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08 March 2021 | Posted by userDataCenter

Importance of UPS for data centers

It happens to everyone that a power outage or a blackout occurs during the busiest part of the day, just when you are finishing some project you are working on. So, why are UPS so important nowadays?

What's a UPS?

UPS stands for uninterruptible power supply. It's a device that permits a computer keep running for a few hours during a blackout or when the primary power source is lost. UPS also provides protection from power surges.

Let's say that it behaves like an auxiliary power source for the computers and it allows them to keep running servers, links, applications which connects population, among others..

But, why is it so important?

It works as a backup that serve a frontline protection for the devices and data, providing continous power even then the primary power source of electricity goes out. A UPS contains a battery pack that kick off when the device senses a loss of energy from the primary source.

The lenght of time for this kind of backup depends on the hardware plugged, but at a minimun, it allows the user time to save everything and properly shut down the machines while the user waits for normal power.

UPS for data center

Datacenter

Data center applications require reliable power sources. Today's world is facing an increase in the use of cloud computing and virtualization while being connected to the internet at all times. People watch entire seasons of shows from streaming services because it's the new era. People walk around with smartphones continously connected to the internet. People share content with all their relations using internet. There are a lot of examples that require internet and an extraordinary amount of storage and infrasctructure which is the main base of the job of the data centers.

The data center is the heart of the internet and in order to ensure this information is available at all times, the data centers need to be non sensitive to power outage. This is why the UPS is one of the most important piece in every data center: the protection and never susceptible to power line disturbances.

Components of UPS

  • Rectifier: it converts the AC power input into DC power. This DC power will be used to feed an energy storage system.
  • Energy storage: it stores the energy converted from the rectifier. It could be store in batteries, flywheels or super capacitors.
  • Inverter: it converts the DC power from the rectifier or the energy storage system into required AC power to be used by the load.

Types of UPS

  • Standby/Offline: it has two modes. During normal opertation, the input power is fed directly to the output load with no filtering. A solid state switch is used to transfer the load to the battery source when power loss is detected.
  • Line interactive: it acts similar to a standby UPS, but has the ability to adjust the output in response to over and under voltage scenarios. A solid state switch is used to transfer the load to the battery source when power loss is detected.
  • Online/Double conversion: it makes use of double conversion power electronics. The battery system is always connected and does not require switching to the backup source.

As internet usage increases every day, more and more data centers are being built. The UPS keeps being the heart of making sure every computer within a data center is always running.

Next time when you use streaming services for your favorite show or movie, just remember all that is uninterrupted possible thanks to the UPS.

Marco

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