Is this a new
system? Have you asked if there is any documentation? There should be
system and product documentation (drawings, manuals,
etc.) provided that might answer some of your questions, but if it is an older
system the documentation may have been lost or misplaced (or they simply may not have been provided). If nothing else, this information may identify the
system installer and/or designer and give you someone to contact.
There are numerous reasons to have racks in various locations, I've worked on
theatre systems where the audio
system had racks in four or more locations; for example at the
stage (wireless mics, IEMs,
monitor console connections,
etc.),
FOH (effects and sources), booth (alternate effects and sources as well as recording) and a dedicated amp/processing room (amplifiers and
system processing) with comms to all of them.
There are also numerous problems all too common with many school installs. The
system installation typically goes to the "lowest, qualified bidder" and often there are little or no actual qualifications defined, resulting it in simply going to the lowest bidder which can unfortunately be the one who cut the most corners. Many times the systems are actually designed by or bid as part of other systems such as the electrical or "low
voltage" systems, in some of these situations the firms designing those systems simply get a dealer or manufacturer's rep to put together the actual design and there is little qualified oversight of the subsequent bidding or installation. And many schools simply have no one qualified to review and accept the
system,
plug in a mic and have something come out of the speakers and the entire
system may be accepted. These problems can all be avoided but there is a cost associated with getting qualified professionals involved to design the systems and oversee the construction, as well as in getting quality firms to provide and install the systems, and this cost is often seen by those making the decisions as not being required or of sufficient value.