Panduit launches managed rack PDU for data centres

Panduit has launched the ES2P Power Distribution Unit for managed rack power distribution in data centres, edge sites and enterprise computing environments.

The rack PDU is aimed at teams that want monitoring and management features without redesigning their rack infrastructure. It is intended for data centre operators, facilities teams and IT departments managing equipment in central sites, branch locations and smaller server rooms.

ES2P is available in managed and monitored configurations, with 0U and 1U form factors. It supports tool-less mounting in Panduit cabinets and third-party racks, while a manually rotatable LCD display is designed to improve readability in tight spaces.

At network level, the product includes Gigabit Ethernet connectivity and supports daisy chaining for up to 16 PDUs on a single IP address. This is intended to reduce the number of network connections needed as rack deployments grow, particularly in distributed environments where local support may be limited.

Operational design

Panduit has placed reliability and serviceability at the centre of the launch. ES2P is rated to operate at full load in ambient temperatures of up to 55°C, targeting dense rack environments where heat loads can rise quickly.

The unit also offers metering accuracy of plus or minus 2%, giving operators rack-level power data for monitoring and planning. A hot-swappable controller and display allow maintenance to be carried out without shutting down the rack.

These features reflect broader pressure on operators to keep equipment running while meeting higher compute demand from cloud services, artificial intelligence workloads and digital transformation projects. In many installations, rack power equipment is facing greater scrutiny as operators seek more precise visibility into usage and resilience.

Security features

ES2P supports SNMPv3, TLS, HTTPS and SSH, alongside role-based access controls and encrypted firmware updates. These measures are intended to help organisations deploy intelligent power equipment in environments with stricter security requirements.

The unit can also be integrated with Panduit management tools and third-party data centre infrastructure management platforms through SNMP. Panduit also cited compatibility with SiteCommand and Cisco Nexus Dashboard, allowing rack power information to be viewed within existing monitoring systems.

This matters for operators that want power data folded into existing workflows rather than managed through a separate process. In larger estates, another management layer can increase operational complexity for already stretched infrastructure teams.

Broad market

Panduit is positioning the product across a wide range of vertical sectors. It identified healthcare, education, finance, industrial IT, branch IT closets and small to mid-sized enterprise data centres as target settings, along with rack refresh projects and expansion work where budgets are constrained.

In hospitals and clinics, managed rack power can support equipment tied to clinical networks and digital records systems. On university and school campuses, the same type of hardware is increasingly used to monitor power supplying teaching systems, labs and online learning infrastructure spread across multiple buildings.

Financial institutions and industrial operators present another use case because they often manage dispersed networks with a mix of legacy and newer equipment. For these customers, the value of remote visibility lies as much in reducing site visits as in gathering more accurate power data.

Warranty terms

ES2P is supplied with a three-year standard warranty. Customers can extend that by two years through product registration, bringing the total registered warranty period to five years.

Panduit, based in Tinley Park, Illinois, says it employs more than 6,400 people and operates from 112 locations worldwide. The ES2P launch fits into its broader push to serve physical and electrical infrastructure markets across data centres, industrial automation and buildings.

The product is intended to give infrastructure teams rack-level visibility and control while allowing them to expand deployments without adding unnecessary network overhead.