As any IT manager knows, monitoring power consumption of IT is key
to maintaining an efficient data center. There are many tools
available to help with this task, such as intelligent power distribution units
(PDUs). It is important to get the most out of your PDUs to ensure power
management is effective and reliable.
According to Ashish Moondra, CPI Senior Product Manager of Power, Electronics &
Software, the most important
metrics to monitor on a PDU are:
- Amperage readings at the branch circuit level: Monitoring at the branch circuit level will ensure availability
of all connected equipment.
- Power and energy consumption at the outlet level: Monitoring at the outlet level will help you get the actual
visibility of how much energy your IT equipment is consuming.
- Power and energy consumption at the entire PDU level: Monitoring based on individual power consumption
, is
useful for data centers needing to charge and bill users for power usage.
CPI’s Switched Pro eConnect® PDUs
Whether you need to connect a few
pieces of equipment or need to support high-
density computing with multiple blade servers in every cabinet, Switched Pro
eConnect® PDUs provide
reliable power distribution with remote per-outlet power monitoring and
control.
In addition, they provide local and
remote power monitoring for the PDU and remote monitoring and control for each
outlet on the PDU. This is especially useful in data center and equipment room
cabinets and racks to remotely control power to each outlet, to remotely
monitor power use by each piece of equipment, and to help balance power loads
for all attached equipment.
Key Features and Benefits
- Optimized
for high-density applications with a low-profile
design, universal tool-less mounting and use in ambient air temperatures up to
149ºF (65ºC)
- Connect
any combination of up to 20 networked PDUs together and access all PDUs through
a single IP address using the built-in web interface
- Remote
control of individual outlets by turning outlets on, off or cycling power
- Continuous
power monitoring at each breaker and each outlet
- Local
display with an interactive screen that displays combined power measurements
- Remote
monitoring and outlet control through a network connection using a web browser
- Easy
network setup using the local display to enter the IP address for fast
deployment onto your network
- Low-profile design that fits in the zero U space at the side
of your equipment cabinet and does not block access to equipment mounting rails
or exhaust airflow from equipment
Learn more about CPI’s eConnect PDUs by reading the Switched Pro
PDU Data Sheet. Also, try
out our eConnect
Software Demo, which links to eConnect PDUs installed in CPI's Research, Development
and Training Facility in Georgetown, Texas.
CJ Castillo, Technology Writer