Vertiv VP6N31A3 Monitored Outlet-Level Rack PDU, 30A 208V 3-Phase 8.6kW Horizontal
Overview
The Vertiv VP6N31A3 is a horizontal 0U rack PDU engineered for high-density data center and enterprise server rooms where per-outlet visibility is non-negotiable. Running at 30A on 208V delta three-phase (NEMA L15-30P input), it delivers up to 8.6kW of usable power across 12 mixed C13/C19 outlets — enough headroom for fully loaded 1U and 2U servers side by side on the same strip. If you're managing power draw at the device level and need audit-grade monitoring without a separate inline meter, the VP6N31A3 is purpose-built for that workflow.
The horizontal 0U mounting profile means it drops into a standard 1U rack slot, keeping your vertical PDU real estate free for denser deployments. A 3-meter input cord gives enough slack to reach the top-of-rack or overhead busway without cable management gymnastics.
Key Features
- Per-Outlet Current, Power, and Voltage Monitoring: The VP6N31A3 measures current, power, and voltage at each individual outlet — not just at the input. That means you can identify exactly which device is spiking, document baseline power draw per server for capacity planning, and catch creeping load imbalances before they trip a breaker.
- 12 Mixed C13/C19 Outlets: Eight C13 and four C19 receptacles (verify exact split against the outlet layout label) accommodate standard 1U servers and power-hungry storage arrays or high-wattage networking gear on the same unit. No need for adapter pigtails just because you mixed workloads in the rack.
- 30A / 208V Three-Phase Input via NEMA L15-30P: Three-phase delta input at 200–240V with 50/60 Hz support means this unit is compatible with international PDU infrastructure as well as North American 208V three-phase panels. The L15-30P plug is the standard termination for 3-phase 30A circuits — verify your panel has the matching receptacle before racking.
- 8.6kW Total Capacity: At 8.6kW, there's enough overhead to load the rack to roughly 80% (a safe operational ceiling) while staying within the breaker's continuous rating. Plan for 6.9kW sustained if you're following NEC 80% rule — that comfortably handles 10–12 fully loaded 1U compute nodes.
- LED Display: The onboard LED provides at-a-glance local readings — useful during initial rack commissioning or when network access is unavailable. No laptop required to confirm the unit has power and is reading load correctly.
- SNMP v1/v2c/v3 + Modbus TCP: Full SNMP support means this PDU integrates natively into any enterprise NMS (Nagios, PRTG, SolarWinds, Zabbix). Modbus TCP extends compatibility to BMS and DCIM platforms that expect industrial register maps. SNMP v3 adds encrypted authentication — important for compliance environments.
- HTTPS, SSH, RADIUS, LDAP, TACACS+: The full enterprise authentication stack is present. RADIUS and TACACS+ mean you can federate PDU access into your existing AAA infrastructure rather than managing local credentials on 40 PDUs individually. LDAP integration supports Active Directory environments.
- IPv4/IPv6 Dual-Stack with DHCP: Native IPv6 support future-proofs the unit for environments already transitioning or planning to transition address spaces. DHCP auto-configuration speeds initial deployment; static assignment is available for production environments requiring fixed management IPs.
- NTP + Syslog + SMTP Alerting: Synchronized timestamps across all PDU logs (via NTP) make cross-correlating power events with server logs actually useful. Syslog export feeds your SIEM. SMTP alerts send threshold breach notifications directly to operations staff without requiring a separate monitoring server.
- USB + RJ-45 Serial Console + 1GbE Management Port: The USB port supports local access or firmware update workflows. The serial console is a reliable out-of-band path when network connectivity fails — critical for power management devices where a lost network link can't be the reason you can't see load data.
Integration and Compatibility
The VP6N31A3's protocol breadth is its main integration story. SNMP v3 covers the broadest range of rack PDU management platforms. Modbus TCP bridges it to Vertiv's own DCIM tools as well as third-party BMS platforms common in colocation and enterprise facilities. The RSTP (Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol) network support suggests the management port can participate in a redundant management network topology — useful in environments where management switches use ring or mesh topologies.
For teams deploying Vertiv power infrastructure at scale, the VP6N31A3 fits into the Geist rPDU family managed via Vertiv's Trellis or third-party DCIM platforms. SNMP MIB files are typically available from Vertiv's support portal for NMS integration. Pair this PDU with a managed network switch on a dedicated out-of-band management VLAN for cleanest separation of production and management traffic.
The 200–240V input range and 50/60Hz compatibility make this unit suitable for global deployments — particularly relevant for multinational enterprises standardizing on a single PDU model across North American and European data halls, provided the local three-phase circuit terminates at an L15-30P receptacle or an appropriate adapter is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What input plug does the VP6N31A3 use and what panel circuit does it require?
A: The VP6N31A3 uses a NEMA L15-30P plug, which is the standard termination for 30A three-phase 208V delta circuits. Verify your panel has a matching L15-30 receptacle before deployment. The unit accepts 200–240V at 50 or 60 Hz.
Q: Does the VP6N31A3 monitor power at each outlet individually or only at the input?
A: It monitors at the outlet level — current, power, and voltage are measured per outlet. This is the key differentiator of the monitored outlet-level class versus basic monitored PDUs that only track input-level load.
Q: What network management protocols does the VP6N31A3 support?
A: The unit supports SNMP v1/v2c/v3, Modbus TCP, HTTP/HTTPS, SSH, RADIUS, LDAP, TACACS+, NTP, SMTP, Syslog, DHCP, IPv4, and IPv6. This covers integration with enterprise NMS platforms, DCIM systems, BMS environments, and Active Directory/RADIUS authentication infrastructure.
Q: How many outlets does the VP6N31A3 have and what outlet types are included?
A: The unit provides 12 AC outlets total, combining C13 (standard server IEC) and C19 (high-wattage IEC) receptacles. This mixed configuration accommodates both standard 1U servers and higher-draw storage or networking equipment on the same strip.
Q: Does the VP6N31A3 take up rack space?
A: No. It is a 0U horizontal PDU, meaning it mounts in a standard 1U rack slot without consuming vertical rack unit space that would otherwise hold servers or networking gear. The input cord is 3 meters long.
Q: Is the VP6N31A3 suitable for international data center deployments?
A: The 200–240V input range and 50/60Hz frequency support make it compatible with both North American 208V and international 230V three-phase infrastructure, provided the local circuit uses or adapts to the NEMA L15-30P receptacle.
The VP6N31A3 sits in a specific niche I see come up repeatedly in dense compute deployments: you need per-outlet current and power telemetry — not just input-level load — but you don't want the cost or complexity of switched PDUs where remote outlet control is unnecessary and just adds firmware attack surface. The 30A / 208V three-phase L15-30P input with an 8.6kW capacity gives you real headroom on a fully loaded half-rack of 1U servers, and the mixed C13/C19 outlet set means you're not fighting adapter cables when you drop in a high-draw storage shelf.
Technical Highlights:
- Outlet-Level Monitoring (Current, Power, Voltage): Per-outlet telemetry at all three electrical parameters lets you build accurate per-server PUE baselines and catch load drift before it becomes a capacity problem — something input-only monitored PDUs simply can't provide.
- SNMP v3 + Modbus TCP: SNMP v3 with encrypted auth integrates cleanly into any enterprise NMS without opening a cleartext management channel. Modbus TCP is the right addition for facilities teams running BMS platforms — both protocols can run simultaneously, so the IT and facilities teams can each pull the data they need independently.
- RADIUS / LDAP / TACACS+ Authentication: Federated AAA means zero local credential sprawl across your PDU fleet. In a 200-PDU deployment this isn't a nice-to-have — it's the only operationally sane approach. The VP6N31A3 supports all three, so it fits whether your shop standardizes on RADIUS, TACACS+, or AD/LDAP.
Deployment Considerations:
- The NEMA L15-30P plug is specific to 30A three-phase delta circuits — confirm panel receptacle type before racking. A mismatch here means a field electrician visit, not a quick swap.
- 0U horizontal mounting occupies a 1U slot in the rack. If you're running a fully populated 42U cabinet, account for this slot in your rack layout planning — it's not truly zero rack-unit in a filled rack.
This PDU is the right call for colocation tenants and enterprise data center operators who need granular power telemetry integrated into an existing NMS or DCIM platform, particularly in three-phase 208V environments where per-device power accountability is required for chargeback, capacity planning, or compliance reporting.
