Patent ID: 8510424

Claim:
A system, comprising: an electrical equipment rack; one or more electrical loads housed in the electrical equipment rack; a power distribution system having, a power distribution unit enclosure comprising a long, thin, vertical plug strip housing configured to be mounted in a vertical orientation in a back portion of the electrical equipment rack, the housing defining an internal environment and an external environment, the external environment including the one or more electrical loads housed in the electrical equipment rack; a power input penetrating the power distribution unit enclosure; a plurality of power outputs disposed in the power distribution unit enclosure, each of the plurality of power outputs configured to be connected to a corresponding one of the one or more electrical loads; a plurality of controllable power sections each in power controlling communication with at least one of the plurality of power outputs, and disposed in the power distribution unit enclosure, and communicably connectable to a communications network external to the power distribution unit enclosure, each of said controllable power sections configured to control power to at least one of the plurality of power outputs in response to remote monitoring of sensed environmental operating conditions; at least one environmental operation condition sensor configured to be mounted to the power distribution unit enclosure, the at least one environmental operation condition sensor in environmental operation condition sensing communication with the external environment that includes the one or more electrical loads; a communications bus mounted in the power distribution unit enclosure in communication with the environmental operating condition sensor and each of the controllable power sections; and an information reporting system disposed in the power distribution unit enclosure and being (i) in environmental operation condition information-determining communication with the environmental operation condition sensor, and (ii) connectable in environmental operation condition information transfer communication with the communications network external to the power distribution unit enclosure; wherein the controllable power section is operated to control power to at least one of the plurality of power outputs, responsive to remote monitoring of sensed environmental operation conditions.