Vertiv Rpdu Monitored Outlet Level EC 16A or 20A 120V or 208V or 230V 1.9KW or 3.3K - VP6U20A1

Vertiv VP6U20A1 Monitored Outlet-Level Rack PDU

Overview

The Vertiv VP6U20A1 is a 1U horizontal rack power distribution unit designed for data center, server room, and network closet deployments where granular outlet-level monitoring is the baseline requirement — not a premium add-on. Supporting input voltages from 100 V to 240 V with a maximum 20 A draw and 3,600 W capacity, the VP6U20A1 handles both North American 208 V three-phase-leg and international 230 V single-phase environments from a single SKU. The C20 inlet plug mates directly to standard PDU-grade whips and inline meters already common in most rack deployments.

Twenty-four outlets — a mix of C13 and C19 receptacles — means this unit covers everything from 1U servers and switches (C13) through high-draw storage arrays and larger UPS bypass loads (C19) without requiring outlet adapters. The LCD display gives local technicians real-time load visibility without a laptop or network hop, which matters during maintenance windows when the network itself may be under service.

Key Features

• 24 Mixed C13/C19 Outlets: High outlet density in 1U of rack space reduces the number of PDUs required per cabinet. C19 receptacles handle higher-draw loads like GPU servers and dense storage without adapters — plan your outlet-type ratio against your actual device manifest before ordering.
• 20 A / 3,600 W Maximum Capacity: At 20 A input the VP6U20A1 delivers up to 3.6 kW continuous — enough headroom for a fully loaded 42U cabinet running at 70–80% utilization. Pair with a 20 A circuit breaker and appropriately rated whip for code compliance.
• 100–240 V Input Range: A single unit covers 120 V NA deployments, 208 V data center PDPs, and 230 V international or colocation environments. Useful for organizations running mixed-voltage facilities or staging equipment before final colo placement.
• LCD Local Display: Real-time current and load readings visible at the unit — no console session or SNMP walk required during physical rack work. Reduces the time a technician spends crawling cabling to locate the right PDU in a dense row.
• Dual RJ-45 Ethernet Ports: Two network ports support daisy-chaining or dedicated management network separation. In high-security environments, keeping PDU management on an out-of-band network isolated from production traffic is standard practice — the second port makes that straightforward without a separate switch port aggregator.
• Protocol Depth — SNMP v1/v2c/v3, HTTPS, SSH, LDAP, RADIUS, TACACS+: SNMP v3 with LDAP/RADIUS/TACACS+ integration means the VP6U20A1 fits into enterprise authentication frameworks without local credential management. HTTPS and SSH enforce encrypted management sessions; HTTP-only access can be disabled. Modbus TCP extends reach to BMS and DCIM platforms that don't speak SNMP.
• IPv4 and IPv6 Dual-Stack: Native IPv6 support future-proofs the management plane for organizations migrating colocation or enterprise data center infrastructure. No NAT workarounds needed in IPv6-native segments.
• 1U Horizontal Mounting: Horizontal 1U form factor integrates into standard 19-inch racks without consuming the vertical runway space that zero-U vertical PDUs require. At 51 mm wide and 1,683 mm deep, verify your rack's internal depth accommodates the unit with cable management arms still in place.
• Serial + USB Management Ports: One serial port and one USB port provide out-of-band console access for initial configuration or recovery when the network management interface is unreachable — important in environments where PDU IP configuration is done pre-rack in a staging area.
• Syslog and SMTP Alerting: Native syslog output feeds directly into SIEM and log aggregation platforms. SMTP alerting dispatches email notifications on threshold breaches without requiring a separate SNMP trap receiver — useful in smaller deployments without a full DCIM stack.

Integration and Compatibility

The VP6U20A1's protocol suite — rack PDU management via SNMP v3, Modbus TCP, HTTPS, and SSH — integrates with leading DCIM platforms, BMS controllers, and NMS solutions. RADIUS and TACACS+ authentication enables role-based access control aligned with existing enterprise AAA infrastructure. NTP support keeps timestamps consistent across log and alert data for correlation in SIEM environments. RSTP on the network side prevents management network loops in daisy-chained PDU deployments.

For Vertiv power and thermal management environments already running Vertiv Environet or Trellis DCIM, the VP6U20A1 slots into the managed device tree natively. The dual Ethernet ports also support UPS and power infrastructure topologies where PDU management traffic is isolated from production network segments.

When planning outlet-level monitoring across a full cabinet row, consider pairing with appropriate monitored PDU accessories and cable management for a clean installation. Organizations evaluating rack density should also review rack and enclosure options for depth and airflow compatibility before finalizing the VP6U20A1 deployment footprint.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What input plug type does the VP6U20A1 use?

A: The VP6U20A1 uses a C20 coupler input, which is the standard IEC 60320 20 A inlet. It connects directly to PDU-grade power whips and inline metered outlets common in data center raised-floor and overhead busway environments.

Q: How many outlets does the VP6U20A1 provide, and what types?

A: The VP6U20A1 provides 24 AC outlets total, consisting of C13 and C19 receptacles. C13 outlets handle standard 1U/2U server and networking loads; C19 outlets accommodate higher-draw equipment such as GPU servers, high-density storage, and large UPS connections.

Q: Does the VP6U20A1 support SNMP v3?

A: Yes. The VP6U20A1 supports SNMP v1, v2c, and v3. SNMPv3 provides authentication and encryption for management traffic, and is the recommended configuration for any enterprise or colocation deployment with a security baseline requirement.

Q: Can the VP6U20A1 integrate with LDAP, RADIUS, or TACACS+ authentication systems?

A: Yes. The VP6U20A1 supports LDAP, RADIUS, and TACACS+ natively. This allows administrators to manage PDU access through existing enterprise directory services and AAA infrastructure rather than maintaining local credentials on each unit.

Q: What is the maximum power capacity of the VP6U20A1?

A: The VP6U20A1 supports a maximum current of 20 A and a maximum power of 3,600 W (3.6 kW). Input voltage range is 100–240 V, covering 120 V, 208 V, and 230 V single-phase environments.

Q: Does the VP6U20A1 support IPv6?

A: Yes. The VP6U20A1 supports both IPv4 and IPv6 on its management network interface, enabling deployment in dual-stack or IPv6-native data center environments without additional configuration workarounds.

Ted Perry

The VP6U20A1 stands out in the monitored PDU category specifically because of its protocol depth — SNMP v3, LDAP, RADIUS, TACACS+, Modbus TCP, and Syslog in a single 1U unit means you're not patching around authentication or logging gaps after the fact. In colocation and enterprise data center deployments where audit trails and access control policies extend to physical power infrastructure, that matters from day one.

Technical Highlights:

• 24 C13/C19 Outlets at 20 A / 3.6 kW: High outlet density in 1U avoids the cost and cabling complexity of deploying two PDUs per cabinet. The C19 positions handle GPU and storage loads without adapters — map your device manifest against outlet types before finalizing quantity.
• Dual RJ-45 with RSTP: Two Ethernet ports support both daisy-chained PDU management topologies and dedicated out-of-band network separation. RSTP prevents loops in daisy-chain configurations — configure it before connecting the second port in a ring.
• 100–240 V Input Range: One SKU covers 120 V NA, 208 V data center, and 230 V international circuits. For organizations staging equipment before colocation deployment, this eliminates the risk of ordering the wrong input-voltage variant.

Deployment Considerations:

• At 1,683 mm depth, verify your cabinet's internal usable depth with cable management arms deployed — some mid-market 1000 mm cabinets lose 150–200 mm to arm assemblies, which puts the VP6U20A1 right at the edge of the usable depth envelope.
• The C20 inlet requires a matching C19-to-C20 whip from your PDU or UPS output — confirm whip ampacity and circuit breaker rating match the 20 A maximum before energizing. Undersized whips are the most common commissioning error on high-density PDU deployments.

The VP6U20A1 is the right unit for colocation deployments and enterprise data center rows where DCIM integration, enterprise AAA, and outlet-level monitoring are required from initial rack-and-stack — not retrofitted after a capacity incident.