Energy is unpredictable: a single blackout in your home or
office is enough to cause very serious damage to all electrical and electronic
devices. Even if these are quite rare events, a single event can be enough to
make us regret not having thought of some security system that would prevent
all the damage caused. techsmartinfo
There are many solution on the market for filtering the
peaks of electricity at low cost: in shopping centers or from electricians for
some time it is possible to buy multi-socket power strips with a resistance
capable of filtering the energy peaks . Although they have their usefulness and
should always be used especially for more expensive electronic devices (such as
a Smart TV), in the most serious cases these solutions may prove insufficient,
especially when there are frequent power cuts in the area. Furthermore, another
non-negligible aspect, unlike a laptopwhich is equipped with a rechargeable
battery, with a desktop PC or server without an autonomous battery we will in
any case lose our work or risk irreparably damaging the hard disk or the power
supply. Even if with the latest generation SSD disks the problem is less marked
than with traditional mechanical disks, in any case it can cause damage related
to the loss of files present in the disk cache memory and not yet written. lifebloombeauty
An uninterruptible power supply , even if inexpensive, helps
us considerably to prevent these risks: it is simply an external unit to which
we directly connect our IT devices and which is equipped with its own
rechargeable battery, which comes into operation in the event of blackout. techbizcenter
The advantages do not stop there: the most advanced models
are also able to regulate the flow of electricity produced by the grid, preventing
any possible overload or energy spike. By investing a few euros more, we can
also take advantage of some interesting features of these devices, such as the
scheduled shutdown of the operating system in the event of a power failure.
Let's see what are the elements to take into consideration,
before buying a new model.
How many sockets do I need?
Whether it's a power strip with protection filter or a UPS,
the first thing we need to think about is the number of power outlets we need.
Generally, it is advisable to consider models with at least 2 sockets, just to
have that flexibility necessary for the future, even if we need to connect only
one device, or, for example, to connect the central unit of the PC and the
monitor. .
Many UPSs also provide eight sockets, but you also need to
consider those that are actually battery powered: in fact, sometimes, sockets
are provided that are capable of supplying power only when the UPS is actually
connected to the mains. This can be a valuable aid if we do not need to connect
all the devices to the UPS, but we must be cautious in considering the actual
needs of each individual device that we have to proceed. Just to give an
example: we can connect the multi-function to a non-battery powered socket,
while we will connect the monitor and PC to two potential battery-powered
sockets.
A useful tip is to connect any routers or switches needed to
connect to the internet or to the local network to the sockets also powered by
the battery: this will allow you to continue working without interruptions even
if you have jobs open on a cloud application. Otherwise, in the events of a
power failure, your PC will remain on, but without the necessary Internet
connection you will not be able to save your work. futuretechexpert
How much power do you need?
Once you have determined how many outlets you need, you will
need to have a clear idea of the actual power the UPS unit will need to deliver
if the power goes out altogether. It is clear that if the accounts get bad, the
expected autonomy will be much less and you will have much less time, perhaps
to properly close the operations you still have in progress on the PC. hollyhealthfitness
What are the components that consume the most energy?
Definitely the monitor, then immediately after the actual computer and then all
the other peripherals. Since the battery life is clearly conditioned by the
absorption of all these peripherals that may be connected, it is advisable to
avoid connecting the printer or other useless or unnecessary peripherals to the
UPS.
If you want to make a really accurate calculation of how
much your peripherals actually absorb, you need a wattmeter , a small device
that has the shape of a common electrical outlet with an LCD display that is
able to measure the energy actually absorbed and show it on the screen.
How long will the battery last?
If you have carefully reads the previous paragraph, you can
immediately conclude that the battery life is inversely proportional to the
power load generated by the connected devices. Generally a domestic or small
office UPS is purchased to have an autonomy of a few minutes, enough to close
the PC if you are working in a "polite" way (thus saving all open
jobs) or give way to the management software, which I will talk about soon
after, to shut down the server correctly and perhaps perform a series of
essential operations so as not to jeopardize the correct restart of the server.
However, each manufacturer provides an estimate of the
duration based on a maximum hypothesized load: a common UPS, for example, is
able to supply about 400 / 500W total power, enough to keep an average power PC
alive for about ten minutes.
However, these values tend to worsen over time: in fact, the
performance of the battery progressively degrades, up to guaranteeing an
autonomy of a few seconds before turning off completely. In general, however,
an indicator is provided that shows the health of the battery (independent of
the charge) and indicates when it is necessary to replace the battery.
What other features do I need?
A good UPS is not simply a device that your PC and a few
other things connect to, and it works in an emergency. A good UPS of the latest
generation is able to provide many useful and interesting services, which
enrich the kit.
In addition to the most trivial function, which I pointed
out earlier (shut down the operating system correctly), it is possible, for
example, to associate a series of tasks to be performed before shutting down
the computer. It is also possible to send a series of alerts via email to
perhaps notify the technical support of an office.
Other interesting functions are linked to all the useful
information that can display the internal diagnostics of the UPS: the level of
health and charge of the battery, the power absorbed during the last power cut,
the remaining battery life and so on. .
Another useful (non-software) function is that of hot
swappable batteries: some units allow, in fact, in the event of a power failure
and when the main battery is nearing exhaustion, to swap the main battery while
hot (hot swappable battery). technologywebdesign
In short, these are functions that are not always necessary
but which can contribute to increasing the usefulness of the purchase.
How important is the guarantee?
Even a mid-priced UPS promises to protect valuable devices -
often hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Some manufacturers, if you buy the
product through the official channels of the Italian distribution, add
additional guarantees to the unit. In the event of UPS failure, in fact, albeit
with appropriate limitations, they provide for a further reimbursement in the
event of damage caused to all connected units.
The terms of the warranty, of course, vary from manufacturer
to manufacturer, but can also cover significant damage. One of the components
to be evaluated, therefore, in the choice phase is precisely that linked to the
coverage of additional guarantees, which go beyond the mere legal guarantee of
the product.
A final benefit, of great interest, is that of the hard
guarantee covering any costs related to data recovery: some manufacturers, such
as UPC, also offer services of this type included in the coverage period: it
should not be underestimated as an opportunity.
