It is almost impossible to think of any modern industrial or commercial business that can function without power. Major manufacturing sites, construction projects and transport are obvious examples of this profound reliance on energy supplies but even in standard office environments, the loss of power can be devastating. If the lights go out, maybe you can use candles but if your computers switch off, everything grinds to a halt: data processing, communications, admin, ecommerce and every one of the daily functions we take for granted. That’s why, as business has become wholly dependent on electricity to keep its wheels turning, we have seen an accompanying growth in the level of UPS supplies in the UK.
If we accept that without electricity, your business cannot function, we can see that the role of UPS equipment in keeping your systems live during a power failure is indeed essential. Your employees have important jobs to do and without power, you’re paying them not to work. As long ago as 2017 it was calculated that power failures cost small businesses in the UK approximately Ł800 per hour while the power remains off [1]. Larger businesses may recover more quickly but their losses can also mount up more quickly.
But a UPS system does more than just enabling normal work to continue. If the power goes, there can be serious consequences beyond enforced inactivity. Not only that! Fluctuations in supply can carry hazards comparable to those of total loss.
Damage
We think of UPS supplies in the UK mostly in the context of power failure but they also provide protection from power surges, which are more common than many people realise. Power surges can create problems for network management and can seriously damage hardware. Entire servers can be disabled. UPS can shield the electrical components of your system from potentially destructive forces. This includes routers and switches, vital for your network’s performance and severely at risk from power surges.
Data Loss.l
This is a huge and complicated area. Data has always been important in business but today it is an extremely valuable resource. Unfortunately, if a power failure causes a system to crash, huge amounts of data can be corrupted or lost. Every responsible business maintains a strict regime of automatic back-ups, but even this will not be proof against the unexpected. When the power shuts off, a UPS allows time for an emergency backup to be taken.
Work in progress is also at risk. Unsaved documents, spreadsheets, designs and calculations are particularly vulnerable. Even today’s auto-save features can’t deal with every situation because if the power fails at just the wrong time you could still lose everything you’ve done since the last manual or automatic save. Ultimately that costs you time and money.
Peace of Mind
This can’t be quantified by money or work-hours lost, by the cost of rebuilding corrupted databases or replacing hardware, but it is just as valuable. As the business owner, ultimately responsibility lies with you and that knowledge is enough to give you sleepless nights and anxious days if you think about the vulnerability of your systems. UPS may be a temporary measure but it provides a permanent solution.
Equipment That Can Benefit from UPS Supplies in the UK
A high-powered UPS can be installed at source to cover every piece of equipment in your business, but for extra security, it is worth considering the use of separate UPS devices for specific parts of your network. Key components would benefit from dedicated UPS. Your server is the hub on which everything else depends and therefore should be a priority for protection. Desktop computers do not have battery packs – unlike laptops – so they switch off immediately. If it’s impractical to fit a UPS to every machine, you should at least equip those that are critical to your business. Network Attached Storage devices and Storage Area Networks are vital for the safe storage of unstructured and structured data, but they are very sensitive to fluctuations in power so should also be given priority status.
The variety of UPS systems available is immense and choosing the right configuration for your business can be a complex task. It is advisable to seek the help of professional UPS providers who can assess your needs and suggest efficient, workable solutions.
