Clearance Requirements for Airflow and Hardware Maintenance for the MX960 Router
When planning the installation site, you need to allow sufficient clearance around the rack (see Figure 1):
- For the cooling system to function properly, the airflow around the chassis must be unrestricted.
- For service personnel to remove and install hardware components,
there must be adequate space at the front and back of the router.
At least 24 in. (61 cm) is required both in front of and behind
the router. NEBS GR-63 recommends that you allow at least 30 in. (76.2 cm)
behind the router.
Airflow must always be from front to back with respect to the rack. If the device has side to rear airflow, then provisions must be made to ensure that fresh air from the front of the rack is supplied to the inlets, and exhaust exits the rear of the rack. The device must not interfere with the cooling of other systems in the rack. Fillers must be used as appropriate in the rack to ensure there is no recirculation of heated exhaust air back to the front of the rack. Care must also be taken around cables to ensure that no leakage of air in situations where recirculation may result.
- Additional clearance is required to accommodate the height
and depth of the chassis with the extended cable manager:
- 36.5 in. (92.7 cm) high
- 29.00 in. (73.7 cm) deep approximately
Additional clearance is also required to accommodate the depth of the MX960 high-capacity power supplies; they extend beyond the chassis as follows:
| Power Supply | Additional depth requirement |
MX960 high-capacity AC power supply | 2.85” (7.24 cm) |
MX960 high-capacity DC power supply | 5.05” (12.83 cm) |
Figure 1: Chassis Dimensions and Clearance Requirements for the MX960 Router with the Standard Cable Manager

