A partner of the Open Compute Project, Jtec, has released a server rack cart that can move data center racks while fully stacked.
Dubbed the ORV2/ORV3-Compatible Server Rack Cart, the solution is able to move racks that could weigh up to 1,500 kg each, and can either be attached to an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) or crewed warehouse vehicles.
It has been speculated that Meta - Facebook's parent company - is already using the solution after The Register reported that you would be able to see a live demonstration of the solution at Meta's stand at the Open Compute Summit.
According to Jtec, demand for such a machine is "particularly pronounced" among hyperscalers, noting that it had spent four years developing the carts alongside a "major hyperscaler" (suspected to be Meta) and AGV manufacturer.
The cart effectively works by employees rolling wheeled racks onto the cart which then lifts them around an inch off the floor, making it easy to move the racks around as required. Given the estimated weight of a full rack, without the help of machinery, this would be impossible.
The solution, while already deployed in hyperscale data centers, remains in the prototype phase and is still having final safety tests. Jtec predicts that the solution will be available in Q4 2023.
