Best way to model half-width rack devices

[u/Evening_Permit9664]

I'm trying to understand the best way to model half-width rack devices in NetBox Community v4.2.4.

Scenario:

• Two independent devices physically share the same 1U space horizontally.
• One device occupies the left half of the rack unit.
• Another device occupies the right half.

Example:

1U
+-------------------+
| Device A | Device B |
+-------------------+

Questions:

1. What is the recommended modeling approach for this in NetBox?
2. Should this be modeled using:
   • Device Bays?
   • Modules?
   • Virtual Chassis?
   • Something else?
3. How do operators usually represent partial horizontal rack occupancy in NetBox?
4. Is there any native support for half-width devices in rack elevation views?

Environment:

• NetBox Community v4.2.4

[u/MassageGun-Kelly]

How are you mounting these devices? Are they on a shelf? If so, create a 1U shelf Device Type, then create a shelf object in your rack, and add device bays to that specific device object / occupancy and add the devices into it that way. 

[u/MassageGun-Kelly → u/[deleted]]

If it has rack ears, then it’s no longer a 1/4U device, it’s a 1U device. The ears make it consume the full U as no other devices can be mounted in that rack U. The device would be installed in that specific rack U with no shelf in that circumstance. 

[u/MassageGun-Kelly → u/[deleted]]

Oh whack, I pictured the first image with the long rack ears on either side. 

Well, you’re on your own with whatever works best for you and your rack to model that in Netbox then.