PDU (Power Distribution Unit)

A PDU (power distribution unit) is equipment that distributes electrical power to IT hardware in a data center. The term covers two levels: floor-standing PDUs that step down and distribute power from the UPS to rows of racks, and rack PDUs — the power strips inside cabinets that feed individual servers. Rack PDUs range from basic (dumb outlets) to metered and switched models that report per-outlet power draw and allow remote reboot of individual devices. Racks are typically fed by two rack PDUs on independent A and B circuits for redundancy, matching dual-corded servers. Common rack PDU ratings run from 3.7 kW single-phase to 40+ kW three-phase for AI racks, with intelligent PDUs feeding consumption data into DCIM platforms.