Benefits of Using an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)

If you have any electronics in your home or business, you’re likely familiar with a surge protector.uninterrupted power supply

These devices are something I use diligently after having my childhood home struck by lightning in middle school. The result was an air conditioner, line of lights, and dishwasher that stopped working. (It was a long summer.)

Now, at the slightest sign of a storm, I check if I’ve plugged all my electronics into a surge protector. This obsession has saved me a few times – most recently when a neighbor’s tree fell on a power line, and I could see and hear the power surge before going out for a week.

Surge protectors are a great tool for home offices and personal electronics. However, they’re inadequate in a business environment where you have many devices your company depends on.

While surge protectors still have their purpose at each user’s desk, my colleagues at The KR Group will inform you that your IT environment needs something with more capabilities. When you’re thinking about protecting your highly sensitive systems, the stakes are higher, so you need a more effective solution.

You need an uninterruptible power supply.

 

What is an Uninterruptible Power Supply?

As the name suggests, this device protects your business’ power supply from interruptions, such as spikes or dips in power.

uninterrupted power supplyThis is something you likely won’t notice if you’re typing at a computer, but more sensitive components of your IT environment, such as a server or switch, will undoubtedly be affected.

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) has a few different purposes.

Like a consumer-grade surge protector, UPS protects your powered devices from any surges. Still, it goes a step further and provides a stable, regulated supply of power even if the power entering your building sees variances.

Additionally, UPS provides battery backup, so if you experience an outage, your connected devices continue to have (uninterrupted) power.

If you have a sensitive IT stack but are on the fence about implementing a UPS, here are a few reasons you should go ahead with the implementation:

  1. Double online conversion protects and converts raw utility power.
  2. UPS systems can reduce the amount of lost energy.
  3. Some UPS solutions have extended battery lives.
  4. Support model for UPS can enhance the user experience.

You may still find these benefits in other manufacturers’ UPS solutions, but you’ll want to work with your trusted IT adviser to find the best solution for your needs.

 

UPS Provides Double Online Conversion

Without a UPS solution, your hardware, especially power supplies and hard drives, are susceptible to failure. The best protection for those devices and the rest of the hardware in your IT stack is double online conversion.uninterrupted power supply

Double online conversion keeps power within industry-standard specifications, so fluctuating utility power doesn’t cause an interruption for equipment supporting mission-critical applications.

Essentially, UPS systems with double online conversion protect your hardware by providing a barrier from raw utility power, which is susceptible to spikes, dips, and outages.

To do this, the system converts AC (alternating current) power to DC (direct current) power to remove the impurities. Then, it converts the DC power back into AC power to power your connected devices. These two phases make up double online conversion.

Not only does this conversion system provide the purest power to your sensitive devices, but it happens with zero transfer time.

 

UPS Systems Can Reduce the Amount of Lost Energy

Before you read on about UPS and what they can do for your IT environment, let’s do a little review on physics. uninterrupted power supply

When it comes to power and UPS systems, there are mainly two units this article and a UPS manufacturer talk about:

  1. Watts measures the real power drawn by the equipment. It refers to how much power you’re using from your utility company.
  2. Volt-amperes (VA) measure apparent power. You’ll need this information to size wiring and circuit breakers.

UPS systems are rated for both of these and detail the ratio of watts to VA rating — called a power factor. These numbers will differ because reactance within the circuit caused a difference between watts, called lost energy.

Ultimately, this measurement tells you how efficiently your energy conversion is usually displayed as a percentage.

The standard for UPS is to have a power factor of 60%, but the best options have a 100% VA to watt conversion rate.

UPS devices with a perfect VA to watt conversion keep you paying for lost power since it is all converted and used by the UPS.

 

UPS Gives You Extended Back-up Battery Life

In addition to protecting you from power surges, UPS also boosts power if there is a dip or an outage. To do this, the equipment includes a battery to supply the power gap. You also have the option to purchase additional external battery cabinets (EBC’s) to extend how long you can run your connected devices on backup power.

You can see how much runtime EBC’s add with this calculator.

Batteries wear down over time – whether they’re used or not – and you’ll eventually have to replace them.

Many traditional UPS options only work for an average of 2 to 3 years before you’ll need to purchase a replacement battery or consider replacing your UPS as a whole.

However, higher-end UPS solutions (including Vertiv) with double online conversion minimize the need to go to battery, which extends the battery life. In fact, many of these devices can go 5 or even 7 years before they fail.

As you likely guessed, these extended battery life options do have a higher upfront price tag, but in the long run, you’ll find you’re spending less since you’re replacing your UPS less frequently.

 

UPS Comes with Support and Replacements

When it comes to IT, good support is just as important as functioning hardware.

You’ll inevitably have a problem (even if minor) or question about your equipment, so it’s essential to have solid support behind products.

However, we all have a horror story about how rude, ineffective, or frustrating working with a support center can be.

When it comes to your UPS, purchasing the solution through a local IT adviser gives you access to their personalized support. Additionally, you’ll want to look for a UPS manufacturer with a highly-rated support center.

As a note, Vertiv’s support entitles you to temporary hardware replacements while your original is being serviced. And, if the hardware isn’t fixable, Vertiv lets you keep your replacement device.

 

Why Do You Need UPS?

The answer to the question is straightforward. If you want to physically protect your IT assets and ensure you have a backup for outages, you need UPS.

When considering different UPS systems, look for options that provide pure, efficient, and backup power. Of course, you’ll also want to check out reviews for support.

As you look at your different options, you’ll likely find it helpful to bring in an IT consultant for the conversation.

Even if you narrow it down to Vertiv – The KR Group’s preferred UPS solution – there are multiple models to consider.

To find the best manufacturer and model for your power supply needs, you can reach out to us for answers and advice. To get started, schedule a 30-minute, no-pressure consultation with one of our IT experts.

https://calendly.com/krg-sales/sales-discovery-call

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