Server rack PDU: basic, metered, monitored and switched
A rack PDU is the power strip inside the cabinet, but the useful distinction is not the socket count, it is how much the unit tells you and how much it lets you control. The four levels are basic (distribution only), metered (total draw), monitored (network-reported, per-phase) and switched (per-outlet metering and remote on/off). We supply all four in 0U vertical and 1U horizontal formats from 16 A to 63 A.
Product families we supply
| Product family | Brand | Capacity / format | Product page |
|---|---|---|---|
| NetShelter Rack PDU Advanced (9000 series) | Schneider Electric | 0U/1U, metered and switched | View product |
| Rack PDU 2G (AP89xx) | Schneider Electric | 8.6–17.3 kW; 208/230 V | View product |
| Basic Rack PDU | Schneider Electric | basic distribution, no metering | View product |
| Geist Upgradeable rPDU (GU) | Vertiv | field-upgradeable monitoring module | View product |
| Geist Basic / Metered / Monitored / Switched | Vertiv | 0U/1U; 16–63 A | View product |
| Geist Switched POU | Vertiv | per-outlet switching | – |
| ePDU G3 Basic | Eaton | no metering, 0U/1U | View product |
| ePDU G3 Metered Input | Eaton | input metering | View product |
| ePDU G3 Managed / Metered Outlet | Eaton | per-outlet metering and switching | View product |
| G3 Universal Input (UPDU) | Eaton | universal input | – |
| Raritan PX3 | Legrand | metered / switched / per-outlet | View product |
| Raritan PX4 | Legrand | current generation, colour touch display | View product |
| Server Technology PRO2 / PRO3X | Legrand | HDOT Cx outlets, alternating phase | – |
| Raritan Smart Rack Controller | Legrand | sensor and access control | – |
| Switched Metered-by-Outlet (PDU81xxx) | CyberPower | 1U/0U; 100–240 V; per-outlet metering and switching | View product |
| Switched (PDU41xxx) | CyberPower | 1U; 8 outlets; switched | View product |
| Monitored (PDU31xxx) | CyberPower | input metering | View product |
| Basic (PDU15/20/13 series) | CyberPower | 0U/1U basic distribution | – |
Product families we actually source. Capacities are the manufacturer’s stated series ranges, not a quotation. Exact order codes depend on voltage, outlet type, battery configuration and region and are confirmed on the quote.
Which one should you choose?
Basic or metered?
A basic PDU is the right answer only where the circuit is already metered upstream and nobody will ever ask how loaded the rack is. The moment you want to add a server without guessing, the metered version pays for itself. It is the cheapest way to stop breaker trips caused by arithmetic done from nameplate ratings.
Monitored or switched?
Monitored reports over the network so you can trend load per phase and alarm before a breaker opens. Switched adds per-outlet control: you can power-cycle a hung device without sending anyone to site, and you can see which outlet actually draws what. For a remote or unstaffed room, switched is usually cheaper than one site visit per year.
0U or 1U?
0U vertical mounts in the rear channel and costs no rack units. The default for a full cabinet. 1U horizontal is for short racks, wall boxes and cabinets where the rear channel is already occupied. In an 800 mm wide cabinet the 0U unit disappears into the side channel; in a 600 mm one it competes with the cabling.
Single feed or dual?
Dual-corded equipment wants two independent PDUs on separate circuits, ideally from separate UPS paths. That is the standard answer for redundancy inside the rack, and it is what makes a rack ATS unnecessary for equipment that already has two power supplies.
Amperage and outlet type
Size the PDU to the circuit, not the load: a 32 A PDU on a 16 A breaker helps nobody. Outlet mix matters as much: C13 for most servers, C19 for high-draw and blade chassis, and locking outlets where a bumped cable would take down a live device.
Do you need environmental sensors?
Most current PDUs accept temperature and humidity probes on the same network port. Two probes at the top and bottom of the cabinet cost very little and turn the PDU into the only monitoring the room needs.
Request a quote
Tell us the circuit rating, outlet mix and whether you need metering or switching. Quantities are usually two per cabinet: say how many cabinets and the quote follows.
