Load-shedding has once again become a regular occurrence in South Africa, and the current problems with power are set to continue for the foreseeable future, says Elrica Quick, APC product specialist at DCC.
An uninterrupted power supply (UPS) is therefore one of the most important pieces of office equipment a business can have. Not only does a UPS enable users to save documents and files and perform a safe shutdown of equipment including PCs, servers and networks, it also helps to protect data from loss and/or corruption as a result of sudden power cuts.
However, if a UPS is not current and up-to-date, it may prove to be a weak link in your infrastructure. Businesses should look at replacing older UPS with newer models in order to ensure protection during power outages as well as quality power and power assurance for sensitive IT equipment and infrastructure.
The current power challenges are just the latest in a string of on-going issues that stretch out over the past few years. Many businesses purchased their UPS at the start of the power crisis more than five years ago, and have been using them ever since. However, the batteries within a UPS do not have an unlimited lifespan, and older UPS’s may not provide the levels of protection or the runtime they did when they were first purchased.
This can have a negative impact on productivity, as organisations are unable to work through extended outages. In addition, as with all technology, the UPS has evolved over the years, and newer models now provide advanced features and functionality that can offer businesses more efficient, effective and reliable back up power.
Ensuring continuous IT operations during power outages is essential for productivity and profitability when the power situation is unstable. Implementing a best of breed solution with battery management will guarantee you are not ‘caught in the dark’. A UPS also protects equipment against power surges, preventing damage to equipment as a result of unstable power supply. Upgrading your current UPS to the latest technology can offer a number of business benefits, including increased efficiency, continuous monitoring and improved battery management.
In terms of increased efficiency, the latest UPS solutions provide businesses with savings on utility costs while achieving operating efficiency without sacrificing reliability or protection. UPS efficiency is determined by the measurement of the input and output active power in normal mode of operation, as well as the available load. A “UPS Efficiency test” is recommended in the IEC standard as part of routine UPS testing at the factory and on site.
Continuous monitoring enables businesses to monitor the UPS and power quality information by means of an LCD display screen, as well as environmental monitoring via embedded network management cards and an Ethernet connection. This provides accurate real-time statistics on the device and the environment to ensure it is operating optimally and effectively.
Software is available for the auto shutdown of equipment on the UPS while a Network Management Card enables users to configure via the network. The configure menus on the unit enables to do some configuration on the unit itself.
The battery is an essential component of the UPS system. Battery management ensure that users no longer need to guess when batteries need to be replaced. Using advanced algorithms, the UPS will recommend the battery replacement date. It will then inform the user as to when batteries are nearing end of life and requires replacing, and auto detect when additional battery packs are added. Abnormal temperature and adverse environmental conditions are factors that will decrease the life expectancy of the batteries, so enhancements such as temperature-compensated charging work to extend battery life and advanced algorithms recommend the replacement date.
When looking to upgrade a UPS to the latest model, these three factors are some of the most important to look for. In addition, businesses should ensure that any UPS also incorporates an Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and surge protection to protect connected equipment from power dips and spikes and auto shutdown software to safely shut down equipment even when nobody is in the office.
Hot-swappable user replaceable batteries are a great feature as it will allow users to do battery replacements effortlessly and quickly. This also means that should a battery die or become inefficient, the battery can be replaced without the need to replace the entire UPS. In addition, the warranty on the UPS should be examined.
The power situation in South Africa continues to be problematic for businesses, and a UPS has therefore become an essential productivity tool. Ensuring your UPS is up-to-date and operating at maximum efficiency will ensure you can keep working through load shedding and power cuts without sacrificing productivity or risking damage to expensive IT equipment.
