Are your data centers powered up the right way?

It is a known fact that today’s data centers consume huge amounts of power. According to https://www.energy.gov/ data centers are one of the most energy-intensive building types, consuming 10 to 50 times the energy per floor space of a typical commercial office building.

• To you, as an enterprise, those numbers translate to higher costs.

• But there are ways to reduce energy use in data centers.

• One of them is by monitoring the power distribution units. Inefficient data center power distribution can lead to wasted power and space, and again, that would mean higher costs.

Power distribution units are important for the control and distribution of electrical power. Fitted with several outlets to accommodate every kind of equipment, PDUs distribute electrical power throughout the data center. PDUs will need to be able to accommodate today’s equipment as well as tomorrow’s.

Why are PDUs an essential part of a data center’s infrastructure?

PDUs are available in different shapes and forms, can be mounted horizontally or vertically to provide power to servers and other equipment. Sometimes PDUs can be located inside the cabinet. Check if the PDU is versatile enough for your data center’s present and future needs.

1. Versatility:

Here are two aspects to look for in a PDU

A power rating is the amount of electrical power needed to operate a device. The PDU’s primary purpose is to supply power, so it’s important to know whether it can handle every type of equipment.

2. Power ratings:

• Amperage – this is a measure of the strength of the current running through a circuit

Terms to understand when it comes to PDUs

• Voltage – this is a measure of the total power available

• Phase — Single- or three-phase power? Single-phase power delivers electricity along a single line, while a three-phase power line can deliver more power, more efficiently. Data centers that deliver three-phase power to the rack level are more cost-effective.

Power distribution units from Hardy Racks serve the varying needs of small, mid, and large-sized servers. The Basic PDU is ideal for unfiltered, uninterrupted power distribution to multiple devices without line filtering; the metered PDU works well for network-grade distribution of power that needs real-time monitoring; and the Intelligent PDU is good for network-grade distribution of power. Contact us today for more information on the right fit.