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Server Technology Power Distribution Unit Series: Switched PDUs
By Rachel Ramsey TMCnet Web Editor
Server Technology (News - Alert), a provider of quality rackmount power distribution and monitoring solutions that help manage power capacity, reduce downtime and improve energy efficiency, offers hundreds of power distribution unit (PDU) products. A PDU is a multiple outlet power strip designed to deliver conditioned power to mission-critical networking, server or telecom equipment.
The basic PDUs Server Technology offers provide reliable power distribution for all of the devices in the equipment cabinet, from 2kW-6kW per cabinet. Its metered PDUs have local LED input current monitoring and allow network engineers to utilize the PDUs’ True RMS Power Monitor to precisely measure the current (in amps) that network devices are drawing on the power circuit. Its smart PDUs allow users to monitor power, temperature and humidity levels through any Web browser, and you can get simple network management protocol (SNMP) alerts or e-mail alters when any of those things exceed thresholds you have previously assigned.
In the fourth of a series that explores the PDUs Server Technology offers, we’ll take a look at its flagship product; its Switched PDUs.
The Switched CDU (Cabinet Power Distribution Unit) products make managing your data center easier. It provides the capability to securely monitor and control cabinet power via a network for a data center or remote branch office. The Switched CDUs combine networked configuration and management with power distribution and power and environmental monitoring.
Users can reboot a single or dual power server with one command, receive SNMP-based or e-mail alerts when power or environmental conditions exceed thresholds and assign access rights to user groups or individuals. Switched CDU products provide the flexibility needed for all data centers and remote sites, including power requirements for high-amperage and high-voltage, EN 60950-1:2001 Branch Circuit Protection and SNMP traps and e-mail alerts, including current monitoring.
“Using the switching technology you can quickly reboot a server, a group of servers, or a whole rack of servers, even if they are powered by two separate power sources, with a few simple clicks,” said Brandon Siri, senior marketing representative, Server Technology. “So essentially you are getting all the monitoring features, both power and environmental, and control of management. Switched CDUs are what Server Technology is famous for and the technology for all our vertical Switched CDUs is backed by our large patent library.”
Switched CDUs are a requirement for mission critical data centers that require constant uptime. When a server or other device becomes locked up, power to the outlet can be instantly cycled to bring the device back up. This saves time and eliminates the manual process of having to physically go unplug the server.
Switched CDUs also have a section benefit called Smart Load Shedding. Smart Load Shedding gracefully powers down the outlets on the strip in the event of the user-defined thresholds on power or temperature and humidity exceeding their chosen value. When the conditions return to the normal, the switched CDU will bring the outlets and devices back up one by one to avoid an infeed rush.
Server Technology sees customers using this feature regularly as it prevents their devices from destroying themselves. Servers are expensive, and the extra investment in a switched CDU provides peace of mind knowing that they are protected.
Switched CDUs are ideal for anyone with a data center, specifically data center managers who are either offsite, have a large facility, or concerned with power and environmental conditions in their facility.
Dan Brown, engineering technician at Intel (News 
- Alert), had to physically send a technician out into the data center to cycle the power when a device locked up. This was becoming a huge problem because it was a labor intensive process, and it first required an engineer to first submit an IT ticket, which meant they had to wait to resolve the problem. Intel turned to Server Technology for a solution.
“We’ve saved hundreds of hours in lost time – these things really pay for themselves,” Brown said.
Server Technology has hundreds of switched and other CDU types. To find the CDU that is right for you visit its website.
Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2012, taking place Oct. 2-5, in Austin, TX. Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO (News - Alert). Follow us on Twitter.
Edited by Allison Boccamazzo
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