Growing demand for computing power and constraints on physical space have led to even more densely packed rack enclosures. As the number of rack-mounted servers, blade servers, network switches and routers has increased, so has the need for more power in the rack. The ability to deliver this power in the most efficient way while conserving rack space is accomplished by a Power Distribution Unit (PDU).
A PDU is a device with multiple outlets designed to distribute electric power to computers or networking equipment within a rack. For example, a blade server installation consisting of four 7U blade server frames in a 42U rack would require sixteen 20A power supplies! PDUs solve this problem by taking the power supplied to the rack and distributing it via multiple outlets to the rack’s servers and networking equipment.
With seven types of PDUs from which to choose, it can be a challenge to determine which PDU is best for your rack power design. I’ll overview the types and benefits of each PDU in this post to simplify the selection process.
