There can be a number of reasons why someone may want to access a data center or computer network to control the power. While during the day this is generally simple to do, during out of office hours or for equipment at a remote site it may not be always be so easy. In these cases using a remote power switch can be a simple solution for controlling the power of a system.
A remote power switch is essentially a computer network switch that can have a range of IT equipment connected to it. The basic advantage over a standard computer network switch is that a remote switch can be accessed and activated from any location. This is usually done over a telephone line or by an internet connection and it enables equipment to be shut down and rebooted any time required without having to actually go to the equipment and physically switch it on and off.
There can be a number of advantages to using a remote power switch. Equipment such as data centers can have monitoring software that will send an email when a problem is detected. However during the night or with equipment in remote locations it may not always be easy to get to the equipment to fix a problem. However with a remote switch which controls the power, equipment can be shut down until such time that it is possible to get to it. In many cases a simple reboot of equipment is all that is needed to fix a problem and a remote switch enables this to be done immediately a problem is known about.
Equipment may also not require to be used on a full time basis and a remote power switch enables it to be shut done when not needed for energy saving purposes. When needed, the equipment can simply be booted up by a simple phone call or by using an internet connection.
There are a few manufacturers that produce remote power switches. Star Tech, for example, has the RS23 Remote Outlet Power Switch available for $390 at the retailer CompUSA. It can be used as a stand alone solution for power management or as part of the Star Tech range of server remote control products. The switch enables the remote power management of up to 8 devices and a number of switches can be connected together if more than 8 devices need to be remotely managed.
Another manufacturer that produces remote power switches is Deltronix Enterprises. They have the Power Stone Remote Power Switch available for around $130. This is a simple one port device which can be used to check power status as well as shut down and reboot equipment. This can be used to remotely activate a home computer or a range of other IT equipment by a simple phone call.
For those that need the capabilities of controlling IT equipment 24/7, a remote power switch can be useful equipment to use. It ensures that whenever required devices can be shut down and turned back on to deal with problems and also to save energy.