In this quickfire interview, Swen Anderson, CTO of Legrand’s Data, Power and Control Division, explores how intelligent PDUs can help operators monitor data centre energy usage for efficiency, environmental and capacity planning gains – and highlights the key features of the Raritan PX4 Intelligent Rack PDU.
DCR: How does the Raritan PX4 Intelligent Rack PDU create a more holistic solution for modern data centres compared to non-intelligent PDUs?
SA: In general, intelligent power distribution units or PDUs offer significant advantages over non-intelligent PDUs by providing advanced capabilities that align well with the needs of modern data centres – which today require high efficiency, improved reliability and greater control over the complete environment.
Our new generation PX4 PDU product series provides a number of new features, which will help our customers to operate a more holistic infrastructure management system in their data centres. For instance, our new PX4 PDU can provide advanced remote monitoring of power usage and also environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity. This capability means data centre managers can oversee and control the power consumption of each rack cabinet from a central location, or even remotely, without having to physically check each cabinet.
Our intelligent PDUs are being used for power efficiency and capacity planning for energy cost reduction, as well as for environmental monitoring by providing data on energy usage. The intelligent PDUs enable data centres to implement more effective energy management strategies, which can lead to significant cost savings.
Another important value of our new PX4 PDU is the network management card powered by our Xerus firmware stack. Our PDU firmware stack, Xerus, provides a variety of pragmatic interfaces, which allow seamless integration into existing network infrastructures, enabling centralised management through standard protocols and interfaces, including the latest RedFish implementation.
This integration support is vital for expanding data centres and for building out new capabilities without extensive reconfiguration. We have also made an effort to test our Xerus firmware stack against the latest cybersecurity test frameworks, and we have recently completed the certification of our firmware development processes according to the cybersecurity management standard ISO 27001.
Regulatory compliance and reporting requirements are another big driver for the usage of intelligent PDUs, as PDUs can be used as measurement tools for energy efficiency, and also for carbon footprint reduction. Our new PX4 PDU product series provides the necessary accurate and detailed reporting capabilities that can be used for audits and compliance.
DCR: What are some of the advanced power quality monitoring metrics provided by the PX4 Intelligent Rack PDU, and how do these metrics empower data centres to maintain optimal operational conditions?
SA: Advanced power quality monitoring metrics are essential tools for data centre operators, providing detailed insight into the electrical distribution system that powers critical server loads. These metrics help to ensure that the power supplies inside the server systems remain stable and reliable, which is crucial for maintaining optimal operational conditions in data centres.
In our new PX4 product series, we have implemented support to measure critical power quality parameters like voltage stability, current monitoring, power crest factor, power factor and also total harmonic distortion. All such critical parameters are getting measured on every PDU outlet individually.
The harmonic distortion analysis is especially important in data samples. As harmonics are distortions in the electrical current that can cause equipment to operate inefficiently, it can overheat and can even wear out prematurely. That’s why monitoring harmonic distortion levels is crucial for maintaining the health and efficiency of data centre equipment. By addressing the harmonic issues, data centres can enhance the equipment lifetime and also reliability.
Our PDUs also help data centre operators with load face balancing and with ground fault monitoring, which involves detecting leakage current that could pose fire risk or endanger personnel. By continuously monitoring for ground faults, data centre operators can enhance the safety and the system reliability dramatically. And with this continuous power quality monitoring, data centres can use predictive analytics to anticipate failures before they occur. For example, unusual fluctuations and power quality metrics might indicate a failing power supply or an imminent issue with the electrical infrastructure.
So overall, advanced power quality monitoring equips data centre operators with the data needed to make informed decisions about electrical systems, ensuring that the operational conditions are maintained at an optimal level for the security, for the efficiency, and for the reliability of the data centre operations.
DCR: How will the PX4 Intelligent Rack PDU help contribute to sustainability and energy efficiency goals for data centre operators?
SA: Our new PX4 PDU product series will help the operator significantly improve operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Just to give you some useful examples and applications, intelligent PDUs are providing energy usage insights, as they provide detailed information on energy consumption at both direct level and also on the individual outlet level.
This data allows operators to analyse several KPIs, including the power usage effectiveness (PUE). Also inefficiencies can be easily identified and it can be analysed where energy is being consumed within the data centre and such granularity enables targeted actions to optimise the energy use.
Another example is preventing over-provisioning. This is another typical use case for the usage of intelligent PDUs. By accurately monitoring power usage, the intelligent PDU helps prevent over-provisioning of power, which is a common issue in data centres. Over-provisioning not only leads to unnecessary energy consumption, but it also increases the cost. Intelligent PDUs ensure that energy provision closely matches the actual demand without a surplus.
Our intelligent PDU is also playing an important role in capacity planning and in reducing cooling costs. Usually data centres consume a large amount of energy in cooling systems to maintain the optimal temperature ranges. Our intelligent PDUs with environmental sensors can help to optimise the usage of heating, ventilation, and the air conditioning systems by providing real time data on temperatures and humidity levels. And this allows for more precise control of the cooling system, avoiding over-cooling and thus reducing the energy consumption.
Also, the ability to remotely monitor and manage power distribution units reduces the need for the physical inspection and adjustments, which can be resource intense. So this capability not only saves energy, but it also reduces the carbon footprint by not travelling to site and working remotely.
Another aspect is that intelligent PDUs allow for the scheduling of power cycling of servers and other equipment. Equipment can be turned off automatically during non-peak hours, thereby saving energy that would otherwise be wasted on powering idle equipment. Our PX4 PDUs also support the implementation of energy saving policies and practices by providing the data needed to set benchmarks and monitor progress and validate energy savings, and this is crucial for meeting both internal sustainability goals and also external regulatory requirements.
The insights provided by our intelligent PDUs enable data centres to plan for long-term sustainability by understanding and managing the current energy usage. They can forecast future needs for more accurate investment planning and for planning in sustainable technologies and practices that align with your long-term environmental goals.
So I think to summarise, our new intelligent PX4 PDUs provide the tools and data necessary for data centre operators to maximise energy efficiency, which drives sustainability initiatives. This not only reduces operational costs but also supports environmental objectives by minimising the carbon footprint of data centre operators.
The transcript of this video interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
