Using an Uninterruptible Power Supply
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) provides constant power to a computer system when a power fluctuation or power loss occurs.
Built-in electronics constantly monitor line voltages. If the line voltage fluctuates above or below predefined limits, or fails entirely, the UPS supplies power to the computer system from built-in batteries. The UPS converts the direct current (DC) battery voltage into the alternating current (AC) voltage required by the computer system. The change to batteries must take place very rapidly to prevent data loss.
Most UPS devices are one of the following types:
• Online UPS. An online UPS is connected between the main power and your computer. The main power continuously charges the batteries which supply the power to the computer. This method provides power conditioning, which means that it removes spikes, surges, sags, and noise.
• Standby UPS. A device configured to provide either the main power or its own power source and to switch from one to the other as necessary. When main power is available, the UPS device connects the main power directly to the computer and monitors the main power voltage level. When the main power fails or the voltage falls below an acceptable level, the UPS device switches to its own power.
Other options to consider include:
• Whether to use a separate UPS for each computer or have larger capacity, centralized UPSs that protect multiple computers.
• What type of UPS you want to use.
• How big the UPS needs to be to protect your computer systems.
• How long the UPS needs to run before automatically shutting down.
• What other features your UPS needs to have, such as:
• Continuous conditioning of the incoming power to provide clean, steady power.
• Software that produces statistics or logs UPS information to the event log.
• Software for testing the integrity and reliability of the UPS battery.
For robust resistance to power failures, use UPS hardware connected to the computer and software that handles power failures, including shutting down the system before the UPS batteries are depleted. Without such software, human intervention is needed to shut down the system.
Some operating systems have built-in UPS functionality that takes advantage of the features included with many UPS systems. This may include ensuring the integrity of data on the system by providing for an orderly shutdown of the computer system if a power failure lasts long enough to deplete the UPS batteries.
To fully protect your network, you also need to install a UPS on network devices such as routers, hubs, and bridges. For the best protection, install UPS systems on the cables that connect your computer to your modem, telephone, printer, and network equipment. Most UPS systems have built-in surge protection.
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