| On the one hand, there's the management
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| | is grouped into data processing clusters,
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| issue of controlling several smaller
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| | each with dedicated UPS protection,
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| units attached to vital equipment or each
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| | giving several smaller power plants
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| separate network. On the other, the cost
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| | spread across the whole operation.
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| and reliability implications of having to
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| | Distributed UPS often require lower
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| install a dedicated ring main system for
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| | capital outlay and installation costs.
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| power management; if the central UPS
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| | Some suppliers claim higher overall
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| fails, so does the whole system!
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| | operating efficiencies because the number
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| When planning business continuity, a
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| | of conversions from mains AC to DC is
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| centralised UPS is normally more
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| | reduced - leading to energy savings.
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| powerful, functional, sophisticated and
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| | The primary advantage of centralized UPS
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| automated than a solution based on a
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| | Smaller UPS generate less heat than
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| distributed architecture. What's more,
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| | larger ones, leading to greater
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| it's usually housed away from the main
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| | efficiency. Distributed systems also
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| data centre. Distributed UPS, however, is
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| | reduce the total number of power
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| simpler and less costly to install; vital
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| | conversion steps; consequently,
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| equipment can be protected independently,
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| | electronic components and circuit
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| and thus it is shielded from a central
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| | complexity are both reduced. Distributed
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| power outage.
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| | solutions, however, generally have more
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| Deciding on a UPS solution?
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| | components, which could increase the
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| When planning power and business
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| | likelihood of breakdown. As each data
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| continuity, one of the main issues is to
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| | centre processing cluster has its own
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| protect against
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| | uninterruptible power supply, confusion
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| 'single-points-of-failure'. In practice,
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| | about which equipment is protected
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| both centralized and distributed UPS
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| | against power outage by which UPS is
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| solutions work well - providing the
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| | eliminated. Likewise, maintenance and
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| system is designed with appropriate
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| | battery changes are localised to
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| redundancy and a built-in maintenance
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| | individual clusters thus reducing
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| by-pass (allowing UPS maintenance without
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| | downtime elsewhere in the business.
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| loss of power to the load).
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| | The primary advantage of centralised UPS
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| A centralised uninterruptible power
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| | over smaller, distributed UPS lies within
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| supply usually forms part of the
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| | batteries. Smaller UPS contain sealed
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| facility, as it has to be housed securely
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| | lead-acid batteries - with a typical
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| away from the main business. In the past,
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| | design life of five years or less. The
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| these systems were only meant to protect
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| | cost implications of this depend on the
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| against short-term power outage but this
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| | number of UPS clusters. Larger batteries,
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| is now changing. With modern UPS regarded
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| | used in centralised UPS, have longer
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| as a lifeline service, battery back-up,
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| | design lives.
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| failover, redundancy and maintenance
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| | Another business continuity benefit of
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| by-pass are all now an integral part of
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| | centralised UPS is that, being housed
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| their design. Centralised solutions use a
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| | away from 'busy' areas of the building,
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| single UPS to feed a custom built ring
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| | it is less easily disrupted, accidentally
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| main, which supports numerous items of
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| | damaged or maliciously interfered with.
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| critical load or dedicated networks.
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| | Always invest in expert UPS consultancy
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| The alternative is a distributed
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| | In conclusion, distributed UPS, though
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| decentralised system, with each piece of
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| | easier and less costly to expand, can
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| data centre equipment powered by a
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| | cost more per-kilowatt than a centralised
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| smaller individual UPS.
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| | system. Centralised systems, however, are
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| Load utilisation and your uninterruptible
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| | more expensive initially to build and
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| power supply
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| | must be carefully designed to meet future
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| In terms of load utilisation and battery
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| | business continuity needs. Large-scale
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| capacity, a centralised uninterruptible
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| | Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) deployments of
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| power supply can be more versatile and
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| | IP phones, wireless access points,
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| cost efficient. However, the installation
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| | internet security cameras and other
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| of a dedicated ring main can be expensive
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| | peripherals may favour a centralised
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| - especially if the loads are spread
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| | uninterruptible power supply solution
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| around a building. While distributed
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| | through lower whole-life costs.
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| solutions may not optimise load capacity
| |
| | When planning power and business
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| and extended run time, the effects of UPS
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| | continuity, the wisest option is to treat
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| failure may be reduced when compared to
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| | each network on a case-by-case basis and
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| the business continuity implications of a
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| | always invest in expert UPS and business
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| poorly-designed, failed centralised UPS.
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| | continuity consultancy.
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| Distributed UPS means that the business
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