What is an uninterruptible power supply, and what does it do?
An uninterruptible power supply (or UPS), also known as a battery backup, provides secure backup power for your company’s devices when your regular power source has failed, or the voltage has dropped to an unacceptable level. An Uninterruptible Power Supply allows for the safe and orderly shutdown of a computer or any connected equipment without any loss of data. Unlike auxiliary or emergency power systems or standby generators, an Uninterruptible Power Supply provides nearly instantaneous protection from interruptions to the power supply. An Uninterruptible Power Supply accomplishes this by supplying energy stored in batteries, supercapacitors, or flywheels.
Uninterruptible Power Supplies range in size from units designed to protect a single computer to units that are equipped to power entire data centers or buildings.
Three Primary Categories of Uninterruptible Power Supplies
- Standby Uninterruptible Power Supply, or offline Uninterruptible Power Supply, is the most basic type of Uninterruptible Power Supply. A standby Uninterruptible Power Supply resorts to battery backup, switches to DC battery power, and inverts to AC power. Standby Uninterruptible Power Supplies are best suited for consumer electronics, entry-level PCs, POS systems, security systems, and other basic electronic equipment.
- Line Interactive Uninterruptible Power Supply incorporates technology that allows it to correct minor power fluctuations without switching to the battery at all. This type of Uninterruptible Power Supply is typically used for consumer electronics, PCs, gaming systems, home theater electronics, network equipment, and entry-to-mid-range servers.
- Double-conversion Uninterruptible Power Supply, or online Uninterruptible Power Supply, provides consistent, clean, and nearly-perfect power regardless of the condition of the incoming power. A double conversion Uninterruptible Power Supply converts incoming AC to DC and then back to AC. This type of Uninterruptible Power Supply is ideal for mission-critical IT equipment, data center installations, high-end servers, large telecommunications installations, and storage applications, and advanced network equipment.
Why is an Uninterruptible Power Supply beneficial and important for your business?
All businesses rely on electricity and nothing can make a company grind to a screeching halt like a sudden loss of power. An extended, unexpected power outage can cost thousands to even millions of dollars for a company. This can bring some businesses to a point from which they are unable to recover.
Short or long-term power outages happen without warning and can happen to any business. The causes of power outages can vary depending upon your region.
- severe storms and hurricanes
- severe cold weather
- wildfires
- vehicles crashing into electrical transmission poles
- animals climbing onto electrical equipment and creating disruptions
- power company equipment failure and malfunction
While power outages can severely hurt any business, the following industries are most sorely affected by power outages:
- big data companies
- healthcare companies and providers
- manufacturing firms
- financial organizations
- retail
- military and government
Utilizing an Uninterruptible Power Supply is vital for your organization to stay protected from unplanned power outages. This helps keep your company’s data is safe while enabling you to meet deadlines and keep clients happy.
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