Uninterruptible Power Supply Options for Nonprofits

Once in a while, data disappears when electricity wanes, sending a grim reminder that no computer — be it a server, desktop, or notebook — is safe from a power disruption. By 2011, 70 percent of all U.S. organizations will witness disruptions in operations due to power constraints, according to research firm Gartner.

Sudden power disturbance can result in the loss of email, donor database information, and even shut down IT systems that play a critical role in hospitals or humanitarian relief work.

That’s where UPS (uninterruptible power supply) technology steps in, steadily supplying power and protecting computers, servers, and storage systems from random shutdowns or destruction.

A UPS provides power protection to IT systems by identifying a power outage or surge and corrects it by activating an alternate power source like a battery to keep hardware running. UPS systems can be especially beneficial to organizations in developing countries, where outages and power surges are common.

A UPS can be a key component in a nonprofit’s plans to protect data and keep critical operations running. In this article, we will answer common UPS questions and explore the systems that may best fit your organization's needs.

Do You Need a UPS?

Whether you need a UPS will vary on a number of factors, including the reliability of your electricity service, your hardware deployment, your IT setup, and the type of UPS system you are considering.

If you consistently experience electricity problems, it is prudent to have a UPS system. Some nonprofit environments, however, just have a UPS for servers, allowing them to stay up long enough to save data before shutting down. A children’s services organization, for example, might keep a server UPS that provides enough battery life to back up critical data before it goes down, but choose not to use a UPS for less critical client devices like desktop and laptop computers.

Nevertheless, UPS systems can be used with every piece of hardware, including networking equipment, monitors, and other PC components. Order the importance of your equipment — maybe a network device must be kept running in order get data to a server to be saved in an emergency, while a monitor is less critical — and determine your need for a UPS accordingly.

Whether you need a UPS will also depend on the type of work you do. Organizations collecting data on the server and client side contributing to a larger cluster computing effort, for example, may need to maintain UPS systems to ensure that every piece of hardware is running at all times.

If your electricity flow is fairly consistent and you are facing budget constraints, you may not need a UPS system. A surge suppressor connected to your PC can handle power surges and brownouts, but it won’t be able to save data in case of power loss, meaning you should take extra care to have a reliable backup system in place in the event of a shutdown.

Benefits of a UPS

While the decision to implement a UPS — and how to do so — depends on your needs, UPSs offer unique support features in the event of a power disruption, including:

1. Data protection.

   After an outage, UPS systems provide enough battery power for organizations to save data before shutting a system down safely.

2. Computer equipment protection.

   Certain UPS systems are adept at identifying and correcting a rise or drop in voltage levels from power surges that can save computer equipment from potential damage. UPS systems also save equipment by identifying and tackling power surges from lightning.

3. Keeping IT systems running.

   Advanced UPS systems provide protection from a multitude of power problems to keep critical IT operations running. For instance, the United Nations used an advanced UPS with a power generator to keep its telecommunications infrastructure running as part of a disaster-relief effort.

Developing a UPS Strategy

Before you purchase a UPS, there are a variety of factors you should consider, including the size of your organization, voltage levels, and power supply reliability.

Before selecting a UPS it is also important to understand what power problems can occur in your area. This is because different UPS systems specialize in identifying and protecting IT systems from specific power issues.

The most common power problems are voltage fluctuation (an increase or decrease in power), brownouts or blackouts (when power supply is interrupted), and frequency shifts (fluctuations in power that can slow down devices). Power problems could originate in data grids, transmission lines, your building’s wiring, or faulty equipment.

Most UPS systems identify blackouts and kick in a battery to keep equipment running. However, standby UPS systems, which specialize in tackling blackouts, do not protect IT systems well against voltage fluctuation.

Voltage may drop when you start up power-hungry electronics, like air-conditioning units, creating a power problem that could shut down systems and damage hardware. An advanced UPS, like a dual-conversion UPS, regulates such drops in voltage to keep power supply to IT systems consistent. Advanced UPS systems can also save equipment during frequency shifts.

Types of UPSs

There are two types of UPS systems: The inexpensive "offline" UPS, which has limited battery life, and the expensive, always-on "online" UPS, which has a longer battery life and tackles a range of power disturbances.

Offline UPS Systems

Offline UPS systems are ideal for small and mid-sized nonprofits looking for inexpensive UPS systems to protect PCs or servers from power outages and surges. Standby and line-interactive UPS systems are the most popular systems in this category.

Standby UPS.

If power fails, a standby UPS system activates a backup battery to supply power to a PC. It also has a surge suppressor that filters power from an AC input to protect systems from surges or spikes.

These cheap and small systems have limited battery life, from seconds to a few minutes — just enough to save data and shut down a system. They can handle a limited power load, and are ideal for individual PCs.

Belkin offers standby UPS systems starting at $43.99. APC offers Back-UPS starting at under $100. Tripplite offers InternetOffice for $105.

Line-interactive UPS.

The line-interactive UPS activates an internal battery to supply power to IT systems after a blackout or under-voltage (when the voltage falls for a long period of time). Thanks to minimal voltage regulation features, a line-interactive UPS can adjust voltage, something standby UPS systems can’t do.

Small nonprofits seeking UPS systems for Web and departmental servers may find these relatively low-cost boxes useful.

APC offers Smart-UPS for around $300, depending on your infrastructure, country, and requirements. Eaton's Powerware 5125 could cost $450, depending on the amount of backup power it can generate, the level of customization you require, and at what level of line fluctuations the UPS would kick in.

Online UPS Systems

Basic offline UPS systems fail at handling consistent voltage fluctuation. If the power supply in your organization is more than 30 years old, it is likely to experience voltage fluctuations. In this case, consider a more advanced online UPS. Online UPS systems are always kept running to monitor power characteristics and protect IT equipment from power disruptions like blackouts, surges, voltage fluctuation, and frequency disruption.

A long battery life makes online UPS systems ideal for nonprofits like research labs and humanitarian-relief organizations that rely on IT systems for critical operations. Dual-conversion and delta-conversion UPS systems are the most reliable online UPS systems.

Dual-conversion UPS.

During a normal state, this always-on UPS uses a battery as a primary power source for equipment, much like a laptop. AC power is first supplied to a UPS battery, which then supplies power to systems. During a power disruption, the battery doesn’t recharge, but continues to supply power to systems.

Relying on a battery as its main power supply, this UPS overrides any power problems plaguing normal AC outlets. The dual-conversion of electricity gives IT equipment a continuous, moderated power supply from the UPS battery, free of any disruptions.

A dual-conversion UPS can handle large electricity loads, making it ideal for small or medium-sized nonprofits seeking an affordable always-on UPS to provide power protection for critical IT operations running on servers and other hardware.

Two options in this category include APC's dual-conversion Symmetra UPS and Eaton's Powerware 9170. Both systems are priced based on individual requirements.

Critics have panned the inefficient dual-conversion UPS design of converting electricity twice as its design makes it inevitable that power is lost in the process. Though it costs more, the advanced delta-conversion UPS, explained next, adjusts power better, saving electricity and providing a longer battery life to equipment in the event of power disturbance.

Delta-conversion UPS.

This UPS combines a battery and a converter to supply power to IT equipment in a normal state. During a power disruption, the converter shuts down and the battery becomes the main power source for IT systems.

The converter makes this UPS more efficient than the dual-conversion UPS. It provides power-protection to systems handling larger workloads, good for nonprofits using thousands of watts of power in their IT environment. Nonprofits using mainframe or cluster computers to conduct research may find this UPS system valuable. APC sells the Symmetra MW delta-conversion UPS.

What to Consider when Buying

Nonprofits should keep in mind the following considerations when buying a UPS:

1. Load.

   UPS systems handle different electricity loads, so consider the amount of electricity your hardware uses. A standby UPS supports one PC, while multiple PCs or servers that demand more power may call for an online UPS.

2. Equipment.

   Know the equipment you intend to connect to a UPS. If you want to connect a mainframe or blade servers, buy a UPS that can handle a larger electricity load. Some equipment connected to UPS systems, like desktops and printers, may consume more power than laptops.

3. Portability.

   Buy a smaller UPS if you need portability to protect field equipment from power disruptions. A truck may be needed to move advanced UPS systems.

4. Wiring.

   Determine the wiring in your building or location. A building with old wiring may need specific protection against voltage fluctuation and frequency shifts, so consider an advanced UPS system.

5. Runtime.

   Much like laptops, UPS systems have batteries that provide power to systems. Depending on usage, a smaller UPS may come with batteries that work long enough to save data and shut down a system. After a power disruption, an advanced online UPS can supply power for hours.

6. Budget.

   Buying a feature-packed UPS is great, but stick to your budget. Going out of budget may cost your organization more in the long run. If you can live with system downtime and the occasional blackout, downgrade to a lower-level UPS and save money.

7. Country.

   Check voltage: A 110-volt UPS may not work in European or Asian countries, which mainly use 220 volts.

8. Tasks.

   For critical applications, select a permanent, feature-rich UPS that tackles a range of power disturbances to keep IT systems running. Otherwise, buy a standby UPS that works long enough to save data before a system shutdown.

Need more help selecting a UPS? APC, Eaton, Tripplite, and Belkin all have comparison charts to help you make the right decision.