What Is A UPS? Why Do You Need A UPS?
Several businesses rely on a consistent power supply to streamline operations, especially with advanced corporate IT infrastructure requiring electricity to function. Similarly, a typical home, whether a single-family home or condominium, requires electrical energy to power various devices, appliances, and systems essential to homeowners. However, blackouts, power surges, brownouts, and spikes can be frustrating and lead to significant loss of crucial data or damage to electrical components.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the U.S. has an estimated 3.8 trillion kilowatt-hours (kWh) electricity consumption in 2020. This suggests that more people depend on electricity in their daily lives, whether at home or in the office. Hence, instances of power outages, including other power failures, can significantly affect commercial operations and leave homes without power for hours, days, or even weeks.
UPS technology offers an on-demand secondary power source for computers and other memory-based tech hardware in the event of power failures. And with remote learning becoming a norm since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, most workers established their IT systems at home. If you have a business relying on IT or have an established IT infrastructure in your home office, incorporating UPS technology is crucial.
What Is UPS Technology?
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is an electronic system consisting of internal batteries that receive and store electrical power and supply it to all connected devices in case of power failure. UPS technology enables businesses and homes to protect their gadgets, including unsaved crucial data, against unforeseen power failures such as blackouts, power surges, and brownouts. This makes the unit a protective component in your IT infrastructure that offers maximum protection to your electrical IT systems.
UPS power systems are usually connected to the mains wall socket where computers and other devices draw power through the unit via separate cables. During power failure, the unit will switch to its batteries to supply the needed power depending on its capacity. Traditional UPS systems use lead-acid (VRLA) batteries, but modern technologies have introduced lithium-ion technology, also referred to as Li-ion cells, to facilitate storage.
Li-ion batteries have become increasingly popular in UPS systems to ensure eco-friendly and constant power supply in case of power failures. Generally, UPS systems are available in three types to accommodate various applications.
- Online double-conversion: These are UPS systems that help safeguard critical IT loads and home appliances against voltage sags, complete power failure, and spikes. The unit converts AC power to DC, then back to AC to ensure it is stable before entering your home or office IT systems.
- Line-interactive: Line-interactive UPS technology provides battery backup and power conditioning, and it is widely used in areas with rare power outages but with greater power fluctuations.
- Offline UPS: Also referred to as battery backup or standby UPS, offline UPS systems protect your IT infrastructure and home devices and systems against power spikes. However, these units are ineffective against minor surges and sags.
Why UPS Technology Is a Must at Home and In the Office
If you live in California or conduct business in California, you are aware of multiple planned service power outages. This can affect your remote work or office operations, leading to issues such as data loss, damaged IT equipment, and time wastage. With that, here are six reasons why your home or business requires UPS technology.
Offers Protection Against Electrical Variances
Consistent electricity supply is crucial to avoid spikes, surges, electrical noise interference, and brownouts. Electricity variation has a significant impact on delicate equipment, primarily your IT infrastructure. To ensure your home office or business IT system has adequate protection against electricity variances, installing a UPS battery backup is essential. A UPS system will act as a filter, allowing steady streams of stable power that reach your systems and prevent power variances.
Protects Against Unforeseen Power Outages
California has a rising number of power outages, with 2019 experiencing over 25,000 blackout events, an increase of 23% compared to 2018. Cars knocking down power lines, power grid overloads, fires, and thunderstorms are some reasons resulting in increasing power outages in the state. Whether you are working from home or have a business solely depending on electricity, a UPS comes in handy to protect against unforeseen power outages. This helps prevent losing critical, unsaved data or blackouts, giving you a constant power supply for several hours during outages.
Facilitates Data Protection
Power surges have a significant impact on computers, servers, and other devices within your IT infrastructure. Besides, sudden power outages or variances can cause loss of unsaved data, meaning you have to start from the beginning or engage in complicated data recovery processes. A UPS provides a safe working environment where your IT system is kept secure against power failure damage. The unit also gives you adequate time to organize and save your data after a power outage.
Peace Of Mind
With California being prone to power outages, most remote workers and businesses relying on electricity cringe every time a thunderstorm hits. Power outages are among common issues that affect an individual's efficiency at work, whether working from home or at the office. A UPS battery provides protection, backup, and a stable power supply regardless of any power failure. This gives you more confidence while working, ultimately boosting productivity. The system also offers the utmost protection to appliances, devices, and systems connected to it.
Reliability And Consistency
UPS systems and technologies are widely known for their consistency in supplying power evenly regardless of power failures. This makes them one of the most reliable power systems, ensuring you never have to worry about your data, devices, appliances, or systems during power outages or variances. It is an effective way for businesses and remote workers to work more efficiently without manual interference as the batteries within the unit charge and switch automatically.
Time-Saving
Your IT system will stop working during a power outage, and most of your unsaved or unbacked data will likely disappear. Besides, you will probably waste time waiting for the power to come back on in case of power failures. Having a UPS in place enables you to continue working, complete your work on time, and avoid losing crucial data. This makes the unit a must-have for remote work and in physical offices, to ensure you get to cover more work in the event of power outages or variances.
Does Your San Francisco Business Have The Right UPS Systems In Place?
Your IT infrastructure is a critical element in your business, whether working remotely or in the office. As California is characterized by increasing planned and unplanned power service outages, it is crucial to have a reliable, consistent, and effective UPS system. This allows you to have a constant power supply, protect your IT systems and enjoy working despite power failures.
At On Time Tech, we can help you understand how to protect your IT infrastructure with UPS systems effectively. Contact us to learn more today!
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