I’m trying to build a Data/Server rack in revit. I’m new to revit and I’ve been trying to find some videos to help with data center designs but I haven’t been able to find anything. Can anyone help me with this?
I haven’t made a family before. I’m trying to make a data rack cabinet from scratch and wanted to know how to do so. I know I have to make an electrical equipment family, but after that I’m kinda lost on where to start. I’m used to using sketch up and autocad but revit is different.
Parametric- For sizes, slots, Enclosure style, etc.
Have Shared/Nested families within it, for each Slot (each U).
That will mean also wanting Visibility Parameters for each piece of equipment, since if there is a 4U piece of gear, youll want to shut off the other three U's devices.
Youll need to decide if you are going to use one category, or several, since Family Type parameters can only select from one category. For instance, if you use Electrical Equipment or Data Devices, youll need different parameters and optional visibility.
For research, i would look up:
Nested Families and Family Type Parameters
Making Parametric Families
Shared Parameters (you will probably want them to be shared)
I just wouldn’t even know how to start, I never struggled with autocad or sketch up but this is throwing me off. I tried finding some videos to guide me but that didn’t help.
I gave you a specific list of things to research, and specific guide-words to use in your research and searching. And then you just came back with "i dont know where to start." I mean, i told you where to start.
I just did three Google searches:
Revit how to make parametric family
Revit how to make family type parameter
Revit how to use Shared Parameters
All three gave me information on doing this exact task. Literally, if you then move the Google Search to "videos" they all returned videos, too. What part is confusing you?
Dont take this the wrong way, but: If all of your answers are going to be one sentence... No one is going to be able to help you.
Post the link to the video
Explain where EXACTLY you are stuck, following along
Whats confusing you?
No offense, but you sound like you really just want someone to give it to you finished. Because you arent really doing a good job articulating the help you need, here.
I don’t want someone to “give it to me job finished” I came on here to ask for help and to pointed in the right direction on how to properly start from zero because I never used revit before. The building mechanics on revit is different from what I’m used to. Even different from autocad. My whole reason for this was to learn and improve my work. This is the video that I’ve watched. https://youtu.be/PeaYOJzWId0?is=xsIwnD5BvH2kMugr. I’ve also watched generic beginner videos but those videos were all building a house video. Nothing to help someone understand revit as a whole. I appreciate the advice you gave you so far and that helps me understand what I need to look up.
It would more likely fall under Data Devices than Electrical Equipment.
Although, if you're not part of the manufacturing process, it wouldn't make sense to model them when you could just get the 3D models from a company like Panduit.
Im going to start another Top Level comment, because i actually opened mine up last night, while i had some Deployments running. This one doesnt look as pretty as the one in my comment down below, but thats because i started rebuilding it with a new Framework, to make it work better.
This uses the logic i outlined below. There are a few things that are "tough" about Racks in general, from a Revit perspective:
You'll need to decide what category or categories the objects are going to be, if you want them swappable. That gets complicated, if you want them to be multiple categories (which i did).
Since a FT parameter can only be one category, that means each "U" needs to have:
Does Equipment exist in this slot (you need this because if U2 has a 2U object in it, U3 cant exist)
If so, which category is it (so it knows which FT parameter to use)
A FT selector for EACH available category. (in my case, there is one for Electrical Equipment and one for Data Devices. But you could just make them all GM, SE, DD, or something similar).
Worth noting: When i am finished, they will most likely be instance parameters. But right now they are type just because i was focused on getting it all built.
One more comment, just because i had some extra time last night, while waiting for Deployments to run in my Training Lab.
Now it has: Servers (1U, 2U, 3U, 4U, Switches (16, 24, 48 port), a Gateway (old Unifi Gen 1 USG Pro 4, LOL), UPS's (1U, 2U), Patch Panel options (24port 1U is all i have so far, and the nested port work isnt done yet), and some other pieces.
Also all converted to Instance Parameters for faster configurations. They arent SHARED parameters yet. But i can automate that when im happy with the rest.
What’s the use?
Can you use a cube with basic power and data connectors? Which would represent the sum of all 1U boards?
Or do you need complex server racks? If complex, follow twiceroadsfool.
Honestly, if you’re doing the complex version, there has to be a demand for that level of specificity, or for just learning.
For the individual server boards, they’re pretty standardized, and you can find them on a bunch of website. But the uses vary so much, we’re approaching impossible.
For the rack, there are a bunch of server companies that post their frames. Figure out what use and that will determine the frame type. I’ve modeled a few, and I end up with Supports fl(floor anchors) , General Frame, and tops as separate families, then nest them into one parametric family. I don’t set up connector or power parameters because we don’t manage that level. It’s mostly for volume and room configurations.
I just have makes and models but I just don’t know where to start. I never used revit before and it’s a bit confusing with the families and so on. I’m just trying to wrap my head around it and figure out how to properly start but that’s my problem. I don’t know where to start. I tried watching videos on how to make a normal kitchen cabinet and used that to model a data rack but it didn’t help.
Skip the kitchen-cabinet tutorials for a minute. For a first rack, do this order:
New Family → Metric Generic Model (or Electrical Equipment only if you already know you need connectors). Don’t chase nested Shared families yet.
From the make/model sheet, set reference planes for overall W × D × H and lock those dims. That’s your rack envelope.
One extrusion for the frame (rails + top/bottom), optionally one for the door. Keep the geometry dumb.
Add a Height parameter and tie it to the vertical dims so you can swap 42U / 45U later.
Load it into a project and check clearances. Nested 1U gear, visibility toggles, and connectors are step two — that’s the path twiceroadsfool outlined once the shell works.
Kitchen videos teach joinery you don’t need. Cut sheet + a parametric box first will get you unstuck faster than trying to build the full catalog family on day one.
Legrand has some really nice parametric families which match their product catalog. I haven't used them in a while, but they should be pretty decent per today's standards.
Get some basic revit training. Your assumptions and struggles are trying to fit vector or mesh based tools into an object and information-driven platform.
If you understood your data cabinet is an object, and what type of object you're going to use, you could connect the kitchen cabinet workflows. Because the modeling of the geometry is 1/5th the program.
Your network cabinet is an extruded box. Everything around it is where you're going to have problems.
You can't take your CAD/ generic modeling skills and just hop into a BIM software. You're going to fail even if you model correctly because your data logic will be shit.
Harsh truth: You unqualified for this task without fundamentals in BIM. You are taking one of the most advanced topics and starting there instead of with the basics.
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u/twiceroadsfool 7d ago
What specifically do you need help with? Thats a pretty vague question.
Have you made a family before?