PDU

A device distributing electrical power within a rack or data center.

A Power Distribution Unit delivers and manages electrical power to equipment within a rack or data center, and intelligent models can meter consumption and switch outlets remotely. Reliable, often redundant power feeds support availability, the third pillar of the CIA triad, by helping prevent outages. Because networked PDUs are manageable over the network, they can be an overlooked attack surface if left with default credentials, allowing an intruder to cut power. Note this acronym also means Protocol Data Unit in networking contexts.