ServerTech Blog - Information for the Data Center Equipment Manager

New VIDEO: Smart Power Monitors--Add Intelligence to Any Existing Server Rack

Calvin Nicholson walks us through Server Technology's new Smart Power Monitors in this video: Smart Power Monitors Video on Youtube

The dual input, dual output Smart Power Monitor PDU allows the ability to easily add input current load and power monitoring to any existing cabinet via an integral web based interface or through a serial connection.
This allows you to determine:
1) if there is available power to add additional devices to the cabinet.
2) if you are close to exceeding the circuit's capacity potentially leading to an over current protection device tripping and bringing down the input feed.
3) if each CDU is properly loaded to ensure redundancy when one of the two input feeds is lost.

This product is perfect for large storage solutions like SAN's where the CS-2HD can be added to existing installations to determine the power draw of these systems.
Note: In an A and B power input-feed configuration, each Cabinet Power Distribution Unit (CDU) should not be loaded to over 40% of the rated capacity to ensure that if one of the two power feeds is lost that the whole load can be supported by the remaining CDU

Visit the servertech website for more on Smart Power Monitors here

New VIDEO: Success Story - City of Provo, UT Data Center

Recently, we were fortunate enough to sit down with John Herzog, an IT Engineer for the City of Provo, Utah, and ask him a few questions in regards to his recent power distribution solution provided by Server Technology. 

Click here for his Testimonial on C-12H2-C20 Metered CDU.

We asked John about how his data center was, what power distribution solution he developed alongside his Server Tech Sales Rep, and the outcome.  If you're interested in more success stories from other Server Tech clients, please visit our main website at: http://www.servertech.com/solutions_pdus_POPS_SPM/PDU_Success_Stories/ 

Have you updated your Sentry Smart and Switched PDU firmware recently?

If you have not updated your Switched or Smart PDU firmware to version 6.0g, here are some features you may be missing.

• RADIUS Support
  RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) is a centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting service.  The Smart and Switched PDU firmware supports the authentication and authorization features of RADIUS. See release notes for details.

• User-defined session timeout periods
  Allows users with administrative access rights to adjust the session timeouts for both the web and command-line interfaces. This is particularly useful when the PDU needs to be accessed frequently throughout the day. The default timeout period is five minutes. Now admins can adjust the timeout period between one and 1440 minutes.

• Input Current Measurement Resolution Update
  For products that previously reported current (amp) in 0.25 A increments, this update increases the resolution to 0.125 A increments. For products that reported in 0.50 A increments, now report in 0.25 A increments. This update provides support for Server Technology's new Digital TRMS input current measurement hardware that provides 0.01 A resolution with better than 2% accuracy.

• Updates SSH Authentication Methods
  Allows admin to individually enable and disable the support SSH authentication methods (password and keyboard-interactive).

• New Smart Web GUI and other features
  Upgrading the firmware from v5.3x to v6.0x provides the user with a refreshed web GUI. Those that are familiar with the Server Technology Switched PDU interface will find many similarities. Additionally, the Smart v6.0x firmware will provide the ability to poll a supported networked UPS for voltage for a more accurate power (watt) calculation and a watts per area calculation.

To download the latest firmware visit the Server Technology website at www.servertech.com or our FTP site (http://tinyurl.com/ms3zzs).

Video: 60Amp 1U-wide 208V Switched PDU Demo

Andy Szeto, Product Manager, walks you through the CW-24V 60Amp 3-Phase 208V 1U-wide Switched CDU. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL4YdUZvkCc

Highlights of the video/CDU include:

• 60A, 3-Phase, 208V
• 1U-Wide/ 1.75" (44mm) Wide
• 21.6kW Solution
• Control Outlet State Via Web or Serial Interface
• Group Outlets as well as turn them: On, Off, or Reboot
• 3 Central LEDs
• Top Cord Entry for Overhead Busways
• 3-Phase Load Balancing
• Invert LEDs via Web GUI
• 21.6kW at 60A 3-phase/ 18kW at 50A 3-phase
• 6 Branch Circuits (3 C13 and 1 C19 per branch)
• Circuit Breakers
• Master and Expansion Unit controlled from a single IP Address
• Optional Temperature and Humidity Probe (2)
• Accessories: Sentry Power Manager (SPM)

New Video--POPS Switched PDU Key Features

Server Technology has uploaded a video to the web that shows the key features of our most intelligent PDU, the POPS (Per Outlet Power Sensing) Switched PDU. 

It can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/user/ServerTechnology#play/all/uploads-all/2/BrXllNhrPxM

This video will explain the features of a Server Tech Switched Power Distribution Unit as well as the capabilities of the POPS line.  Features highlighted include:

-2 Temperature and humidity probes

- Network capabilities

-Linking a master and expansion PDU

-3-Phase onsite LED Metering

-Mixed Outlet (C19/C13)

-Outlets on and off ability

-Remote reboot

-Grouping

-Retractable Fuses for quick installation

-Power Cycling to avoid current inrush

-POPS measurements including: Current, Voltage, Watts, Apparent Power, Crest Factor, and Power Factor

If you have any questions please contact a Server Technology Sales Representative.

Now Available New Server Tech Smart PDU - Smart 3 Phase 36 mixed outlet (24xC13 and 12xC19)

Smart CDU CS-36VD/VY (C13/C19)-3Ph is a 36 outlet is a 3 Phase rack mount pdu available in a Delta or Wye configuration. This unit is 208 Volt and is available as 50 or 60 Amps.  The CS-36VD/VY (C13/C19)-3Ph unit design provides a mix of (24) C13 outlets and (12) C19 outlets per branch.

With the increased focus by Data Center managers to monitor power consumption this Smart cabinet rack pdu provides local LED input current monitoring, which is also available within a Web gui interface.

All sentry units, including the Smart PDU line, can roll up data to our Sentry Power Manager device in order to report on power trending within your operations.

For more detailed power monitoring Server Tech developed the POPS or Per Outlet Power Sensing pdus which allow for power information including kW and kW-hour information on an outlet basis. 

New Smart Modular Basic CDU options

Server Technology has several new Basic CDU options that work in conjunction with our Smart Modular product.

For a full list of product details and specification on the Basic CDU configurations available, click here.

Imagine this…

It’s 3:13 in the morning and you’re awakened from a pleasant slumber by the beeping, whirring sound of your cell phone. It’s the data center. Notifying you that you’ve lost grid power and your UPS has gone on battery back-up.

While you stand there in your terry robe and fuzzy bunny slippers contemplating crawling back into your nice warm bed, time is ticking away for critical devices before they lose power completely.

As you throw on a wrinkled pair of jeans and yesterday’s t-shirt you’re calculating the time in your head. You know your UPS will last for 37 minutes on the current draw from your devices. You know it’s at least a 10 minute drive to the data center, 17 minutes total by the time you step foot inside.

You know this, because you’ve done all this before.

That gives you right around 20 minutes to safely shed all of your non-critical devices to expand the run-time of your UPS.

With very little traffic on the road at this hour your mind begins to wander. You wonder why the power dropped off this time. You picture a squirrel playing a tragic game of hop-scotch in a transformer field as you’re tires screech to a halt in the parking lot.

You check your watch as you flip on the lights in the data center. Twenty minutes remaining. You grab your keys and head for the cabinets…

WAIT!

What if this entire scenario never had to happen? What if you could expand the run time of your UPS by shedding non-critical devices while you sleep? Sound like a sweet dream?

With our cabinet power distribution units and smart load shedding feature, your CDU can communicate with your UPS. It will know when the UPS switches to battery, and with a little bit of configuration it can shed non-critical devices. You can also couple that with our remote shutdown agent, which will initiate a shutdown command to your servers before removing power.

All of which could save you hours of sleep and keep your systems running, while the public works electrician cleans up fried squirrel at 3:30 in the morning.

To find out more information, read our white paper “Smart Load Shedding Ensures Uptime”.

Modular Power Distribution

The modular power distribution unit came from a custom unit we did for one customer. Essentially we have segmented the CDU into modular pieces to facilitate mounting in dense cabinets.

The master unit contains the power in-feed, LED meters, one temperature/humidity probe input, serial connection, IP connection and link port to connect an expansion unit. The basic units make up the branches and offer 6 C13 and 2 C19 outlets per unit. For each master or expansion  unit we require you to have 3 of the basic units, so you could easily end up with 36 C13 and 12 C19 outlets if you have a master and expansion unit. We offer the basic units with different cord lengths of 18", 36" 54", or 72", allowing you to place the basic units anywhere in the cabinet you need them.

Right now we only have one unit in this Modular Power Distribution family, a 3 phase Wye unit, but we will be adding more very soon. Of course you'll have to keep checking back to find out what they are!

What Did We Do With the Fuses? (And more news from ServerTech)

If you haven't been over to our corporate site, ServerTech.com, in a while we invite to check all the new additions to our product line. The latest being a new 20 amp Switched 16V CDU. Some of you are going to look at that and say,

"Wait! What did you do with the fuses?"

We got rid of them! That's right, this brand new unit removes what some managers consider to be a critical point of failure, the fuse block. By doing so we've made the unit quite a bit smaller (39.5" long) compared to its fused brother (45.75" long), which will give you more flexibility in how and where you mount these CDUs. Of course this unit is also cheaper than its brethren.

I can already see the quizzical expressions... What about UL 60950-1 compliance?

Guess what, branch circuit protection isn't required on 20A units for UL compliance. It's only required on 30A or above. So we encourage you to go check it out and contact your sales representative for more information and to evaluate this cabinet power distribution unit now!

Sentry Firmware Version 6.0 Now Available!

After stumbling a bit to get this out, Version 6.0 of our Sentry firmware is now available. It offers some very cool new features including:

• New “look and Feel”
• Remote Shutdown Agent
• Smart Load Shedding
• Power Information
• LDAPS (LDAP over TLS/SSL)

Load Shedding The Smart Way

Also now available is our Smart Load Shedding feature. Server Technology is the first to offer data center managers the ability to automatically manage CDU power outlets based on key operating parameters. These key parameters include temperature, in-feed load and UPS power status. Each outlet can be controlled by one or more of these parameters. Should the temperature or load current exceed defined thresholds or the UPS lose power and go onto battery all or a portion of the load can be automatically shed to ensure longer operational life of your critical devices.
Check out the flash demonstration of Smart Load Shedding and find out how you can get it for free!