When working with electronics, everyone has had the experience of running out of outlets to plug devices into. Most people would head down to the local hardware store and just grab a power strip, but for certain applications is that really the best and safest option? What is the difference between a power strip and a PDU? Let’s examine the facts.
Power Strip
The best thing about power strips is that they are very affordable and very convenient. They offer many options including the length of the power cord, number of outlets and surge protections. For the vast majority of situations at both home and small businesses, a high-end power strip would be more than enough to provide the right amount of power and protection to devices.
PDU
A PDU (Power Distribution Unit) is, in the simplest terms, essentially an industrial grade power strip. In addition to everything a power strip can offer, a PDU can do much more. For example, Triplite’s PDUs can offer remote managing, where you can log into the PDU through the network to access individual outlets, Automatic Device Reboot when the PDU can’t ping the router, as well as Environmental Monitoring where temperature and humidity is monitored. In addition, PDUs can come with a mixture of outlet types for different applications.
Types of PDUs
- Basic – Your standard PDU
- Metered – Focuses on load management and preventing overloads
- Monitored – Remote access from any location (plus all of the benefits of a metered PDU)
- Switched – Ability to remote access and reboot an individual outlet (plus all of the benefits of monitored PDU)
In larger companies, companies where there isn’t an IT professional on site, and those who are looking for more peace of mind, a PDU is going to be the answer to any power related issue. Which PDU will work best for you? Check out Triplite’s buying guide.