKEA LACK tables.

This might be the most official site about it: The LackRack