As a small business, medium business, or even for a large company, your IT infrastructure should not be taken lightly. Facing technological challenges that affect all areas of activity, all the equipment of businesses must be selected with the utmost care.
If you’ve probably already thought about some of them, such as servers to store your data, electronic devices to perform your profession, or even computers for all the collaborators in your organization, it is possible that you do not yet have all the equipment you need. Among the accessories most often forgotten by companies, it is impossible not to mention uninterruptible power supplies, but which type of uninterruptible power supply should you choose more precisely?
What is an uninterruptible power supply?
An uninterruptible power supply, or UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) in English, is a device that provides backup electrical power in the event of a power outage. Specifically, different types of uninterruptible power supplies allow you to protect your equipment such as your computers, your servers, or other electronic devices that are not specifically related to IT. This helps you avoid outages, voltage spikes, or voltage drops.
Indeed, in the event of a power outage, the uninterruptible power supply can then take over instantly, preventing machines from shutting down and the associated data losses.
3 types of uninterruptible power supplies based on your needs
Companies may need to use three types of uninterruptible power supplies depending on their usage. Specifically, whether you have the opportunity to work in the health sector, energy, IT, or even for DIY work, there are definitely uninterruptible power supplies made for you!
Off-line uninterruptible power supply
An off-line uninterruptible power supply, or sometimes “standby,” is a very common type of uninterruptible power supply that protects against very short power outages or voltage spikes. Generally, they allow you to protect computers or small IT devices.
Line-interactive uninterruptible power supply
You might need to opt for a line-interactive uninterruptible power supply to regulate voltage or better protect yourself against disturbances in the electrical current. Even though it is often said that these uninterruptible power supplies are more suited for SMEs with some office equipment, it actually depends on many other factors to consider.
On-line uninterruptible power supply
Among the uninterruptible power supplies often regarded as the most expensive, on-line uninterruptible power supplies are often in first place. These uninterruptible power supplies, sometimes referred to as “double conversion,” have the advantage of providing continuous, filtered, and uninterrupted power.
Companies generally use these uninterruptible power supplies for the most critical cases, such as healthcare facilities, industrial buildings, or data centers that host millions of data.
How to choose the right type of uninterruptible power supply?
If you have never had the opportunity to buy an uninterruptible power supply for your company, you are likely hesitating between off-line, line-interactive, or on-line uninterruptible power supplies. To help you clarify the subject, let’s take a closer look at the different criteria to consider:
Identify your electrical needs
One of the first actions you need to take before choosing an uninterruptible power supply is to precisely identify your electrical needs in the business. Specifically, this translates to the power to cover in VA/kVA.
You can ascertain this necessary power depending on:
- The types of equipment you have in your company
- The number of equipment in your premises
- The desired duration of autonomy of your devices
Evaluate the level of criticality
During your analysis, be sure to carefully assess the critical level of your devices, and ask yourself what the impact of a power outage could be on your business activity. If you realize that the impact is minor, and that you could ultimately work if a power outage occurred for a few minutes, an off-line uninterruptible power supply should be sufficient for you.
On the other hand, if you work in a much more sensitive field, it is preferable to opt for a line-interactive uninterruptible power supply or an on-line uninterruptible power supply if you feel you absolutely need to maintain your activity.
Take into account the space available
Even if you believe you have enough space to place an uninterruptible power supply in your business premises, do not forget to consider the space necessary for this type of installation. Indeed, an uninterruptible power supply cannot always be placed in any environment and must take into account the temperature, humidity, and ventilation.
In case of doubt, do not hesitate to ask further questions to uninterruptible power supply vendors. They will not hesitate to direct you towards a specific type of uninterruptible power supply based on your needs and the space you have available.
Manufacturers also provide technical recommendations for the installation of their uninterruptible power supplies, to ensure that they are installed under the best conditions possible.
Plan for future developments
Companies that choose to install uninterruptible power supplies sometimes do so out of anticipation, in the context of an immediate need, but too rarely while preparing for the future. Yet, this is an essential question to ask yourself if you want to choose the right type of uninterruptible power supply for your organization.
Indeed, if you choose a type of uninterruptible power supply too quickly, such as an off-line uninterruptible power supply, you may regret your choice if you realize that it does not match your needs in the coming years. Therefore, to avoid having to change your uninterruptible power supply too quickly, you should also take all the time necessary to evaluate your company’s situation in the coming years. Today, one of the best options is to also choose modular solutions, whether with parallelable uninterruptible power supplies or with extendable batteries.
