Panduit launches ES2P rack power unit for data centres

Panduit has launched the ES2P power distribution unit for rack-based compute environments, aimed at data centres, edge sites and enterprise IT spaces.

The managed rack PDU is designed to give IT and facilities teams rack-level visibility into power use while keeping deployment relatively simple. It is intended for environments ranging from core data centres to branch IT closets and technology refresh projects.

Demand for rack power management has grown as organisations add more computing infrastructure for cloud services, artificial intelligence workloads and distributed applications. That has increased pressure on operators to monitor power draw closely, maintain uptime and expand sites without adding unnecessary network and management complexity.

A main feature of the ES2P range is Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, with support for daisy chaining up to 16 units on a single IP address. This is intended to reduce the number of network connections and simplify address management across larger deployments, particularly in edge and distributed settings where local IT resources may be limited.

Panduit is positioning the product as a middle ground between basic power distribution and more fully featured intelligent power systems. The unit is available in managed and monitored configurations, allowing infrastructure teams to choose how much control they want over individual racks.

Operational focus

The ES2P is built to operate in ambient temperatures of up to 55C, reflecting the hotter conditions often found in dense racks and constrained edge locations. It also delivers metering accuracy within plus or minus 2%, intended to provide a more dependable picture of rack-level power consumption.

It also features a hot-swappable controller and display, allowing maintenance or component replacement without shutting down the rack and reducing the risk of service interruption during repairs or routine servicing.

Installation has been designed to suit different rack layouts. The unit comes in 0U and 1U form factors, with tool-less mounting hardware and 18.4mm mounting buttons for use in Panduit cabinets and third-party enclosures. A manually rotatable LCD helps technicians read information regardless of how the PDU is mounted.

Security measures

Security is a significant part of the ES2P specification, reflecting the sensitivity of power infrastructure in critical IT environments. The unit supports SNMPv3, TLS, HTTPS and SSH, and includes role-based access controls and encrypted firmware updates.

These measures are increasingly relevant as operators connect more infrastructure devices to central monitoring systems without creating additional points of weakness. Intelligent PDUs, while useful for monitoring and control, sit close to mission-critical systems and are now expected to face the same scrutiny as other networked equipment.

The ES2P is designed to work with Panduit management tools and third-party data centre infrastructure management platforms through SNMP. It is also compatible with SiteCommand and Cisco Nexus Dashboard, allowing operators to feed rack power data into existing workflows rather than manage it through a separate interface.

Broad market

Panduit says the product is suitable for a wide range of sectors. In healthcare, that includes hospitals, clinics and medical networks. In education, it covers campus IT infrastructure supporting classrooms, laboratories and online learning systems. Financial services sites, including branches, ATM networks and trading systems, are another target area.

The company also sees potential demand in industrial IT settings, small and mid-sized enterprise data centres, branch offices and expansion projects where budgets are under pressure. In these cases, buyers often want monitored power distribution with core network and security functions, but may not need the more specialised features associated with premium systems.

Panduit, based in Tinley Park, Illinois, operates in physical and electrical infrastructure for data centres, industrial environments and building automation. It has offices in 112 locations worldwide and employs more than 6,400 people.

The ES2P comes with a standard three-year warranty, with a further two years available through product registration, for a total registered warranty of five years.