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First Rack Walkthrough

This tutorial walks you through creating a complete rack layout from scratch. By the end, you’ll have a documented 42U rack with servers, networking, and power distribution.

Before you start

Section titled “Before you start”

You’ll need:

  • A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
  • Your rack dimensions and equipment list (optional but helpful)

Step 1: Create your rack

Section titled “Step 1: Create your rack”

  1. Open Rackula

    Navigate to count.racku.la. You’ll see a welcome screen on your first visit.

  2. Click “New Rack”

    Find the New Rack button in the toolbar at the top of the screen.

  3. Configure your rack

    In the dialog that appears, enter:

    Setting Example value Notes
    Name Main Server Rack A label for your rack
    Height 42 Total height in rack units
    Width 19“ Standard rack width
    Form factor 4-post Most common type

  4. Click “Create”

    Your empty rack appears on the canvas, ready for devices.

Step 2: Add your first device

Section titled “Step 2: Add your first device”

Let’s add a 2U server to the rack.

  1. Open the device library

    Click the Devices button in the left sidebar, or press the sidebar toggle.

  2. Find a server

    Use the search box to filter devices, or browse by category. Look for 2U Server in the Server category.

  3. Drag to your rack

    Click and drag the device from the library onto your rack. As you drag, you’ll see position indicators showing where the device will land.

  4. Drop at position

    Release the mouse button to place the device. The device snaps to the nearest valid U position.

Step 3: Customise the device

Section titled “Step 3: Customise the device”

  1. Select the device

    Click on the device you just placed. It highlights to show it’s selected.

  2. Open the edit panel

    Double-click the device, or click the Edit button that appears when selected.

  3. Update device details

    Field Example Purpose
    Name TrueNAS Display name in rack view
    Category Storage Determines default colour
    Notes 64GB RAM, 8x 4TB Your documentation

  4. Change the colour (optional)

    Click the colour swatch to choose a custom colour, or leave it to use the category default.

  5. Save changes

    Click Save or press Enter to apply your changes.

Step 4: Build out your rack

Section titled “Step 4: Build out your rack”

Now add more equipment. A typical homelab rack might include:

Networking (top of rack)

Section titled “Networking (top of rack)”
Position Device Notes
U42 Patch panel Cable termination
U41 24-port switch Main network switch
U40 Firewall/router pfSense, OPNsense, etc.

Servers (middle)

Section titled “Servers (middle)”
Position Device Notes
U35–36 2U server Hypervisor
U33–34 2U server NAS
U31–32 2U server Backup

Power (bottom)

Section titled “Power (bottom)”
Position Device Notes
U1–2 UPS Battery backup
U3 PDU Power distribution

Step 5: Switch views

Section titled “Step 5: Switch views”

Rackula supports both front and rear rack views.

Shows devices as seen from the front of the rack. This is the default view.

  • Device fronts and fascias
  • U position labels
  • Device names

Step 6: Export your layout

Section titled “Step 6: Export your layout”

Once your rack is complete, export it for documentation.

  1. Click “Export”

    Find the Export button in the toolbar.

  2. Choose your format

    Format Best for
    PNG Documentation, sharing, presentations
    SVG Scalable graphics, editing in design tools
    PDF Printing, formal documentation
    CSV Spreadsheet import, inventory tracking

  3. Configure options

    • Background: Dark, light, or transparent
    • Include legend: Adds a colour key for device categories
    • Include QR code: Adds a scannable link to your layout

  4. Download

    Click Export to download your file.

Step 7: Save and share

Section titled “Step 7: Save and share”

Auto-save

Section titled “Auto-save”

Rackula automatically saves your work to browser localStorage. Your layout persists across browser sessions.

Manual backup

Section titled “Manual backup”

For reliable backups, export your layout as JSON:

  1. Click Export
  2. Select JSON format
  3. Save the file somewhere safe

Share with others

Section titled “Share with others”

Generate a shareable link:

  1. Click Share in the toolbar
  2. Copy the generated URL
  3. Anyone with the link can view your layout

What you’ve learned

Section titled “What you’ve learned”

In this tutorial, you:

  • Created a new rack with custom dimensions
  • Added and positioned devices using drag-and-drop
  • Customised device names, categories, and colours
  • Switched between front and rear views
  • Exported your layout in multiple formats
  • Saved and shared your work

Next steps

Section titled “Next steps”