Power Distribution Units (PDUs) are the lifeblood of data centers. Located in racks, they provide direct power and circuit connections to all IT components, driving and transferring energy to the infrastructure. Previously, PDUs merely ensured power safety in the server room and lacked intelligent capabilities. However, with the continuous expansion of data center scale and the deepening of cloud computing virtualization, intelligent power management is urgently needed.
The contradiction between safety and energy consumption
Many data centers, facing increasing pressure to ensure service reliability and security, dedicate up to 90% of their power to maintaining idle servers in a state of readiness. This stems from the fear that “once shut down, it will never be able to be restarted,” and they are willing to bear the enormous waste caused in order to ensure business continuity and stability.
Furthermore, according to ASHRAE research, raising the temperature of a data center, even by just one degree Celsius, can result in significant energy cost savings without jeopardizing operational efficiency. Server and network equipment manufacturers have already invested considerable effort in ensuring effective operation in high-temperature environments; however, it cannot be denied that high temperatures can impact power infrastructure, especially at the air vents where PDUs are located, which are among the hottest areas in the data center. Inappropriately raising the temperature settings of a data center will risk affecting the stability of the power supply system.
Intelligent PDUs have emerged.
Intelligent PDUs enable real-time monitoring and feedback of current and voltage across various end devices within data centers and server racks. This helps maintenance personnel adjust the operating status of these devices promptly, providing them with firsthand information on the overall energy status of the data center and meeting the needs for energy conservation, security, and cost reduction. According to international statistics, with the assistance of appropriate energy-saving measures, intelligent PDUs can achieve energy savings of 30% to 50%.
Intelligent PDUs are widely used in developed countries, with a usage rate of around 90% in data centers in Europe and America. Currently, major domestic data center providers have launched intelligent PDU solutions. Raritan, which has focused on power management for many years, has taken intelligent power management to a new level through its hardware and software integrated solutions.