From the largest cloud facilities to the tiniest server-room closets, reliability is the cornerstone of data center uptime. Mission-critical equipment needs to work, and when it doesn't, the infrastructure put in place to supply redundant power must step up to the plate. 

That said, reliability isn't something data center managers should have to wait for. Case in point, claiming to have "best-in-class" power distribution units (PDUs) is not an excuse for making customers wait up to 12 weeks for the product to arrive. Yet, that's precisely how long many customers end up waiting for their PDUs to ship. 

When it comes to the question of speed versus reliability of PDUs, it shouldn't be one or the other. You deserve – and can have – both. 

Lean manufacturing is the name of the game

The idea that a PDU can be manufactured locally after an order is placed, and then delivered in sometimes as little as three to five days, might sound like wishful thinking. However, having a local presence in our markets makes it easier for us to be responsive to client needs. In addition to shorter downstream shipping times, we're able to more effectively process orders in these markets by having a manufacturing presence on the ground.

Then there's the question of cost. Specifically: How can we increase productivity hours? Whereas many original equipment manufacturers turn to the offshore model, Geist has opted to look inward at its processes to find ways to save time and money through efficiency, rather than low cost of labor. This has led to our unique take on lean manufacturing: low finished product inventory, high componentry inventory, vertical integration of sheet metal and, most importantly, a carefully and precisely crafted order of operations at the assembly line.

The result of these efforts is the ability to deliver impeccably designed, thoroughly tested, high-quality PDUs assembled by skilled laborers.

Reliability and convenience don't have to be at odds.

Want a look inside Geist's lean manufacturing facility? 

In the coming weeks, Geist will be releasing more detailed white papers that show:

1. How our rigorous design and testing processes for PDUs facilitate complete reliability for customers and why we are comfortable offering one of the most competitive warranties in the industry. 
2. Specific elements of our lean manufacturing process that allow us to deliver quality PDUs to customers much faster than most of our competitors.

Reliability is and always has been the priority in data center power distribution. Equipment needs to stay locked in, racks need to have redundant power, supply feeds must be clearly identified and power usage should be monitored meticulously. On top of that, PDUs need to have redundant connections to the network switch that enables remote monitoring – and without requiring excessive quantities of cabling (which Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol handily addresses).

Geist builds PDUs so that they can do all of these things reliably. Simultaneously, its processes are architected in such a way that reliability ships within an industry-leading timeframe. The result is on-demand power how you need it and when you need it.