Which kit fits which chassis

Ears or rails?

Bracket ears bolt to the sides of the chassis and screw to the front rack posts. They are inexpensive and adequate for shallow, light appliances, but the whole weight of the unit hangs from the front posts, so they are not appropriate for a deep chassis.

Slide rails support the appliance front and rear and let you pull it forward for service without unracking it or disturbing the cabling behind it. For anything deep or heavy, or anything in a cabinet where rear access is awkward, rails pay for themselves the first time you need to touch the unit.

The generation split matters here too. The Gen 6 NSA 2600 through 6600 chassis takes a different bracket from the earlier NSA 2400, 3500 and 4500 generation, and the two are not interchangeable despite looking similar. We manufacture our own NetworkTigers brackets for the 2600 through 6600 range, because the original SonicWall part has been difficult to source for years.

Racking a firewall properly is not only tidier. It keeps the appliance's vents clear, takes strain off the power and network connections, and makes the unit serviceable without disturbing everything around it. A firewall resting on top of a switch is sitting in that switch's exhaust air.

Related: Power Adapters and Supplies.

At NetworkTigers, we supply new SonicWall rack mount kits, rails and bracket ears matched to the chassis, with fast shipping and a 365-day warranty.