The rapid deployment of IT infrastructure across end-user segments such as healthcare, finance, and banking is increasing demand for both rack mount and non-rack mount power distribution units (PDUs). Vendors need to focus on designing systems that ensure maximum reliability, flexibility, serviceability, and performance to stay ahead of the competition.

Frost & Sullivan (http://www.powersupplies.frost.com ) finds that the North American Power Distribution Unit Market earned revenues of $209.2 million in 2005 and estimates this to reach $461.8 million in 2012.

An increase in the demand for lifesaving equipment that requires uninterrupted quality power has been pushing PDU sales in the healthcare sector. On the other hand, the increase in data transfer through Internet and growing IT infrastructure are driving demand for PDUs in the finance and banking sector.

"The development of IT infrastructure and the increasing financial transactions through the Internet require uninterrupted quality power, without phase imbalances," notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Suba Swaminathan. "PDUs that are capable of offering high power quality at reasonable prices for data centers stand to gain the most in terms of market share."

Rack mount PDUs, due to their ability to offer multiple outputs and serve end-user applications more effectively, are hugely popular among data centers/server farms. In fact, IT infrastructure contributed to approximately 40.8 percent of rack mount PDU sales in 2005.

Another factor that rack vendors need to keep in mind is the increasing server density in the market. Their focus must be on simplifying cable management and designing racks that accommodate deeper server versions.

A lack of monitoring capabilities is another major issue in the PDU market. While customization to individual end-user specifications is essential in the non-rack mount PDU segment, remote power management (RPM) could prove vital for boosting rack mount PDU sales.

RPM enables monitoring from a remote location, thus maximizing the efficiency of PDUs. It not only controls the critical power at the rack level, but also minimizes or eliminates downtime.

The switched-type PDUs, which are capable of monitoring and controlling end-user applications from any secured network connection remotely located through a single interface, are set to spur rack mount PDU sales in the future.

"They alert the control person when the temperature of power load increases above the permissible level and facilitate control action before the system parameters reach critical levels," explains Swaminathan.

In addition to RPM capabilities, finding the suitable PDU for a particular application is not only critical to garner a substantial share of the market, but usually guarantees strong revenue growth and provides the most value to customers.

North American Power Distribution Unit Market, a part of the Power Supplies/Power Quality Equipment Subscription, provides an overview and outlook for the rack mount and non-rack mount PDU segments. In addition to comprehensive end-user analysis, pricing trends, competitive structure, and market share analyses, it includes detailed market opportunities as well as industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants. Analyst interviews are available to the press.

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants an overview of the latest analysis of the North American Power Distribution Unit Market, then send an e-mail to Trisha Bradley, Corporate Communications, at [email protected] with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, and source of information. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you through e-mail.

Source: PRNewswire