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RF Code Wire-Free PDU Sensor Tag Integration for Raritan

RF Code and Raritan have worked collaboratively to integrate RF Code’s wire-free sensor technology with Raritan’s industry leading rack power distribution units (PDUs).  The result of this effort is the RF Code R170 PDU Sensor Tag for Raritan which enables data center managers to monitor real-time power consumption and utilization via RF Code’s wire-free sensor network and Sensor Manager application. The RF Code R170 PDU Sensor Tag works in concert with Raritan’s “RF Code Ready” PX family of rack PDUs.

The easy-to-deploy wireless RF Code & Raritan solution enables IT racks to be instrumented quickly for power monitoring and eliminates the time and cost associated with expensive wired Ethernet connections.  Deploying the joint solution simply involves installing the Raritan PDU into the rack and then plugging an RF Code sensor tag into a Raritan PDU.  All IP address association, configuration, and IP address maintenance is eliminated drastically reducing the cost of PDU power monitoring.

The R170 PDU Sensor Tag simply plugs into the sensor port on the Raritan PX PDU via a locking RJ12 connector.  When connected, the R170 PDU Sensor Tag collects vital power usage statistics and transmits the information using RF Code’s patented radio frequency technology to an RF Code Reader which is connected to the Ethernet network.  The RF Code Readers decode all of the RF transmitted data which is then collected by RF Code’s applications (Zone Manager, Sensor Manager, and Asset Manager).

The PDU Sensor Tag data collection and reporting cycle involves sets of data at two levels of timeliness.  The most critical power information is reported every 10 minutes and while information that is less time critical is reported every hour.  These cycles result in the following reporting periods:

  • Per-Phase voltage/power-factor/watt-hours transmitted every 10 minutes
  • Per-breaker amperage transmitted every hour
  • Per-socket watt-hours and configuration transmitted every hour
  • Per-socket power-factor transmitted every hour
  • PDU model and PDU serial number packets transmitted at least once per hour
  • Per -breaker tripped status is sent in real-time upon a state change

The PDU Sensor Tag for Raritan provides the following power attributes which are surfaced in the RF Code Zone Manager middleware as well as the  Sensor Manager and Asset Manager applications:

  • Main PDU Data:
    • PDU Model
    • PDU Disconnected
    • PDU Serial Number
    • PDU Active Power
    • PDU Apparent Power
    • PDU Total Active Power Used
    • PDU Total Apparent Power Used
    • PDU Total Power Start Time
  • PDU Phase Data:
    • Phase Active Power
    • Phase Amperage
    • Phase Apparent Power
    • Phase Power Factor
    • Phase Total Active Power Used
    • Phase Total Apparent Power Used
    • Phase Total Power Start Time
    • Phase Voltage (L-L)
    • Phase Voltage (L-N)
  • PDU Outlet Data:
    • Outlet Active Power
    • Outlet Amperage
    • Outlet Apparent Power
    • Outlet Total Active Power Used
    • Outlet Total Apparent Power Used
    • Outlet Total Power Start Time
    • Outlet Voltage
  • PDU Breaker Data:
    • Breaker Amperage
    • Breaker Tripped

By utilizing the power calculated attribute feature of RF Code’s Asset Manager and Sensor Manager applications, Active Power and Apparent Power metrics can be produced for the various locations defined such as the rack, the row, and the entire data center.  Furthermore all of the power information described above is available for use by Asset Manager and Sensor Manager’s data management features such as:

  • Live table views
  • Map views
  • Interactive graphing
  • Scheduled reporting and graphing
  • Alerting and thresholds

The following illustrations show the information collected by the RF Code PDU Sensor Tag for Raritan being utilized by Sensor Manager and Asset Manager in a variety of different ways: