Vertiv VP4N60A5 Monitored Vertical Rack PDU, 60A 208V 9.9kW
Overview
The Vertiv VP4N60A5 is a single-phase, 60A/208V monitored vertical rack PDU delivering 9.9kW of capacity across 24 IEC C13 locking outlets — the right call for high-density data center cabinets and colocation deployments where per-outlet visibility into current and power draw is non-negotiable. Mounting vertically in the cabinet zero-depth footprint, the VP4N60A5 leaves every U-slot free for compute and storage while its dual-port Ethernet management interface keeps the unit reachable even if primary network access drops. The IEC 60309 input plug matches standard 60A PDU whips used throughout enterprise and colo environments, so integration into an existing power chain is straightforward.
The unit-level monitoring engine tracks current, voltage, power, and temperature in real time and reports through a broad protocol stack — SNMP v1/v2c/v3, Modbus TCP, HTTPS, SSH, and more — so it fits into virtually any DCIM, BMS, or NMS platform already in the stack. The LED display on the unit provides at-a-glance status without requiring a laptop, and the daisy-chain capability lets you link multiple units over a single network port allocation, an important consideration in dense multi-cabinet rows.
Key Features
- 60A / 208V Input, 9.9kW Capacity: Drawing from a single IEC 60309 60A input circuit, the VP4N60A5 delivers 9.9kW of usable power — enough to serve a fully populated cabinet of 1U/2U servers without splitting load across multiple PDUs or adding cable complexity. Running a single high-capacity PDU instead of two 30A units also halves the number of managed endpoints in your DCIM.
- 24 Locking IEC C13 Outlets: All 24 outlets are locking C13 connectors, which mechanically retain the power cord and prevent accidental disconnection under vibration or during cable management work nearby. In a colo or edge environment where cord pulls are a root cause of unplanned outages, this is a meaningful operational safeguard.
- Unit-Level Metering — Current, Voltage, Power, Temperature: The VP4N60A5 measures all four parameters at the unit level and exposes them over the network. This gives power and facilities teams the data to validate actual load versus circuit capacity, catch thermal anomalies early, and produce the per-circuit utilization reports most colocation contracts require.
- Dual Ethernet (RJ-45) Ports: Two RJ-45 management ports support daisy-chaining multiple PDUs without consuming additional switch ports, and provide a failover path if one connection is disrupted. In a deployment with 10–20 PDUs across a cabinet row, this cuts your managed-network port consumption significantly.
- Broad Protocol Support — SNMP v3, Modbus TCP, RADIUS, TACACS+, LDAP: The VP4N60A5 speaks SNMP v1/v2c/v3, Modbus TCP, HTTP/HTTPS, SSH, SMTP, RADIUS, TACACS+, LDAP, NTP, Syslog, DHCP, IPv4/IPv6, and RSTP. SNMP v3 means encrypted, authenticated polling — a hard requirement in PCI-DSS and SOC 2 environments. RADIUS and TACACS+ integration means PDU access can be governed by the same authentication infrastructure as your network gear, eliminating local credential sprawl.
- Vertical Mounting, Zero-U Footprint: Vertical installation in the side channel of the rack preserves every rack unit for revenue-generating equipment. The 3-meter input cord provides enough reach to route cleanly to a floor-mount PDU whip or overhead busway without intermediate extensions.
- LED Display and Reset Button: The onboard LED display shows operational status at a glance without requiring a network connection or management software — useful during initial commissioning and during outage triage when the network itself may be down. The hardware reset button provides a recovery path if the management module locks up without requiring a physical power cycle of connected loads.
- Daisy-Chain Support: Linking units in a daisy chain reduces switch-port consumption in high-PDU-count deployments. Combined with the dual RJ-45 ports, this makes it practical to manage a full cabinet row of VP4N60A5 units from a single switch port.
- 50/60 Hz Input Frequency Compatibility: The 200–240V / 50–60 Hz input range covers both North American 208V 3-phase branch circuits and international 230V single-phase infrastructure, giving this unit a degree of reuse flexibility if equipment is relocated between facilities.
Integration and Compatibility
The VP4N60A5 supports IPv4 and IPv6 natively, making it compatible with modern dual-stack data center networks without additional configuration. DHCP support simplifies initial IP assignment in large rollouts, while NTP keeps timestamps consistent across distributed DCIM logs — important when correlating power events with server or network incidents. Syslog forwarding integrates with SIEM platforms for centralized event management. The Modbus TCP protocol makes this unit compatible with building management systems (BMS) and facility SCADA platforms that do not speak SNMP. RSTP (Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol) support means the dual Ethernet ports can participate in a redundant network topology without creating loops. The USB port (1x) supports local management and firmware updates without requiring network access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What input plug does the VP4N60A5 use?
A: The VP4N60A5 uses an IEC 60309 input plug, the standard industrial connector for 60A PDU circuit whips used in enterprise data centers and colocation facilities.
Q: How many outlets does the VP4N60A5 have, and what type are they?
A: The unit has 24 IEC C13 locking outlets. The locking mechanism mechanically retains power cords to prevent accidental disconnection.
Q: What does the VP4N60A5 monitor at the unit level?
A: The VP4N60A5 monitors current, power, temperature, and voltage at the unit level. These metrics are accessible via SNMP, Modbus TCP, HTTPS, and other supported protocols.
Q: Does the VP4N60A5 support SNMP v3?
A: Yes. The VP4N60A5 supports SNMP v1, v2c, and v3. SNMP v3 provides encrypted, authenticated communication, which is a requirement in PCI-DSS and SOC 2 environments.
Q: Can multiple VP4N60A5 units be daisy-chained?
A: Yes. The VP4N60A5 includes daisy-chain support and dual RJ-45 Ethernet ports, allowing multiple units to be managed from a single network switch port — a practical advantage in high-PDU-count cabinet rows.
Q: What authentication protocols does the VP4N60A5 support for management access?
A: The VP4N60A5 supports RADIUS, TACACS+, and LDAP for management authentication, allowing PDU access control to be governed by enterprise directory and AAA infrastructure.
The VP4N60A5 sits in a specific sweet spot: a 60A/208V vertical PDU with unit-level metering, 24 locking C13 outlets, and a protocol stack broad enough to integrate with DCIM, BMS, and SIEM platforms without custom middleware. If you're running high-density cabinets in a managed colo or a private data hall and need per-PDU power and temperature telemetry without per-outlet switching overhead, this is the unit to evaluate.
Technical Highlights:
- 9.9kW Capacity via IEC 60309 Input: Pulling the full 60A at 208V gives you 9.9kW per PDU — enough for a fully loaded 42U cabinet of modern compute without splitting across multiple circuits or PDU pairs. That simplifies your power chain and reduces the number of circuit whips you need to provision per cabinet.
- SNMP v3 + RADIUS/TACACS+ Authentication: SNMPv3 with encrypted polling is a hard requirement in regulated environments. Pairing that with RADIUS or TACACS+ for management-plane authentication means you're not managing local PDU credentials separately from your network AAA — one less credential set to audit when SOC 2 time comes around.
- Dual RJ-45 + Daisy-Chain: Two Ethernet ports with daisy-chain support let you string a full cabinet row of VP4N60A5 units and present them as a single logical management chain to your upstream switch. In a 10-cabinet row, that's potentially 10 switch ports saved versus individual connections.
Deployment Considerations:
- Unit-level metering gives you aggregate cabinet-level visibility, but if your SLA requires per-outlet current logging — for chargeback billing by tenant or rack slot — evaluate whether a switched/outlet-metered variant in the Vertiv Geist line meets that requirement before purchasing the VP4N60A5.
- The 3-meter input cord is generous for most vertical PDU installations, but confirm your cabinet's whip routing distance before ordering — in very deep or non-standard enclosures the cord path can be longer than expected.
For enterprise data centers, edge facilities, or colocation deployments that need solid unit-level power and thermal telemetry without the cost or complexity of per-outlet switching, the VP4N60A5 is a well-matched fit — particularly in high-density rows where the daisy-chain management and locking C13 outlets translate directly to lower operational risk.
