PDU Secure Sleeves, Use Them!

As operations employees, we should strive to reduce downtime (at a reasonable cost) whenever we can. Sometimes, it's the little things that can go a long way. Using PDU secure sleeves in your datacenter racks is a simple, low-cost method to prevent admin-induced outages when working on equipment.

PDU outlet tolerances and cabling tolerances don't always match up. If you've ever used a PDU that uses C14 or C20 connectors, you know what I mean. You plug something in, but the cable on the PDU side is a bit jiggly. It's in there but not snug. Not like what you expect from something plugged into a 110V 3-prong outlet. Luckily, there's a cheap, simple solution called secure sleeves.

Secure sleeves are plastic molds that simply slide over your existing power cables. When inserted into the outlet, the sleeves compress, and friction holds the plug in place. Brilliant! I've posted a quick video (below) showing how well they work.

We buy ours from Stay Online for 50 cents each. They even have the inserts for the other C13/C19 sides. Stay Online says that they only work with PowerFig or Yung Li cables; not a problem for us as we buy all of our PowerFig cables from them. You should check out the stuff at Stay Online, they've got good stuff at good prices. No, I don't get any referral money from them; I'm just a happy customer.