Customer Success Story: SEA Government Agency Achieves Cost Efficiency, Enhanced Cabinet Security with Legrand Data Center Solutions
In brief: A Southeast Asian government agency halved their PDU count and reinvested savings in SmartSensors and the SmartLock systems, delivering real-time environmental visibility and audited cabinet security within a similar budget.
What challenge did the customer face?
A Southeast Asian government department was planning a new data center facility with over 120 racks. The customer had used entry-level PDUs for two earlier phases of their infrastructure build, and as they prepared for their next-generation data center, their incumbent supplier had recommended deploying multiple single-phase PDUs per rack — a significant equipment cost that would have consumed a large portion of their hardware budget.
For a facility with more than 120 racks, this approach would have also meant managing around 500 PDUs across the facility, with significant implications for:
| Challenge | Impact |
|---|---|
| Space utilization | Multiple PDUs per rack consume U-space for revenue-generating IT equipment |
| Cable density | More PDUs meant more power cables, creating airflow obstruction |
| Complexity | Additional components increase points of failure and management overhead |
| Cost | More hardware, more installation labor, and more ongoing maintenance |
How did Legrand solve the challenge?
Answer: Legrand proposed a more efficient plan of two three-phase Raritan PX4 intelligent PDUs per rack, reducing the complexity of setup and the footprint consumed by PDUs per rack. The LDCS team’s proposal also created cost savings from the customer’s initial calculated budget.
The Legrand Data Center Solutions team engaged early in the planning process, taking time to understand the customer's operational requirements, budget constraints, and security objectives. Rather than simply matching the competitor's quote, the LDCS team took a consultative approach and conducted a thorough analysis of the agency's power requirements and rack density projections.
The LDCS counterproposal:
| Incumbent Solution | Legrand Data Center Solutions Proposal | |
|---|---|---|
| PDU Type | Entry-level, single-phase | Raritan PX4 three-phase intelligent PDUs |
| Quantity per rack | ＞ 2 PDUs per rack | 2 PDUs per rack |
| Total PDUs for ＞ 120 racks | ~2 times more units than LDCS's proposal | Over 240 PDUs |
| Key advantage | Familiar solution | Reduced hardware, enhanced capabilities for higher density builds and more intense workloads |
The PX4 intelligent PDUs, made by Raritan (a brand of Legrand) and recommended by LDCS, deliver superior density and flexibility through features including:
- High Density Outlet Technology (HDOT): More outlets available without additional footprint, reducing the number of PDUs required per rack while offering high-density capacity for power distribution
- HDOT Cx outlets: Future-ready hybrid C13/C19 outlets that accommodate both C14 and C20 plugs without adapters, simplifying deployment and future equipment refreshes
- Three-phase power: Delivers higher capacity with fewer units, essential for supporting modern IT loads
- Power Quality Metrics for Facility Planning: ±0.5% metering accuracy for minimum, maximum and average values following IEC 62053-21 and IEC 61557-12 standards, and waveform capture to monitor events and power quality disturbances – visibility that enables prediction of power issues for maintenance scheduling
By deploying just two three-phase PX4 PDUs per rack, the agency could achieve the same or better power distribution capacity while halving the number of PDU units required across the facility, all while achieving cost efficiency in their budget.
What were the results of the new architecture?
Answer: The agency achieved cost savings and reinvested in enhanced visibility, real-time environmental monitoring, and audited physical cabinet security with SmartSensors and the Smartlock System.
The immediate cost savings from the optimized PDU architecture — fewer units, less cabling, reduced installation labor, and lower ongoing maintenance — enabled the client to reinvest in additional capabilities, transforming the project's scope and increasing its operational impact.
Key Metrics at a Glance:
- Reduction in half for PDU count, cost savings to be reinvested
- Real-time environmental monitoring across all cabinets
- Audited cabinet access with 2FA capabilities
SmartSensors by Raritan provide real-time monitoring and visibility into the data center environment, enabling operators to identify potential issues before they impact IT equipment.
Operators can connect up to 12 of these sensor packages directly to a Xerus-enabled PX4 PDU, eliminating further cabling and setup complexities. With such a setup, real-time alerts can be issued via the PX4 to the facility DCIM once thresholds are exceeded, supporting timely crisis mitigation and management.
| Capability | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Temperature and humidity monitoring | Track rack inlet/outlet conditions to prevent hot spots and ensure proper cooling |
| Dust/particle sensors | Monitor indoor dust/particle density levels to prevent dust accumulation that can cause equipment failures or reduced hardware lifespan |
| Contact Closure | Connect third-party sensors like smoke detectors, door switches, and vibration sensors to the monitoring system |
| Water/ leak detection | Detect standing water on floors or leaks from pipes, CRAC units, and ceiling tiles |
The agency also implemented SmartLock for audited physical cabinet security. Government data centers have stringent physical security requirements, and the SmartLock system delivers cabinet-level access control with features including:
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Networked electronic door access | Audited, controlled access to sensitive IT assets |
| Compliance support | Meets PCI DSS, SOX, HIPAA, GDPR, and EN50600 |
| Multiple authentication options | From basic card entry to 2FA with PIN and smart card |
| Seamless integration | Compatible with existing PX4 PDUs via Xerus platform |
| Real-time audit trails | Automated logging for security and compliance reporting |
On top of these, the SmartLock system can be retrofitted easily onto the agency's cabinets without requiring complex wiring or infrastructure changes.
Why did this partnership succeed?
Answer: Legrand's consultative approach delivered cost efficiency while upgrading capabilities. The agency also expressed satisfaction about the new infrastructure offering access to real-time visibility to actionable data like power quality and environmental conditions – information they have not considered measuring prior to this project.
| Metric | Outcome |
|---|---|
| PDU count | Reduction of deployed units by half, increasing efficiency of rack space |
| Cost Efficiency | Achieved cost savings that was reinvested to increase real-time data visibility and enhance physical security |
| Rack space | Significant U-space recovered for additional IT equipment |
| Visibility | Real-time environmental monitoring across all cabinets |
| Security | Audited, controlled cabinet access with 2FA capabilities |
This government agency's experience demonstrates the value of engaging Legrand Data Center Solutions as a strategic partner rather than a product supplier. By taking the time to understand the facility requirements, LDCS delivered a solution that:
- Reduced hardware complexity through intelligent PDU selection
- Delivered cost savings that could be reinvested in additional capabilities
- Enhanced operational visibility with SmartSensors
- Strengthened physical security with SmartLock cabinet access control
With the successful execution of this project for a new data center build, Legrand Data Center Solutions continues to demonstrate that the right partnership delivers expert-led, value-added outcomes for clients.
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FAQs
Q: What is the Raritan PX4 intelligent PDU?
A: The Raritan PX4 is an intelligent power distribution unit (iPDU) that provides real-time power monitoring at the outlet, branch, and inlet level with ±0.5% metering accuracy. It features High Density Outlet Technology (HDOT) for flexible plug compatibility, RamLock to prevent accidental unplugging, and advanced power quality monitoring including total harmonic distortion measurement and circuit breaker trip forensics. It is powered by the Xerus technology platform.
Q: What regulations does the SmartLock system help data centers comply with?
Raritan's SmartLock system supports compliance with several key security and data protection standards, including:
| Regulation/Standard | Description |
|---|---|
| PCI DSS | Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard |
| SOX | Sarbanes-Oxley Act for financial reporting integrity |
| SSAE 16 / SSAE 18 | Service organization controls reporting |
| HIPAA | Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act |
| GDPR | General Data Protection Regulation |
| EN 50600 | European standard for data center facility security |
These standards require audited and controlled access to sensitive IT assets, precisely what SmartLock delivers through cabinet-level access control, user tracking, and automated audit trails.
Q: How do SmartSensors integrate with the PX4 PDU?
A: SmartSensors are plug-and-play compatible with Xerus-enabled PX4 intelligent PDUs. They connect directly to the PDU and transmit real-time environmental data (temperature, humidity, airflow, differential pressure, moisture, and dust levels) through the same management interface. This integration eliminates the need for separate monitoring infrastructure and allows alerts to be configured through a single platform.
Q: Can SmartLock integrate with existing security systems?
A: Yes. SmartLock is designed to integrate with existing smart cards and ID management technologies, enabling seamless deployment without replacing current access control infrastructure. Access permissions can be managed remotely via DCIM monitoring software, and the system supports audited, role-based cabinet access.
Q: How does using two three-phase PDUs instead of more single-phase units improve cost efficiency?
A: Three-phase PDUs deliver more power per unit and require fewer total devices to achieve the same capacity. With PX4's HDOT outlets, which accept both C13 and C19 plugs, each PDU maximizes outlet utilization across diverse equipment types. Fewer PDUs mean reduced hardware costs, lower cabling complexity, less rack space consumed, and simpler ongoing maintenance..
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