Uninterruptible Power Supplied Limited (UPSL) conducted a survey investigating what users need most from their uninterruptible power supply (UPS.) Years ago a UPS system was a clunky piece of equipment kept in the plant room with the generators and was the parallel opposite of the more sensitive ICT equipment. In the present day the UPS has evolved dramatically and is now one of the most consistent advances in computer hardware, becoming a necessity for businesses needing critical power protection.

The data centre design market has grown rapidly; accelerating the advances in UPS technology. UPS systems are now more efficient, more available and more flexible. With loads continuing to grow and reaching a higher critical stage, electrical mains power is less reliable, hence the rise in demand for UPS. In the survey more than 75% of 2,000 IT professionals who participated said that their UPS system had been called upon in the past 12 months.

Predictions show that by 2018, 19 Giga watts of UK generating capacity could be lost as nuclear, oil and coal power stations shut down. 80% of participants said that the rising price of oil and the direct effect this has on energy costs is a major concern for their business. A growing priority is for businesses to reduce their carbon footprint, with 63% saying they believe reducing overall operating costs will drive their energy consumption down. 82% said that energy efficiency is a key buying consideration when looking to purchase capital equipment. 54% felt that modern UPS systems have significantly improved power consumption and cooling issues within their business.

It is the transformerless technology that is behind the success of the modern UPS; reducing energy and cooling costs and input current. Transformerless UPS systems are lighter and smaller and can therefore be parallel rack-mounted modules instead of floor standing units. This modular design increases the UPS availability with faulty modules being easily replaced.

The quality of the UPS supplier’s total package is what determines the reliability of the UPS according to participants. Over 90% reported maintenance and call out services as being just as important as the hardware itself. UPS hiring ,emergency call outs and UPS maintenance plan are all things a good UPS supplier should offer. This is alongside replacement products such as batteries, battery racks , generators and UPS modules.

The survey conducted by UPSL reflects the current political, business and technical environment that we live in. Reliability is highly valued by users due to grown in data centre demand and increasing concerns about UK power grid availability. Energy saving is a big priority with an increase in environmental concerns and actively reducing energy costs.