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Technology > Power Conditioning & Supply
When the largest blackout in North American history affected much of the Northeast US and parts of Canada, the need for effective power management was suddenly a priority, not an afterthought. Unfortunately, few organizations have addressed their power requirements since this event.
Blackouts are not the only events that need to be addressed. Power spikes, surges, poor grounding, and brownouts should be addressed. Even lightning strikes can be protected against to some degree.
It is quite common for organizations to use UPSs to protect servers, data equipment, and some workstations. If your organization has done this, you should consider the following:
- Did the person(s) who installed the UPS verify the power requirements of the equipment the UPS was bought to protect? It is very common for people to buy the least expensive UPS or to not know how to determine power requirements.
- Has the equipment plugged into the UPS or power supply been changed out since the UPS was originally installed? The newer equipment may require more power. Be especially careful when changing to a new laptop.
- Have the UPS batteries, or the battery system used to power equipment directly, been serviced in the past year? In the past three years? Most UPS batteries have a life of three years. DC plants, such as those used to power PBXs, Mobile Radio equipment, or other Telecom equipment, may have a longer life with proper maintenance. Battery maintenance is commonly a very low priority.
- Have you considered the cooling requirements of your equipment? Equipment may be crammed in a closet, stacked in racks, or in rooms with no ventilation.
It doesn't matter how good your technology is, how creative your solution, if you don't have power, it doesn't work. Innovative Thinking can protect your data equipment with UPSs, redundant power systems, generators, surge arrestors, and specialized solutions. There is nothing innovative about powering your equipment, until everyone else's equipment is out. Innovative Thinking will help you design a power, power monitoring system, and maintenance plan that will give you confidence.
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