Vertiv Rpdu Rack Transfer Switch Monitored Unit Level 30A 208V 4.9KW Horizontal ( - VA4N31A1

Vertiv VA4N31A1 Monitored Rack Transfer Switch PDU, 30A 208V 4.9kW Horizontal

Overview

The Vertiv VA4N31A1 is a horizontal, 0U-footprint rack-mounted PDU with an integrated automatic transfer switch (ATS) — a single unit that accepts two independent 30A/208V input feeds and switches between them automatically if one source fails. At 4.9kW capacity with 12 receptacles split across C13 and C19 coupler formats, it is purpose-built for high-density rack environments where dual-feed redundancy is operationally mandatory: colocation rows, enterprise data halls, and critical edge compute deployments.

Unlike a basic metered or switched PDU, the VA4N31A1 adds source-level transfer logic, meaning connected equipment never sees a power interruption when the primary feed goes down. The built-in LCD display provides real-time local readout of current, voltage, and power — no SNMP polling required for a technician standing at the rack.

Key Features

• Dual-Feed Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS): Accepts two discrete 30A/208V NEMA L6-30P feeds. If one source drops, the unit transfers load to the alternate feed — typically faster than any UPS runtime consideration. For racks already wired to two separate PDUs and a manual cross-connect, this collapses that complexity into a single managed device.
• 4.9kW / 30A @ 200–240V, 50/60 Hz: Sized for mid-to-high-density server racks running dual-socket servers or GPU nodes. The 200–240V input range accommodates both North American 208V three-phase-derived circuits and international 230V single-phase feeds without hardware modification.
• 12 Outlets — C13 and C19 Mix: C13 receptacles handle standard 1U/2U server power supplies; C19 receptacles support higher-draw devices (dense storage arrays, large UPS bypass loads, high-end GPU servers). Having both outlet types on one PDU eliminates the adapter-and-extension workaround that degrades airflow and serviceability.
• Unit-Level Monitoring — Current, Voltage, Power: Real-time measurement at the PDU input level lets you track actual load versus nameplate capacity. Knowing you're running 22A on a 30A circuit (73% utilization) before adding another server is the difference between planned growth and an unplanned breaker trip at 2 AM.
• LCD Display: Local metering readout is visible without a laptop or network connection — useful during rack commissioning, power audits, or when network management is unavailable. Technicians get current draw, voltage, and wattage at a glance from the front of the unit.
• Comprehensive Network Protocol Stack — Including SNMP v1/v2c/v3, LDAP, RADIUS, TACACS+: SNMP v3 supports encrypted and authenticated polling, which satisfies most enterprise security policies that reject v1/v2c community-string authentication. LDAP, RADIUS, and TACACS+ integration means PDU access credentials can be governed by your existing identity infrastructure — no local password sprawl across 40 PDUs in a data hall.
• IPv4 and IPv6 Dual-Stack: Networks migrating to IPv6 don't need a parallel PDU management VLAN on legacy addressing. DHCP support speeds initial provisioning; static addressing locks it down for production.
• Modbus TCP: Beyond SNMP, Modbus TCP enables direct integration with building management systems (BMS) and DCIM platforms that use industrial protocol polling — common in colo facilities and facilities-managed data centers where power metering feeds into a separate BMS layer alongside HVAC and generators.
• HTTPS, SSH, Syslog, SMTP: Encrypted web management (HTTPS) and CLI access (SSH) are defaults rather than options. Syslog output feeds transfer events and alert conditions into your SIEM or log aggregator. SMTP delivers email alerts without requiring a third-party relay agent on the PDU itself.
• 1x RJ-45 Ethernet, 1x Serial, 1x USB: The serial port supports out-of-band console access when the network path is unavailable — critical during a network outage that is also causing power anomalies. The USB port supports local firmware updates or configuration import without a network dependency.
• 3-Meter Input Cable: The 3m (approximately 9.8 ft) cable from the NEMA L6-30P plug to the PDU body provides sufficient reach for most raised-floor or overhead whip configurations without requiring a cable extension.
• NTP and RSTP Support: NTP synchronizes transfer event timestamps across all PDUs to a common time source — accurate log correlation when a transfer event needs to be mapped against a server fault log. RSTP prevents Ethernet loop formation if the PDU management port is inadvertently connected into a redundant switch fabric.

Integration and Compatibility

The VA4N31A1 integrates with Vertiv's power management ecosystem including Vertiv Environet and compatible DCIM platforms via SNMP v1/v2c/v3 and Modbus TCP. The dual-protocol approach means the unit fits into both legacy SNMP-polled environments and modern DCIM-connected rack PDU deployments without a firmware change or gateway device.

For environments building out a full power distribution architecture, the horizontal 0U form factor mounts in standard 19-inch EIA rails without consuming rack unit space — a meaningful consideration in dense 42U or 48U racks where every U counts. Pair with a UPS system upstream of each L6-30P feed to add battery backup to the dual-feed redundancy chain.

The LDAP, RADIUS, and TACACS+ support makes this unit auditable under PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and SOC 2 environments where shared credentials on infrastructure devices are a compliance finding. Role-based access control through your directory means you can grant read-only metering access to operations staff without provisioning admin rights.

SNMP traps and Syslog forwarding integrate with monitoring platforms including Nagios, PRTG, SolarWinds, Zabbix, and any platform accepting standard SNMP v3 traps — no proprietary collector agent required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the transfer time between input sources on the VA4N31A1?

A: The VA4N31A1 is an automatic transfer switch PDU. Exact transfer time (typically measured in milliseconds) is not specified in the available product data — consult the Vertiv datasheet or pre-sales engineering for the confirmed transfer time relevant to your load sensitivity requirements.

Q: Can the VA4N31A1 be used on 120V circuits?

A: No. The VA4N31A1 is rated for 200–240V nominal input via NEMA L6-30P plugs. It is not compatible with 120V North American NEMA 5-series circuits. This unit is designed for 208V three-phase-derived or 230V single-phase data center circuits.

Q: Does the VA4N31A1 provide outlet-level switching or monitoring?

A: No. The VA4N31A1 is a monitored, unit-level PDU — metering is at the PDU input level (current, voltage, power) across all 12 outlets collectively. It does not provide per-outlet metering or remote outlet switching. For per-outlet control or monitoring, a switched/metered outlet-level PDU from the Vertiv Geist line would be required.

Q: What network credentials and authentication does the VA4N31A1 support?

A: The VA4N31A1 supports LDAP, RADIUS, and TACACS+ for centralized authentication, allowing integration with enterprise identity directories. Local credentials are also available. SNMP v3 provides encrypted, authenticated polling for monitoring platforms.

Q: What outlet types are on the VA4N31A1 and how many?

A: The VA4N31A1 provides 12 AC outlets in a mix of C13 and C19 IEC coupler formats. C13 receptacles support standard server power supplies; C19 receptacles accommodate higher-draw devices. The exact C13/C19 count breakdown is not specified in the available data — verify with the Vertiv datasheet for precise outlet layout.

Q: Does the VA4N31A1 support IPv6?

A: Yes. The VA4N31A1 supports both IPv4 and IPv6 dual-stack networking, along with DHCP for both address families, making it compatible with networks actively migrating to IPv6 addressing.

Eden Phillips

The VA4N31A1 is one of those units that solves a specific data center wiring problem cleanly: you have two upstream 30A/208V feeds and you want load transfer between them handled automatically at the rack level, without a separate external ATS panel or a UPS in bypass. The horizontal 0U form factor means it installs in the rack's cable management section or toolless side-mount position without consuming rack unit space that high-density compute racks genuinely cannot spare.

Technical Highlights:

• SNMP v3 with LDAP/RADIUS/TACACS+: The combination of encrypted SNMP polling and enterprise directory authentication makes this PDU auditable under PCI-DSS and SOC 2 without a compensating control — you're not sharing community strings or managing local PDU accounts across a data hall.
• Modbus TCP alongside SNMP: Dual-protocol support means a single PDU can feed both your DCIM platform (SNMP) and your building management system (Modbus TCP) simultaneously — no gateway, no protocol converter, no additional licensing.
• 200–240V Input Range, 50/60 Hz: The broad input tolerance is genuinely useful in colocation environments where 208V and 230V circuits coexist across cage boundaries, or when the same PDU model needs to deploy across North American and European data hall footprints.

Deployment Considerations:

• The VA4N31A1 is unit-level monitored only — you get aggregate current, voltage, and wattage at the PDU input, not per-outlet. If your capacity planning requires per-outlet metering (common in multi-tenant colo or chargeback billing scenarios), move up to a Vertiv Geist outlet-level metered or switched model instead.
• The NEMA L6-30P plug requires a matching L6-30R receptacle on each upstream feed — confirm your PDU whip or floor receptacle configuration before ordering. Mismatched receptacle types (L5-30, L6-20) are the most common installation delay on this class of unit.

For a colocation customer deploying dual-feed redundancy in a 208V environment who needs enterprise authentication, DCIM integration via SNMP v3, and BMS integration via Modbus TCP — all from a single horizontal-mount device — the VA4N31A1 covers that requirement without requiring ancillary hardware.