Emerson Network Power has introduced a new family of rack power distribution units, including the MPH2 managed rack PDU and the RPC2 communications module. Available in June in the United States and Canada, this new generation of the product offers the highest availability and efficiency of managed rack PDUs among leading vendors, according to independent testing.

The MPH2 rack PDU offers one of the highest temperature tolerances in the industry, and together with the RPC2 communications module, offers comprehensive remote management capabilities and real-time monitoring and control of connected loads. This enables the highest availability while allowing IT managers to monitor, predict and manage changes in the data center. Integration with industry standard management and authentication protocols allows the MPH2 to easily integrate with existing IT and communications networks.

“We tested several industry leading switched rack PDU solutions and found Emerson MPH2 to have the highest levels of availability and efficiency”, said Craig Hillman, CEO of DfR Solutions, an independent testing agency that compared the switched model of MPH2 managed rack PDU with RPC2 modular communications to three leading competitive rack PDUs.

The new offering enables the following benefits to the data center:

• High availability:With the use of bistable relays and the RPC2 communications module, MPH2 rack PDU enables basic power distribution to connected loads under conditions in the event that intelligence within the units ever gets compromised. Rack PDUs are typically located in the back of the rack toward the hot-aisle, exposing them to some of the harshest temperatures found in the data center. In this location, it is fairly common to see temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius. The MPH2 rack PDU is rated to operate at temperatures up to 60 degrees Celsius, which contributes to system availability.
• Optimized energyand capacity management: MPH2 has the lowest energy consumption of all switched rack PDU designs. Based on a comparison of switched rack PDU models for a typical 100 rack data center with a PUE of 1.9, the MPH2 could deliver an annual cost savings of $46 per rack, or $4600 for a midsize 100 rack data center.
• Simplified integration into management tools:Savings are also achieved through consolidating user IP connections and device monitoring, with up to four MPH2 rack PDUs able to be interconnected as a Rack PDU Array. They support all major industry standard management, authentication and encryption standards and protocols, and they fully integrate into Emerson Network Power’s industry-leading KVM, serial console and infrastructure management systems. Additionally, they integrate rack level power and environmental monitoring information from the rack PDUs with higher level data center management software provided by Emerson or third parties.
• Easy physical and electrical integration:The rack PDUs can be delivered pre-installed in Emerson Network Power racks, allowing fast deployment and reserving data center resources for other critical tasks. They can also be installed in most industry racks without the need for any tools.

The RPC2 communications module allows fast upgradable network communications, precision sensors and a display interface that can be accessed locally or remotely via infrastructure management software. It gives data center managers the ability to more easily meter important electrical and environmental parameters; set thresholds, alarms and notifications; and control and manage individual receptacles and/or groups of loads and devices. The module’s highly accurate +/- 1% metering and reporting enable proactive management of connected equipment, as well as support for charge back of data center utility burden to IT customers.

“As organizations seek to create data centers that run faster, smarter and more economically, the role of intelligent rack power distribution units is becoming more critical,” said Jeff Sturgeon, president of sales for Emerson Network Power’s Data Center Solutions business. “By offering a high availability design, intelligent power metering and remote management features, Emerson Network Power’s next generation of PDUs provide the best view of IT power consumption and rack operating conditions to enable real-time, resilient data centers that optimize capacity and resources.”

All Emerson rack PDUs come with customer rebates available when purchasing them through partners who are members of the Emerson Network Power Innovative Partnership Program.