Raleigh, N.C.-based Eaton Corp.‘s power quality division has added a new set of rack enclosures optimized for flexibility and deployment simplicity to its portfolio of server and power infrastructure offerings.
Equipped with enhanced cable management technology designed to save space and decrease overheating risks, as well as multiple power distribution unit (PDU) mounting options, an optional combination lock, and a variety of airflow management accessories, Eaton’s RS Enclosure family can be custom configured for use in a wide range of environments.
“This product really spans the gamut of end users from a small [or] medium business all the way up to a large data center,” says Eaton product manager Jessica Biggerstaff.
To shorten deployment times, she continues, all RS Enclosures offer tool-free assembly that allows installers to adjust rails, mount side and top panels, attach cable management or airflow management accessories, and more without screw drivers or wrenches.
“This is our first really simplified and user-friendly enclosure,” Biggerstaff says.
It’s also part of a larger strategy on Eaton’s part to turn ease of deployment into a key source of competitive advantage. While data center operators still care about energy efficiency, availability, and other performance metrics, Eaton believes, they increasingly view such technical specs as mere table stakes for server room gear.
“Customers actually really expect that from any major vendor out there,” says David Windsor, another Eaton product manager. “Ease of deployment seems to be one of the biggest ways where there’s room for improvement,” he continues, and therefore room for differentiation.
In further pursuit of that goal, the RS Enclosure product line includes three pre-configured solutions: A server configuration meant to be a cost-effective base option, a network configuration for medium- to high-density environments with greater cable and airflow management requirements, and a colocation configuration with added physical security features. All three SKUs arrive ready for use with appropriate (and separately purchased) Eaton PDUs, uninterruptible power systems, and accessories, as well as the company’s Intelligent Power Manager administration software.
Eaton plans to release new 9PX UPS and third-generation (G3) ePDU models designed for seamless integration with its new RS Enclosures in July.
