Turn your PDU into a cost-saving asset and choose the right PDU for the future

Totally! The same issues that intelligent PDUs can help prevent can occur regardless of the size of the data center.

Understanding how your data center is operating will save you from very negative experiences. You need to be informed and aware when things start to go south in order to prevent downtime.

An intelligent PDU can even alert you when servers are beginning to have problems with their own power supply, if you monitor the right metrics.

It is key, as you will gain visibility into all sorts of metrics that will let you know if servers are consuming power while idle - so-called "zombie" servers. This is something you can monitor with outlet-metered PDUs, for example. You can also compare the performance of different servers running similar software to identify whether they have performance problems or if one type of server is better suited for specific tasks. With an outlet-switched PDU, you could even remotely switch off servers that are not being used, enabling the most sustainable operations possible.

A key element on the path to sustainability is to first measure where you stand and then take appropriate actions. The key here is to measure as granularly as possible. Only if you have data for every rack - or better, every connected device - can you gain the relevant information needed to improve the sustainability of your data center.

This is very difficult to answer because it really depends on the type of PDU you choose. Is it inlet-metered, or is it the most advanced version - an outlet-metered and outlet-switched PDU?

I don't know the purchase price of the basic PDU you are using in your case - maybe around 200 to 400€, or perhaps a bit more? An intelligent PDU will be significantly more expensive. An inlet-metered PDU with a vertical chassis could start around 800-900€, and if you move to the most advanced solutions, prices could reach 1500-2000€ or more. Again, it really depends on the functionalities you are looking for.

Nonetheless, this is not a lot of money compared to how expensive a downtime incident can be for you. With how complex data centers are today, basic PDUs are simply not enough to properly prepare for and prevent such risks - the potential cost is very high.

This relates to the very first step you must take when receiving an intelligent PDU: setting up the thresholds and alerts for all the different metrics now available to you. Define upper and lower threshold levels for early warnings, allowing you to take corrective action when notified about an issue. You can also set critical-level alerts so that you can urgently address potential downtime incidents. Additionally, you can choose how you want to be notified - by email, SMS etc.

With higher demand and higher density within a rack, it is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid overloading the electrical installation. Without measurements at the rack level or circuit breaker level, adding just one additional server could overload the system.
Free space in a rack does not mean you have free electrical capacity. According to EN 50600, the permanent load on the entire electrical installation should not exceed 40% of its capacity.

Yes. Within the Raritan eco system, our Xerus controller platform provide all common interfaces and protocols to integrate the PDUs into DCIM systems. You can choose between (or combine) SNMP, Modbus-TCP, REST API, Redfish and Prometheus.

The task is usually handled by DCIM systems, as they can process the collected data more efficiently and have the computing resources to visualize such figures.

Yes. Some of these aspects are not directly related to the PDU itself but rather to the company manufacturing the PDU. We are compliant with all relevant standards, such as ISO 27001:2013.
You can find more information here: https://www.raritan.com/blog/detail/who-should-care-about-iso-27001

In addition, we comply with important security standards like SB327, NIST, and GDPR, and we go the extra mile.
We are the only ones conducting third-party VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing) certifications. Moreover, we are prepared for the future, as our PDUs are IPv6 Ready.

More details can be found here:
https://www.raritan.com/assets/ram/resources/data_sheets/Raritan-Xerus-Security_Tech-Note_V2050.pdf
https://www.raritan.com/blog/xerus-upgrade-brings-ipv6-compliance-to-raritan-rack-power-products

I would also like to mention that, as Legrand focuses strongly on sustainability within their CSR strategy, we provide Product Environmental Profile (PEP) information as well: https://www.raritan.com/resources/product-environmental-profiles