Vertiv Rpdu Switched Unit Level Monitoring EC 35A 208V Delta 10.0KW Vertical (36) - VP5N40A1

Vertiv VP5N40A1 Switched Vertical PDU, 35A 208V Delta, 36-Outlet, Unit-Level Monitoring

Overview

The Vertiv VP5N40A1 is a 0U vertical switched PDU engineered for high-density data center and server room racks where per-outlet power control and real-time unit-level monitoring are non-negotiable. Rated at 35A on a 208V three-phase delta input and delivering up to 10.0kW, this rackmount unit gives power administrators the visibility and remote switching capability to manage loads, isolate faults, and reboot unresponsive equipment without a truck roll. The VP5N40A1 mounts vertically inside standard cabinets, preserving every rack unit for active equipment while keeping the power distribution hardware out of the way.

With 36 mixed AC outlets — a combination of C13 and C19 couplers — the VP5N40A1 accommodates both 1U servers drawing moderate loads and high-density GPU or storage nodes pulling heavier current. The onboard LCD display gives technicians an immediate local readout of current, voltage, and power without needing to pull up a browser, and the dual RJ-45 Ethernet ports support daisy-chaining to extend monitoring across multiple PDUs on a single network segment.

Key Features

• Switched Per-Outlet Control: Every one of the 36 outlets can be switched on, off, or sequenced independently. In practice that means a frozen server gets a clean remote reboot rather than a full rack power cycle — protecting adjacent equipment and avoiding unnecessary downtime during an incident response.
• 35A / 208V Three-Phase Delta Input, 10.0kW: At 10kW continuous capacity on a 35A three-phase feed, this PDU is sized for high-density compute rows where per-cabinet loads regularly exceed what a single-phase 20A circuit can support. Spec your input whip and breaker panel accordingly — this is not a standard NEMA 5-20 deployment.
• 36 C13 + C19 Mixed Outlets: The mixed outlet configuration lets you plug 1U/2U servers via C13 cords and higher-draw appliances (storage arrays, UPS bypass, GPU nodes) into the C19 sockets without adapters. Reduces cord clutter and eliminates mismatched plug adapters in high-density environments.
• Unit-Level Monitoring — Current, Voltage, Power: The VP5N40A1 continuously measures and reports aggregate current draw, input voltage, and real power at the PDU level. Trending those metrics over time through SNMP or Modbus TCP lets facility managers catch a rack approaching its breaker limit before a trip event rather than after.
• LCD Display: The integrated LCD gives local technicians an instantaneous power snapshot without a laptop or KVM. Useful during initial commissioning or when the network is down during a maintenance window.
• Dual RJ-45 Ethernet with Daisy-Chain: The two onboard Ethernet ports let you chain multiple PDUs in a cabinet back to a single switch port, cutting the number of management network drops needed per row and simplifying IP address management in large deployments.
• Enterprise Protocol Stack: The VP5N40A1 speaks SNMP v1/v2c/v3, HTTPS, SSH, LDAP, RADIUS, TACACS+, NTP, SMTP, Syslog, and Modbus TCP — the full set that enterprise datacenter teams expect. SNMP v3 with authentication and privacy encryption means you can manage this PDU within the same monitoring infrastructure as your servers and network gear without opening unencrypted management channels.
• IPv4 and IPv6 Dual-Stack: Native IPv6 support means the VP5N40A1 integrates into modern network architectures without NAT workarounds — a practical requirement for federal facilities and enterprises already operating dual-stack networks.
• 0U Vertical Mounting: Mounting vertically in the side channel of a standard cabinet means zero rack unit consumption. In a 42U cabinet fully loaded with 1U servers, that 0U form factor translates directly into usable compute density.
• 3m Input Cord: The 3-meter cord provides enough reach for most in-row PDU installations, giving flexibility on whip routing to the overhead or underfloor busway without requiring extension cords.
• Reset Button + LED Indicators: Hardware reset preserves access when the management firmware is unresponsive, and per-outlet or per-phase LED indicators give technicians a fast visual confirmation of outlet state without needing to log in to the web interface.

Integration and Compatibility

The VP5N40A1 is built for integration into existing datacenter management stacks. SNMP v1/v2c/v3 support allows direct integration with monitoring platforms such as Nagios, PRTG, Zabbix, SolarWinds, and any NMS with a MIB-import capability. Modbus TCP extends compatibility to building management systems (BMS) and DCIM platforms that use Modbus as a native protocol. LDAP, RADIUS, and TACACS+ authentication means the PDU can be brought under your existing identity provider rather than managing a separate local user database — important for audit compliance in regulated environments. The SMTP and Syslog support allows alert forwarding into ticketing systems and SIEM platforms, closing the loop on power events in your incident management workflow. The 50/60 Hz AC input frequency range makes the VP5N40A1 compatible with both North American and international datacenter power infrastructure, relevant for multi-region deployments running a standardized PDU SKU.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What input power does the VP5N40A1 require?

A: The VP5N40A1 requires a 200–240V three-phase delta input at up to 35A, 50/60 Hz. The unit is rated at 10.0kW maximum. Ensure your facility's breaker panel and input whip are sized for this load before installation.

Q: Can I control individual outlets remotely on the VP5N40A1?

A: Yes. The VP5N40A1 is a switched PDU with per-outlet control, meaning each of the 36 outlets can be turned on, off, or power-cycled independently via the web interface, SNMP, or SSH — without affecting other outlets on the same PDU.

Q: What outlet types are on the VP5N40A1?

A: The VP5N40A1 provides a combination of C13 and C19 AC couplers across its 36 outlets. C13 ports suit standard 1U/2U server power supplies; C19 ports handle higher-draw equipment such as storage arrays and GPU servers. No adapters required for either type.

Q: Does the VP5N40A1 support SNMP v3?

A: Yes. The VP5N40A1 supports SNMP v1, v2c, and v3. SNMP v3 includes authentication and privacy (encryption), which is the version required by most enterprise and government security policies.

Q: How does the daisy-chain feature work on the VP5N40A1?

A: The dual RJ-45 Ethernet ports enable daisy-chaining multiple VP5N40A1 units back to a single network switch port. This reduces the number of management network drops required per cabinet row, which is useful in dense deployments with multiple PDUs per cabinet.

Q: What monitoring parameters does the VP5N40A1 report?

A: The VP5N40A1 monitors and reports current (amps), voltage, and power (watts/kW) at the unit level. These metrics are accessible locally via the LCD display and remotely via SNMP, HTTPS, Modbus TCP, and other supported protocols.

Marty Allison

The VP5N40A1 is the PDU I reach for when a customer's cabinet design calls for a 35A three-phase delta feed at 208V and they need genuine per-outlet switching — not just monitoring. The combination of a 10.0kW capacity with 36 mixed C13/C19 outlets in a 0U vertical form factor is what separates this unit from single-phase alternatives that run out of capacity before you fill the cabinet.

Technical Highlights:

• 35A / 10.0kW Three-Phase Input: At 10kW on a delta 208V three-phase whip, this PDU handles the load of a fully populated high-density compute cabinet. That headroom is the reason you spec three-phase in the first place — a 20A single-phase circuit tops out well below what modern GPU or NVMe-dense nodes pull.
• SNMP v3 + TACACS+ + RADIUS: The enterprise authentication stack is fully present — LDAP, RADIUS, TACACS+, SNMPv3 with encryption. In a regulated environment, these aren't optional extras; they're the difference between a PDU that passes a security audit and one that creates an open management credential vector in your out-of-band network.
• Modbus TCP: Native Modbus TCP is the detail that matters for DCIM and BMS integration. Most PDUs stop at SNMP; Modbus TCP is what your building automation vendor needs to pull power data into floor-level energy dashboards without a protocol gateway in the middle.

Deployment Considerations:

• The 3m input cord works for most in-row or top-of-cabinet whip runs, but measure your distance to the PDU panel before ordering — if your whip lands on the floor side and the cabinet is more than about 2.5m away, you may need a custom-length or extension whip.
• The daisy-chain Ethernet ports reduce switch port consumption, but be aware that chained PDUs still each need their own IP address. Plan your IPAM before deployment — don't assume a single IP manages the whole chain.

The VP5N40A1 is the right specification for high-density compute rows in enterprise co-location, on-premises HPC clusters, or government data centers where three-phase power distribution, per-outlet switching, and a full enterprise protocol stack are required — and where 0U vertical mounting is the only way to preserve full rack density.