Question:
What is the difference between Cascading Rack APDUs 10K and using the Redundant Network Access (RNA)?
Product:
APC by Schneider Electric APDU10K NetShelter® Rack PDU Advanced - all serial numbers
Solution:
There will be some instances that a customer would like to cascade an APC by Schneider Electric NetShelter® Rack PDU Advanced to either achieve centralized control and monitoring OR redundancy in terms of the IP / remote access.
There are 2 options a customer would want to use.
- Cascading - In cascade mode, up to 32 Rack PDUs can be connected using one (1) IP address. Information and data from all Guest Rack PDUs is gathered from the Host Rack PDU. Cascade functionality reduces the network services cost for Rack PDUs. For example, a standard network switch is used in a data center can contain 24 ports. Without using the cascade function each port supplies network services to one (1) Rack PDU. Using the cascade features, a typical network switch with 24 ports can supply network services for up to 768 Rack PDUs.
- Redundant Network Access (RNA) - The Redundant Network Access allows secure access of Rack PDU data and statistics on two (2) separate private networks. RNA is used with a redundant power delivery design including two (2) Rack PDUs for each Track. The Rack PDUs must be the same SKUs when used in RNA applications.
NOTE : By default, the Cascade command is enabled in the Rack PDU configuration file and default mode of the Rack PDU is RNA. Go to the Web UI (or your management software) to manage and control the Rack PDUs in the Cascade.
Please refer to page 72 and 73 of the attached document to see how to configure Cascading or RNA.
If you have any clarifications and/or requests for the above mentioned available information, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-800-4272 or chat with our technical support representatives.