FEATURE : DATA CENTERS
• If your power density goes beyond what a C19 or other standard outlets can deliver .
Gaining an Edge with PDUs
Edge Computing occurs at or near the user ’ s physical location or the source of the data . By placing computing services closer to these locations , users benefit from faster , more reliable services .
The explosive growth of IoT devices and new applications that require real-time computing power continues to drive Edge Computing systems .
Marc Cram , Director of New Market Development at Legrand
Edge Computing can occur in harsh environments like manufacturing facilities , warehouses , or outdoor locations ( for example , oil rigs and mobile phone towers ). These demanding environments may require the Edge data center to operate in sizeable operating temperature ranges , which impose the need for support for environmental sensors .
• The likelihood of little or no airflow to cool the PDU suggests convection outside the rack cools the PDU .
• Taller racks with more servers generate high outlet density situations .
• The need for high power density for the racks may necessitate PDUs with monitoring capabilities .
AI poses possible predicaments for PDUs
Artificial Intelligence regularly produces incredible accomplishments with computers , learning the subtleties of language , becoming your emotional health assistant , beating humans at Jeopardy and driving your car . But all these accomplishments require astonishing amounts of computing power – and electricity – to devise and train algorithms .
A unique aspect of AI applications is their high internal bandwidth between boxes / nodes and optical connections , which can be power intensive . When designing a power distribution plan for an AI facility , you often face similar challenges as you would with a supercomputer facility .
• AI facilities often require the use of
custom racks , which demand ingenuity in the location of PDUs .
• High density and higher power installations test the limitations of standard PDUs .
Their placement at the data source may demand remote management capabilities and limited remote access control . Therefore , Edge Computing offers some distinctive challenges :
• Presents a case for remotely monitoring power consumption .
• PDUs that have onboard communications capable of scheduling outlet power on and off .
• PDUs capable of shedding the power load to maximize battery power uptime if the unit exceeds thresholds .
• Your operating environment dictates that the PDU go beyond the usual 0 – 60 degrees celsius .
When custom power components are the only real solution
As stated above , off-the-shelf and semi-custom solutions for remote access , power and white space infrastructure satisfy the needs of most enterprise and SMB data center applications .
However , the self-imposed drive for ongoing improvements in efficiency and sustainability worldwide has led HPC installations , AI applications , hyperscale data centers and telecom operators to seek novel custom solutions to layout , power density , cooling and connectivity . The push for renewable energy sources also influences the use of DC power versus conventional AC power . p
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