So I guess this is the common "Hey I'm new, looking for opinions on my rack" post. …
For cases, I picked three Intj 7u 104hp cases each outfitted with a pair of 1U Octalinks to route each case to the others. That way I can just pull the 3 CAT cables off to be able to put the case lids on without having to unpatch everything.
-- TheLooseNut
A few thoughts regarding your hopes for Octalink cross-case connections.
• With a system this size you'll often find yourself patching more connections between the cases than the eight supported by an Octalink. (That won't matter when your patches will be torn down before the cases are moved.)
• Octalink connections are great for subsonic CV signals. They might or might not suffice for audio signals. You'll need to patch directly, instead, if crosstalk interferes with quality.
Happy patching!