Supermicro SuperChassis 846BE1C-R1K28B (Black)

Designed for demanding data center environments, the Supermicro SuperChassis 846BE1C-R1K28B (Black) is a high-density, 4U rack-mount chassis that combines expansive storage capacity with flexible motherboard support and robust expansion options. This chassis is engineered to maximize storage density while preserving serviceability, cooling, and accessibility in busy IT environments. The all-black finish provides a professional, rack-ready appearance that blends seamlessly into enterprise racks, and its rugged construction is built to endure the rigors of 24/7 operation. With 24 external 3.5" bays and a powerful 1280 W power supply already installed, the 846BE1C-R1K28B is ideal for virtualization hosts, large-scale backups, HPC nodes, media processing servers, and other workloads demanding large storage pools and reliable performance.

• Massive storage capacity: 24 external 3.5" drive bays deliver scalable, hot-swappable storage for rapid provisioning, easy maintenance, and simplified expansion as your data grows.
• Flexible motherboard support: Compatible with ATX, EATX, and Micro ATX motherboards, enabling a wide range of configurations—from compact virtualization hosts to full-featured server platforms with extensive PCIe I/O.
• High-efficiency power delivery: A 1280 W power supply is installed to provide ample headroom for multi-GPU, high-density storage, and multiple PCIe devices while maintaining stable performance under heavy loads.
• Plenty of expansion for workloads: Seven PCIe expansion slots let you add fiber channel controllers, RAID adapters, network interface cards, or accelerator cards, empowering you to tailor the chassis to your exact workflow.
• Proven cooling and serviceability: Designed to support up to five fans, the chassis prioritizes airflow and component longevity, while removable drive trays and modular components simplify maintenance and upgrades.

Technical Details of Supermicro SuperChassis 846BE1C-R1K28B (Black)

• Chassis form factor: 4U rack-mountable enclosure designed for data center environments and rack installations.
• Drive bays: 24 external 3.5" hot-swap drive bays, enabling rapid drive replacement and simple expansion of storage pools without needing to power down the system.
• Power supply: 1280 W power supply installed, offering substantial headroom for demanding workloads, high-density storage, and multi-card configurations.
• Motherboard support: Compatible with ATX, EATX, and Micro ATX motherboards, providing flexible options for server, storage, and virtualization roles.
• Expansion: 7 slots to accommodate PCIe expansion cards, such as NICs, RAID controllers, HBA cards, and accelerator modules, enabling scalable I/O and performance.
• Cooling and fans: Fully capable of supporting up to five fans, allowing for effective cooling in dense configurations or during peak workloads.
• Color and finish: Black chassis finish designed to blend into standard data-center racks and provide a professional, uniform appearance.
• Intended use: Ideal for enterprise storage servers, virtualization hosts, high-performance computing nodes, and media-rich applications requiring substantial external storage capacity and robust PCIe expansion.
• Accessibility: External drive bays simplify maintenance and drive replacements while minimizing downtime and service window durations.

How to Install Supermicro SuperChassis 846BE1C-R1K28B

• Prepare your rack space: Confirm rack stability, verify clearance for a 4U chassis, and ensure appropriate cabling access for power, data, and management networks before installation.
• Mount the chassis in the rack: Align with the rack rails, slide the chassis into position, and secure it with the provided screws to ensure a stable, vibration-free foundation for your components.
• Install the motherboard: Open the chassis access panel, install a compatible ATX, EATX, or Micro ATX motherboard onto the standoffs, and connect CPU, memory, and essential power rails according to the motherboard’s manual.
• Configure storage and drive trays: Place SAS/SATA backplanes or hot-swap drive trays into the 24 external bays, connect the required data cables, and verify each drive’s presence in the BIOS or OS level utility during post-boot checks.
• Install expansion cards: Insert PCIe expansion cards into the 7 available slots, securing them with screws or retention mechanisms as specified by the chassis and card manufacturer.
• Power-on and configure: Connect the 1280 W power supply, boot the system, and set BIOS/UEFI options for storage controller mode (AHCI/RAID), boot order, and virtualization features as needed for your workload.
• Manage airflow and cabling: Route power and data cables cleanly to minimize airflow obstruction, install any dust filters if provided, and label cables for quick future servicing.
• Test and validate: Run standard hardware checks, verify drive detection across all 24 external bays, confirm PCIe devices are enumerated, and perform baseline stress tests to ensure cooling and power constraints are met under peak load.

Frequently asked questions

• Q: What workloads is the 846BE1C-R1K28B best suited for?
  A: Its 24 external 3.5" bays and substantial 1280 W power supply make it ideal for virtualization hosts, large-scale backups, data-intensive HPC nodes, media processing servers, and other storage-centric deployments that require big, reliable storage pools with room for PCIe expansion.
• Q: Can I mix ATX, EATX, and Micro ATX motherboards in this chassis?
  A: Yes. The chassis is designed to support ATX, EATX, and Micro ATX motherboards, giving you flexibility to choose the motherboard that best matches your performance, I/O, and expansion needs.
• Q: How many PCIe expansion cards can I install?
  A: Up to seven PCIe expansion cards can be installed, enabling a wide range of network, storage, and acceleration solutions to tailor the system to your workload.
• Q: Is the power supply redundant?
  A: The model ships with a single 1280 W power supply installed. For redundancy, you should verify if a redundant supply option is available from Supermicro’s configuration or consider adding a redundant module where supported by the motherboard and backplane configuration.
• Q: How easy is maintenance with this chassis?
  A: Maintenance is straightforward thanks to hot-swap external drive bays, modular drive trays, and accessible front-facing components. The design emphasizes serviceability in data centers, reducing downtime during upgrades or drive replacements.