The big levers are:
1) Is it in a visible location where appearances are important?
2) Will you have easy access to the back of the rack?
If the answer to either is no, you should consider a regular case. If the answer to both is yes, you shouldn't even consider a rackmount case.
I disagree. A nice rack full of computers is pretty and sexy. An ugly rack with only 1 or 2 computers in it is ugly.A rackmount case will always look better than a desktop case.
all machines "should" be designed with proper cooling. But, IMHO, 1U servers are too noisy due to the small screaming fans they must use. 2U is better, but still somewhat noisy. 4U is nice... nice big (slower) fans, more places for cards & disks. Just depends upon what you want/need.so basically it is just appearances mostly or just personal preference? there is no "mechanical" so to say reason for one verses the other.. price, cooling, etc?
Pfft...only sissies use sliding rack rails. If you're a real man, then you'll balance your expensive and heavy matrix switcher on one knee while trying to slide in the rack screws...and then leave it hanging by that single screw while you get another one in. No problems.