Loss of Power

Data center downtime is one of the biggest fears of any data center manager.  Data centers can experience downtime for a number of reasons, some within control and some completely outside of control.  For instance, any poor weather ranging from a heavy storm to a natural disaster could potentially knock the power out in the area in which the data center resides.  No matter what the source of downtime is in a data center, one thing is certain, data centers must have a backup in plan.  But, this is not news.  Every good data center has backup.  The next question is – is that enough?  The answer is a resounding no.  To ensure that data center information and functionality is protected it is critical that there is a backup for the backup in place.  Is this redundant?  Yes.  But ultimately, it could save money, jobs and ultimately, the entire business altogether.  Data Center Knowledge points out just how costly downtime is for a data center and, by extension, a business, “Unplanned data center outages are expensive, and the cost of downtime is rising, according to a new study. The average cost per minute of unplanned downtime is now $7,900, up a staggering 41 percent from $5,600 per minute in 2010, according to a survey from the Ponemon Institute, which was sponsored by Emerson Network Power. The two organizations first partnered in 2010 to calculate costs associated with downtime.”

When you evaluate a data center, its power and capacity needs, and endeavor to create true redundancy in backup power supply you have to ensure that the redundancy is continuous.  If it is not, major problems could arise.  When creating the right system for your data center you have to try to anticipate future growth and needs.  What worked yesterday for data centers no longer works for today.  It is a continuously changing world and, for this reason, it is also important to do regular audits of your backup system to ensure true redundancy has been achieved and is still functioning as you move forward.  The key power components of a data center include the backup generator, uninterruptible power supply (UPS), internal power supplies, power distribution unit (PDU) and much more.  A fully redundant power supply will have adequate amounts of power supply to completely support the data center and all of its components with no single points of failure.  Should a power outage occur, a data center will remain completely functional with this redundant backup power system in place.  Not all data centers need this elaborate of a backup for their backup in place but, if the environment is running a mission critical project this type of backup is absolutely necessary.  Backing up the backup may seem redundant, and it is, to save data centers from frustration, loss of time and significant loss of money.

Loss of Power

For any data center, maintaining uptime in a world fraught with potential hazards that could cause downtime is the highest priority.  Today, most data centers try to take advantage of every possible option to ensure uptime is maximized in the event of a problem.  An emergency-proof UPS, along with adequate redundancy, can help significantly improve uptime.  But, in a world where even a few seconds of downtime can be extremely costly and problematic, even redundancy and a good UPS may still not be enough.  The problem lies in the rate at which technology evolves.  In most other industries, a backup plan or emergency supply can be determined once, maintained and executed should it ever be needed.  But, in the technology industry, what would have worked 6 months ago for your data center may now be outdated or insufficient.

A data center uses power 24/7 which means that its UPS system is also being tasked with maintaining power 24/7.  By reducing power usage and improving efficiency, even a small amount, it can significantly lighten the load of your UPS system.  Truly, any data center can probably benefit from improving energy efficiency for more than one reason but helping your UPS system is an important reason.  Data centers have a life cycle and rapidly change so it is important to constantly monitor and audit energy usage so that you can determine the best UPS system to ensure proper redundancy and power supply.  As more and more power is needed in a data center, UPSs are often added to provide power supply protection.  The thing is, UPS capacity is often not fully utilized so there is significant energy waste.  If your UPSs are becoming outdated and you are constantly adding more and more backup power supplies it may be time to consolidate them and upgrade them to better improve data center energy efficiency and provide better backup power protection for your data center.  It is always better to consolidate or upgrade your data center’s UPS before it fails, rather than after, because loss of data and uptime can be avoided.  Additionally, when consolidation or upgrades are made there is often a significant increase in efficiency for the data center which means that the investment will more than pay for itself very quickly.  While a full overhaul of your UPS may not be necessary, things will gradually begin to show their age and fail so the sooner you consolidate and upgrade, the better.  Don’t overtax your UPS and cross your fingers, make the changes before problems arise so that uptime can be maximized, which ultimately, is the most important thing to clients.

When talking about data centers we tend to talk a lot about the importance of uptime and the measures to take to avoid dreaded downtime.  This is for good reason.  Clients and their employees and customers want uptime and downtime can lead to not only a lot of frustration but significant financial loss.  Data center managers must carefully assess the current needs of their data center as well as attempt to forecast future needs to properly prepare their data center and prevent downtime.  Good preparation is often the key to success.  Even if things in a data center are running relatively smoothly, downtime is minimal or non-existent and you feel pretty confident in how things are running.  But, it is usually soon after you start to get a little too comfortable and confident that vigilance begins to become less of a priority and problems arise.

To begin preventing problems in a data center, data center managers must have a firm grasp on exactly what infrastructure and equipment there is in the data center.  Additionally, they must understand current power and data usage.  By knowing this, and having a proper DCIM plan in place a data center manager will be ready to anticipate future needs.  When you assess your needs you will see if there is wasted power and be able to devise a plan to better use power.  Many data center problems are directly related power issues.  Server racks wasting power or not having an adequate backup supply of power in place.  In addition to taking a good preliminary assessment, it is important to schedule routine assessments often for your data center.  How often may depend on your specific data centers and its needs but it may need to be as often as once per year and as infrequent as every few years.  Routine assessment should check in on everything from infrastructure to the human side of data centers.  So often, when we think about data centers all we see are racks upon racks but there is still a human side to data centers and, in fact, human error can often be the source of a data center problem.  Data Center Knowledge points out just how significant a risk human error is in data centers, “But one of the leading causes of data center downtime is human error, as ComputerWorld reminds us in Stupid Data Center Tricks, which relays anecdotes of data center mishaps. The story notes a study by The Uptime Institute, which estimates that human error causes roughly 70 percent of the problems that plague data centers today.”  By identifying potential human error risks and dealing with them before they arise you will save yourself a lot of headaches.  Once you are in the habit of completing routine assessments you will begin to see patterns and be able to anticipate needs, make adjustments ahead of time and maximize uptime by minimizing data center problems.

When it comes to data center design few things get more attention than power distribution.  Power distribution units (PDUs) must be carefully selected for any data center based on power usage needs, anticipated future needs and what level of intelligence you would prefer from your PDU.  Power distribution units can be quite simple and straightforward or they can be very sophisticated and intelligent with power metering, environmental monitoring within the data center and the ability to support very sophisticated and high powered systems.  Downtime is crippling and costly so it is critical that extreme attention is paid to selecting just the right power distribution units for your data center.

There are many kinds of PDUs available today including basic PDUs, metered PDUs, and switched PDUs.  A basic PDU is exactly as it sounds, a reliable power distribution source that sends power to multiple pieces of equipment within a network application.  While it may sound simple, it gets the job done and that is the most important thing.  However, if you need something with some more features, such as metering, a metered PDU may be ideal.  Metered PDUs still provide the same basic use but in addition it allows for better data center management because metering provides data center managers with information as to how much power is being used.  This is important for growing data centers because it will give data center managers a heads up when power supply is may be insufficient.  If power usage is going to exceed what the PDU is capable of data center managers will be able to remedy the problem ahead of time rather than potentially having to deal with downtime.  And, for added convenience, switched PDUs provide the same benefits bas basic PDUs and metered PDUs with the addition of being able to turn PDUs on and off remotely.  This is ideal for data center managers that oversee a large network of data centers.  They can turn PDUs off remotely without having to travel to the data center itself, saving time and money.  Also, smart or intelligent PDUs are similar to switched PDUs and are able to be managed remotely and from the web.  The type and size of PDU you choose will depend heavily on what specific equipment you have and what your needs are.  You may even deploy a variety of PDUs throughout your data center.  Be sure to continually assess your data center to ensure that your PDUs are sufficient for your needs to avoid downtime.

Implementing an Uninterruptible Power Supply system in any data center, of any size, faces challenges and potential pitfalls.  While the end game of installing a UPS system in a data center is added protection against power failures, choosing the right UPS and implementing it can be fraught with problems.  This is true in any size facility center but in large locations with large installations, the problems compound and increase.

One of the first areas that can be challenging is choosing the right Uninterruptible Power Supply system for a large scale application.  With increased power demands and more complicated infrastructure, the more performance ability and capacity a UPS system must have.  Modular systems can be helpful as the offer scalability as needs change.  Because implementing a large scale UPS system can present challenges, it is best to walk through the entire facility to ensure the proper infrastructure is in place before any system goes live.  The more due diligence you do, the less likely there will be errors in choosing the appropriate UPS, components such as batteries, or anything else.  Each problem encountered not only wastes times and slows the process down but can also be quite costly.  Additionally, it is wise to examine the data center to make sure necessary items, such as proper amount of electrical outlets, are in place before you order your backup power system and attempt to implement it because the last thing you want to do is overload it and create more problems than solve them.  Many data centers with high capacity and big demands may consider implementing a large-scale parallel UPS system for increased redundancy and protection.  Through the use of a PDU (power distribution unit), and a communications cable, parallel systems in tandem to support critical data loads so that, should a problem occur in one system, the parallel system can support the load in the interim.  In addition to systems working parallel for redundancy, UPS systems can be connected together so that their combined power supports the demand in a team effort of sorts.  This cannot be done by combining any backup power supply systems that you can get your hands on but, rather, manufacturers create systems capable of being configured to work together.  Finally, the location that experiences success when implementing (or terminating) anything on a large scale does so not by happenstance but with careful planning and consideration.  In the end, the most important thing is to protect uptime and mission critical information.  Make a plan for implementation or termination of your data center UPS system, ensure that batteries are properly functioning, make sure everyone is on the same page and then execute the plan, being sure to have a backup plan in place in case anything should go wrong.  After all, data centers know that redundancy is often the key to success.

Every data center operates with a budget that plays a major role in determining specific data center infrastructure choices.  Any time major decisions must be made the budget will come into play, there will be discussion of upfront cost and what the potential return on investment is.  But, beyond those two things there are other factors to consider.  To get a true picture of value and help you make a better picture it is wise to look at the total cost of ownership, or TCO.  This is especially true when determining what UPS system is best for your data center.  By calculating UPS Total Cost of Ownership you will be able to realize both energy and cost saving potential over the life of the system and make a better, well-informed decision for your data center and its specific needs.

When calculating UPS Total Cost of Ownership, there are a few key areas to look at that will make an impact.  First are the initial purchase and installation costs.  While the initial purchase of a UPS may seem significant, and while it is important, it is far from the only thing that will influence the Total Cost of Ownership.  While the lowest cost solution may seem ideal because it will require the least investment up front, and it may seem like a “bargain,”  you often get what you pay for and it is frequently not the best overall investment.  For instance, if your UPS system will go through batteries more frequently, the cost of UPS batteries, as well as the additional installation time may end up adding substantial hidden cost to the TCO.  In addition to initial purchase and installation costs, UPS efficiency must also be considered.  Nothing will be a bigger drain on your energy, and thus your money than an inefficient UPS.  What major facilities have shown us is that even what seems to be a small gain will often yield substantial savings.  Even a 1 or 2 percent energy savings from a more efficient UPS has the potential to save millions of dollars for a data center over the life cycle of a UPS system.   Additionally, it is important to assess the cooling needs of a UPS system before installing.  While a small gain in UPS efficiency may yield savings, those savings could be quickly drained by a system that requires a substantial amount of cooling when compared with another UPS system.  Finally, it is wise to look at the maintenance and component requirements of the UPS system as these two things will add considerable cost to the cost of ownership.  Some UPS batteries may need to be checked multiple times per year while others may only need to be checked annually thus saving maintenance time.  Data Center Knowledge elaborates on how maintenance costs influence TCO, ” For example, does the UPS topology have sufficient redundancy that allows a single UPS unit to be taken off-line for maintenance or evaluation, or does the entire power plant need to shut down while maintenance or repair is performed? Even scheduled maintenance has an effect on uptime, data and processing transfer time and costs, including labor costs. Scheduled battery replacement is probably the major OpEx cost of a UPS, representing a significant part of a maintenance budget. If TCO is a critical evaluation factor, then understanding which battery technologies can extend the life cycle of a UPS becomes important. The same is true for remote UPS monitoring systems that improve battery life, maintenance and upgrade strategies.”  Finally, do not forget to factor in the end-of-service costs that come with ending the use of a particular UPS system and changing infrastructure as a result.  There are many metrics available for calculating data center UPS Total Cost of Ownership so that you can have a full picture of a UPS system before deploying it in your data center.

In a data center the delicate balance of performing mission critical tasks, storing and protecting information, maximizing uptime and also being energy efficient all happen simultaneously.  Today clients demand their information systems to run effectively and run efficiently, and they demand them to be in use whenever they want them there.  Data centers must continue to look at ways to avoid power failures and maximize efficiency through an effective monitoring plan and a reliable UPS.  Proper redundancy to maximize uptime can be costly and drain a lot of energy.  But, without proper redundancy, a data center could experience catastrophic downtime.  The correct Uninterruptible Power Supply, UPS battery and monitoring must be in place to prevent problematic power failures from occurring.

There are many emerging trends in data center Uninterruptible Power Supply systems and management.  Major facilities are looking at ways to reduce power supply needs by implementing data networks so that, if a power outage occurs, data demands can be shifted from one server to another until uptime is restored.  Data Center Knowledge explains how, and why, big facilities are making a shift away from traditional UPS systems and UPS batteries to improve efficiency while maintaining and maximizing uptime, “Big uninterruptible power supply cabinets and rows of batteries that are similar in size to the ones under the hood of your car have been an unquestioned data center mainstay for years. This infrastructure is what ensures servers keep running between the time the utility power feed goes down and backup generators get a chance to start and stabilize. But companies that operate some of the world’s largest data centers – companies like Microsoft, Facebook, or Google – are in the habit of questioning just such mainstays. At their scale, even incremental efficiency improvements translate into millions upon millions of dollars saved, but something like being able to shave 150,000 square feet off the size of a facility or improve the Power Usage Effectiveness rating by north of 15 percent has substantial impact on the bottom line. Those are the kinds of efficiency improvements Microsoft claims to have achieved by rethinking (and finally rejecting) the very idea of the big central stand-alone data center UPS system. The company now builds what essentially is a mini-UPS directly into each server chassis – an approach it has dubbed Local Energy Storage… It saves physical space (150,000 square feet for a typical 25-megawatt data center, according to Shaun Harris, director of engineering for cloud server infrastructure at Microsoft, who blogged about LES this week). It is also more energy efficient, because it avoids double conversion electricity goes through in a traditional data center UPS. Finally, Microsoft saves by not adding reserve UPS systems (in case the primary ones fail) and by not having to build a “safety margin” in the primary UPS. Data center designers usually go through a lot of trouble to make sure the central UPS plant doesn’t fail, because if it does, every server downstream will go down when the utility feed fails.”  The need for an effective and efficient UPS is not going anywhere anytime soon, especially not for smaller locations that cannot rely on implementing a network of data sites.  Ensuring that your facility batteries and backup power supply are not only sufficient for your data center but are actually being monitored and will work if needed are critical steps in the process to maximizing uptime in the event of a power failure.

In the data center world, aside from maximizing uptime, there is always a focus on using less energy and spending less money.  Large centers often set the tone for how this can be achieved because if it can be achieved on a large scale, it can frequently also be achieved in smaller scale facilities.  It is especially important to focus on these areas in large data centers because by reducing energy use it can dramatically improve expenditures, freeing up money in the budget.  Implementing an effective Uninterruptible Power Supply system is incredibly important and a good one can be the lifeblood of a data center – providing necessary backup power in the event of a power failure.  A UPS system is only as good as its batteries, if the batteries do not work, the whole system will not work.  Microsoft has recently implemented the use of new batteries in their facilities that are dramatically cutting costs.

Data centers, whether large or small, go through a lot of batteries to power their UPS system.  Batteries must be checked often and replaced as needed to ensure that when the system is needed during a power failure, they will be able to provide the necessary support.  TheNextPlatform describes how traditional batteries function, “In a traditional datacenter design, companies deploy uninterruptible power supply, or UPS, systems that are giant banks of lead acid batteries. The UPS provides power to the servers, storage and networks if there is a short glitch in the power feed that might otherwise cause the machinery to fail or reboot. The UPS sits in between the high voltage feed coming into the datacenter from the electrical grid substations and the server and storage machinery that runs at a much lower voltage inside the datacenter.”  Microsoft continues to move toward innovation within the technology industry by implementing the use of lithium-ion batteries in their UPS systems.  By making the switch, Microsoft reduces the need for a large equipment room footprint to house UPS systems which saves space and utilities for cooling and energy.  PCWorld elaborates on the advantages of the switch Microsoft has made, “The LES can replace traditional UPSes (Uninterruptible Power Supplies) for providing backup power to servers and other IT gear, Microsoft said. A UPS is designed to kick in fast if there’s an interruption to the main power, keeping equipment running during the seconds it takes for a diesel generator to start up and take over. Traditional UPSes use lead acid batteries, but they’re bulky and require a lot of maintenance. Microsoft says its lithium-ion battery system is five times cheaper than traditional UPSes, factoring in the cost to purchase, install and maintain them over several years. They also take up 25 percent less floor space, because they’re installed directly within the server racks… The batteries are hot-swappable, meaning they can be replaced without shutting down servers, and LES is suitable for data centers of all sizes, Harris said, including a data center closet with only a few servers… Microsoft isn’t the only company using lithium-ion batteries for backup power. Facebook submitted a somewhat similar design to the Open Compute Project last year and is using that in its own data centers. “The inflection point has just happened in the industry where lithium-ion is cheaper to deploy than lead-acid for a data center UPS,” Matt Corddry, Facebook’s director of hardware engineering, said last year.”  With such massive forces in the technology industry proving the advantages of switching to lithium-ion, many data centers of all sizes are sure to follow in their wake.

As we have previously discussed, increasing rack density and consolidating data centers is all the rage, especially going into 2016.  This is a trend we do not see going anywhere.  Many businesses are opting for colocation as a way to save money and achieve better IT management and protection.  In data facilities, space is a precious commodity.  One of the main reasons often cited for needing to relocate is simply not having enough space.  As the trend continues towards cloud storage, with the help of increasing rack density and consolidation, many data centers may just find they have more room than they think and can even implement more focused, better cooling strategies that will also help save on energy costs.  Facility rent is far from cheap so maximizing space is critical in achieving a cost-effective method of managing data.  Horizontal expansion is not the answer, vertical expansion through increased rack density and consolidation is how data centers can continue to adapt to meet their own needs without having to relocate.

Data Center Journal provides a helpful description of what high density looks like and why it makes such a big impact, “A number of different approaches to increasing power density have expanded the computing power per square foot of data center space. According to a Gartner press release (“Gartner Says More Than 50 Percent of Data Centers to Incorporate High-Density Zones by Year-End 2015”), “Traditional data centers built as recently as five years ago were designed to have a uniform energy distribution of around 2 kilowatts (kW) to 4kW per rack.” But the addition of high-density zones can increase this energy distribution several times over in certain areas of the facility. “Gartner defines a high-density zone as one where the energy needed is more than 10kW per rack for a given set of rows. A standard rack of industry-standard servers needs 30 square feet to be accommodated without supplemental cooling, and a rack that is 60 percent filled could have a power draw as high as 12kW. Any standard rack of blade servers that is more than 50 percent full will need to be in a high-density zone.”  Of course, increasing density in individual server racks, while beneficial to consolidation, brings challenges that must be addressed.  Power distribution and cooling needs are vastly different for high density racks vs. traditional server racks.  Not only must high-density power be properly supplied by energy, and properly cooled, but all of the components must have adequate backup power in the form of a sufficient UPS and UPS battery that can maintain the high-density needs should a power failure occur.  Data Center Journal elaborates on the challenges, “One constraint on power density is obviously the power-distribution infrastructure, both at the level of the utility-provided power and the backup facilities. For each watt supplied by the utility, the data center must have sufficient UPS and diesel-generator capacity to continue operations in the event of a power outage. And that, of course, is above the cabling, power-distribution units (PDUs) and so on dedicated to delivering the power to the racks. Coughlin notes that “most data centers don’t have much new power available for their facilities, so they likely have to get more power from the utility and spend a lot of money on core data center infrastructure (electrical and mechanical infrastructure, generators, power distribution and so on) just to be able to provide it. So access to more power and cost are two important variables.” But the other and perhaps more pressing need is cooling: every watt consumed by the facility is a watt of waste heat that must be removed to maintain the desired operating temperature. Herein lies what may be the biggest challenge facing higher density—particularly for facilities not originally intended to handle it. “When you increase density considerably at the rack level, much more heat is generated by the servers and a lot more cooling is required,” said Coughlin. “Cooling infrastructure is very expensive, but the biggest challenge may be trying to retrofit an old data center. Most of these older data centers were built with low ceilings and there is no easy way to improve density in many cases other than ripping up the data center—which is incredibly difficult to do, especially with live customers.”  Ultimately, if these challenges can be overcome, high-density will drive a data center’s ability to lower costs and maximize efficiency, a focus that is on the mind of every facility manager.

 Data centers rely on their UPS battery to keep their infrastructure up and running.  Implementing uninterruptible power supplies with a good, reliable, long-lasting UPS battery is an expensive endeavor but one that is more than worthwhile if the power supply does what it is supposed to and provides protection.  We have discussed UPS system TCO in the past, and it is important to evaluate TCO when determining what Uninterruptible Power Supply system to implement but TCO is only accurate when you take life-extending measures to keep your Uninterruptible Power Supply system running as it should, for as long as possible.  A neglected backup power source, or one that is not properly implemented, may have a dramatically reduced life which is frustrating and costly.  It is important that a data center manager make prolonging the life of its backup power supply battery a priority so that investment is maximized and power is properly protected.  Below are some tips to prolong the life of your battery without jeopardizing the uptime of your facility,  so that you can have peace of mind that you facility is covered and you are maximizing the investment you have made.

• Purchase the Correct UPS Battery for Your Unique Data Center
  • This is often where mistake #1 occurs. It is important to consider total cost of ownership when choosing the right backup power system and power unit for your data facility but total cost of ownership is not necessarily the full picture.  Some high-rate discharge batteries have a shorter lifespan so if a longer lifespan is a high priority it may be best to opt for a different kind of UPS battery.  A flooded or wet cell option will cost more than a VLRA battery but it will be more reliable and have a longer lifespan.  With a good picture of your data center’s specific needs, and a proper analysis of TCO you can narrow in on the proper continuous power unit to provide reliability and long lifespan within your budget.  And, once you have chosen the correct one, make sure it is installed properly.  An incorrectly installed backup power battery will often have a shorter lifespan.
• Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance
  • If there is one thing that might make the biggest difference in prolonging the life of a UPS battery it is maintenance. Maintenance must be performed routinely according to a pre-determined schedule so that you are certain your backup power supply is not being neglected.  They are very sensitive to temperature and so it is important to have a monitoring system in place that alerts you if the temperature fluctuates outside of a certain range (keep it as close to  75 – 77 degrees Fahrenheit as possible).  By maintaining the correct temperature you can significantly prolong it’s life.  While automated monitoring of certain factors is important, a routine visual inspection should be part of your maintenance schedule as well because you can look for obvious damage such as loose intercell connections, damaged post seals, corrosion or fires.
• Do Not Use Your UPS Battery Beyond Its Capacity
  • A battery is still functioning and your UPS is still doing its job, sure it may be low on life, but it is still working so why waste it, right?   It is critical that you do not push your backup power battery beyond its capacity or you greatly risk having no backup in the event of a power failure.  You should never use it beyond 80% of its rate capacity.  Once it hits 80% it will begin to deteriorate more rapidly, putting your data center at risk.  For this reason, it is imperative you not exceed a Uninterruptible Power Supply battery’s capacity.

Aside from security, maximizing uptime is likely the top priority of just about any data center, regardless of size, industry or any other factors.  Most businesses today run on data and that data is being facilitated by a data center.  Businesses, and their employees and customers, depend on data being available at all times so that business processes are not interrupted.  Every second a data center experiences downtime, their clients experience downtime as well.  Data center managers and personnel are on a constant mission to prevent downtime and they must be vigilant because downtime can occur for a variety of reasons but one has been and remains the #1 threat – UPS battery failure.

UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is the redundant power supply that is supposed to back up a data center in the event of an energy problem such as power failure, or a catastrophic emergency.  Having an uninterruptible power supply is necessary in any size data center because no batteries last forever and, unfortunately, even the most observant and effective data center managers cannot prevent some power failures.  The UPS also contains a battery that will kick in should the primary power source fail so that a data center (and its clients) can experience continuous operation.  Unfortunately, the very thing that is supposed to provide backup power – the UPS – can sometimes fail as well.  Emerson Network Power conducted a 2016 study to determine the cost of and root causes of unplanned data center outages, “The average total cost per minute of an unplanned outage increased from $5,617 in 2010 to $7,908 in 2013 to $8,851 in this report… The average cost of a data center outage rose from $505,502 in 2010 to $690,204 in 2013 to $740,357 in the latest study. This represents a 38 percent increase in the cost of downtime since the first study in 2010…UPS system failure, including UPS and batteries, is the No. 1 cause of unplanned data center outages, accounting for one-quarter of all such events.”

Batteries lose capacity as they age justifying the need for a preventive maintenance program. Image Via: Emerson Network Power

In order to properly for a strategy for UPS failure prevention, it is important to look at why UPS failure occurs in the first place.  At the heart of the UPS system is its battery which powers its operation.  UPS batteries cannot simply be installed and then left alone until an emergency occurs.  Even if a brand-new battery is installed and the UPS system is never needed, the battery has a built-in lifespan and it will, over time, die.  So even if you think you are safe with your UPS system and your unused battery, if you are not keeping an eye on it, you may be in trouble when a power outage occurs.

Beyond basic life-expectancy in ideal conditions, UPS battery effectiveness may be reduced or batteries may fail for other reasons.  Ambient temperatures around the UPS battery, if too warm, may damage the UPS battery.  Another reason a battery may fail is what is called “over-cycling” – when a battery is discharged and recharged so many times that it reduces capacity of the battery over time.  Further, UPS batteries may fail due to incorrect float voltage.  Every battery brand is manufactured differently and has a specific charge voltage range that is acceptable.  If a battery is constantly charged outside the recommended charge voltage range – whether undercharging or overcharging – it will reduce the battery’s capacity and may lead to battery failure during a power emergency.

Fortunately, many of these UPS failures can be traced back to human errors that are preventable.  This means that data centers looking to prevent UPS failures and maximize uptime can do so by implementing and vigilantly following a UPS failure prevention strategy.  First, it is important to develop a maintenance schedule, complete with checklists for consistency, and actually stick to it.  Don’t let routine battery maintenance fall off of your priority list, while it may not seem urgent, it will feel very urgent if the power fails.

One of the first and most important things that a data center should implement in their strategy is proper monitoring of batteries.  Every battery will have an estimated battery life determined by the manufacturer, some even boast as long of a life cycle as 10 years!  But, as any data center manager knows, UPS batteries do not last as long as their estimated life cycle because of a variety of factors. Just how long they will actually last will vary which is why monitoring is incredibly important. Batteries must be monitored at the cell level on a routine schedule, either quarterly or semi-annually and it is important to also check each string of batteries.  By doing this on a routine schedule, you can determine if a battery is near its end of life cycle or has already reached its end of life cycle and make any necessary repairs or replacements.  If it appears a battery is nearing the end of its life cycle it may be best to simply replace it so as not to risk a potential failure.  In addition to physically checking and monitoring UPS batteries, there are battery monitoring systems that can be used.  While physical checks are still critical, battery monitoring systems can provide helpful additional support that may prevent a UPS failure.  Schneider Electric describes how battery monitoring systems can be a useful tool, “A second option is to have a battery monitoring system connected to each battery cell, to provide daily automated performance measurements. Although there are many battery monitoring systems available on the market today, the number of battery parameters they monitor can vary significantly from one system to another.

- A good battery monitoring system will monitor the battery parameters that IEEE 1491 recommends be measured. The 17 criteria it outlines include:

- String and cell float voltages, string and cell charge voltages, string and cell discharge voltages, AC ripple voltage

- String charge current, string discharge current, AC ripple current

- Ambient and cell temperatures

- Cell internal resistance

- Cycles

With such a system, users can set thresholds so they get alerted when a battery is about to fail. While this is clearly a step up from the scheduled maintenance in that the alerts are more timely, they are still reactive – you only get an alert after a problem crops up.”  Further, as your monitor your batteries it is important to collect and analyze the data so that you can make informed decisions about how to best maximize battery life.

Next, it is important to properly store your battery when not in use to maximize its lifespan which will help it function properly in the event of use.  A UPS battery must be charged every few months while in storage or its lifespan will be diminished.  If you cannot periodically charge your UPS battery while in storage, most experts recommend storing your battery in cooler temperatures – 50°F (10°C) or less – which will help slow down the degradation of your battery.

To keep your UPS battery functioning in optimal conditions, ambient temperature should not exceed 77 degrees Fahrenheit and should stay, generally, as close to that as possible.  It is important to not just prevent temperatures from exceeding that but prevent temperatures from frequently fluctuating because it will greatly tax UPS batteries and reduce their life expectancy.  It is important that your UPS is stored in an area of your data center where temperatures are carefully monitored and maintained to help promote proper function of your UPS in the event of an emergency.  Ideally, your UPS would be maintained in an enclosure with temperature and humidity control.

An increase in the number of annual preventive maintenance visits increases. Image Via: Emerson Network Power Network

While routine maintenance will require attention and dedication, it is not without merit.  In fact, Data Center Knowledge notes that there are statistics that back up the argument that routine maintenance really does prevent UPS failure, “In one study of more than 5,000 three-phase UPS units and more than 24,000 strings of batteries, the impact of regular preventive maintenance on UPS reliability was clear. This study revealed that the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) for units that received two preventive maintenance (PM) service visits a year is 23 times better than a UPS with no PM visits. According to the study, reliability continued to steadily increase with additional visits completed by skilled service providers with very low error rates.” Data centers must implement their own unique UPS maintenance strategy, tailored specifically to individual needs, and remain vigilant in their follow through.  Implementing UPS maintenance best practices, including maintaining proper temperatures, maintaining proper float voltage, avoiding over-cycling, properly storing batteries, utilizing UPS battery monitoring systems, and performing routine visual inspections, will help significantly decrease the risk of UPS failure.

There are few things more important to a data center than continuous power.  Without it, a data center will experience prolonged downtime, significant financial loss, a damaged reputation and other damaging effects.  It is for this reason that data centers focus a lot of their time and energy on power redundancy and ensuring that there is a properly functioning uninterruptible power supply (UPS).  A UPS will sit waiting and, should it be needed due to a power failure, will supply necessary power to keep data center infrastructure up and running.  There are a variety of UPS sizes to accommodate assorted power loads and many data centers implement multiple UPS systems to ensure they are protecting against downtime.  It is important that a UPS be prepared to function at a moment’s notice so that there is not significant loss of data.  The problem is, many data centers experience UPS failure and, the majority of times a UPS fails, it is due to lack of proper maintenance and servicing.

A power failure can occur for a variety of reasons – power outage, power surge, power sag and more.  Whatever causes a power fluctuation or outage, even a few moments of downtime can bring with it severe costs.  Should any power fluctuation or outage occur, a UPS will pick up right where the power supply left off, eliminating downtime, data loss, and damage to infrastructure.  A UPS is often thought of as a “dependable” power supply in case of emergency but, if it is not properly maintained and serviced, it may not be particularly dependable.

To be able to determine how to best maintain your data center UPS system, you must first understand why UPS systems fail from time to time.  Just like that 10 year old battery in your junk drawer may not have very much life left in it, UPS batteries diminish over time.  Even if you have not needed to use your UPS, the battery that powers it will lose capacity over time and not have as much life as originally intended.  UPS battery deterioration is often further expedited because of the often high temperatures inside data centers.  Fans occasionally fail because certain components such as ball bearings dry out or fans lose power from continuous use.  Additionally, power surges such as those caused by lightning or other transient spike can diminish a UPS battery.  Dust accumulation on UPS components can diminish UPS efficacy.  Further, the UPS battery discharge cycle (how many times the battery has been discharged and recharged) will shorten the overall life of a UPS battery.  A typical 3-phase UPS has an average lifespan of 10 years and without proper maintenance it could be much shorter.

If you think you are doing enough by occasionally checking your UPS battery, you may be leaving your data center exposed to an outage and downtime.  Government Technology explains just how many data centers are experiencing downtime due to UPS failure and preventable human errors, “Data center outages remain common and three major factors — uninterruptable power supply (UPS) battery failure, human error and exceeding UPS capacity — are the root causes, according to a new study released earlier this month. Study of Data Center Outages, released by the Ponemon Institute on Sept. 10, and sponsored by Emerson Network Power, revealed that 91 percent of respondents experienced an unplanned data center outage within the last 24 months, a slight dip from the 2010 survey results, when 95 percent of respondents had reported an outage…Fifty-five percent of the survey’s respondents claimed that UPS battery failure was the top root cause for data center outages, while 48 percent felt human error was the root cause.”  By correcting human error and properly maintaining your UPS system, you can dramatically decrease your data center’s risk of downtime.

To prevent UPS failure, it is imperative that you regularly maintain and service your UPS as part of your Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) plan.  There are a few key components of proper UPS maintenance and service but physical inspection is at the core.  If you are not physically checking on your UPS system on a regular basis, there is no way to know if there is something visibly wrong or problematic that could lead to a failure.  The best thing you can do is create a UPS maintenance and service checklist and keep a detailed log of all maintenance and service to ensure that maintenance does not fall behind. Your checklist should include checking the UPS battery including testing it to ensure it is working, the UPS capacitors, the ambient temperature around the UPS, calibration of equipment, performing any service that might be required (check air filters, clean and remove dust), verify load share and make any necessary adjustments, and more.

If UPS battery failure is one of the most common causes of UPS failure and thus downtime, it is only logical that this should be one of the most important parts of your UPS maintenance checklist.  Battery discharge should be routinely checked to ensure that it is not diminished and incapable of handling the necessary power load in the event of a failure.  It is also important to visually inspect the area around the UPS and the battery itself for any obvious obstructions, dust collection or other things that may prevent adequate cooling.  If you are seeing a warning that the battery is near discharge perform necessary maintenance.  Further, the AC input filter capacitors should be checked, along with the DC filter capacitors and AC output capacitors for open fuses, swelling or leakage.  Next should you visually inspect all components for any obvious problems.  Inspect the major assemblies, wiring, circuit breakers, contacts, switch gear components, and more.  Should you see obvious damage, perform necessary maintenance and service.

Next, because data centers operate at a high temperature due to the energy output of the infrastructure, it is important to check the ambient temperature around the UPS system because a high temperature can diminish the battery capacity.  Schneider Electric explains best practices for maintaining ambient temperature around UPS for maximum battery life, “It is recommended that the UPS be installed in a temperature controlled environment similar to the intended application.  The UPS should not be placed near open windows or areas that contain high amounts of moisture; and the environment should be free of excessive dust and corrosive fumes.  Do not operate the UPS where the temperature and humidity are outside the specified limits.  The ventilation openings at the front, side or rear of the unit must not be blocked… All batteries have a rated capacity which is determined based on specified conditions.  The rated capacity of a UPS battery is based on an ambient temperature of 25°C (77°F).  Operating the UPS under these conditions will maximize the life of the UPS and result in optimal performance.  While a UPS will continue to operate in varying temperatures, it is important to note that this will likely result in diminishing the performance and lifespan of your battery.  A general rule to remember is that for every 8.3°C (15°F) above the ambient temperature of 25°C (77°F), the life of the battery will be reduced by 50 percent.  Therefore, keeping a UPS at a comfortable temperature is crucial to maximizing UPS life and capabilities.”

Visual inspection should include dust and dirt removal on the UPS system.  UPS system will sit and accumulate dust over time but dust could interfere with proper heat transfer so dust should be promptly removed to ensure the UPS system will function properly when needed.  Further, check all air filters for dust accumulation.  Dust accumulation on filters could lead to inefficiency and even overheating.  Clean and replace filters as needed to properly maintain your UPS.  Capacitors are also an integral component of UPS systems.  Capacitors aid in the transition of power in the event of an outage so if they fail, the UPS will likely fail.  Capacitors need to be routinely checked because they will dry out from wear and tear so they need to be replaced every few years to ensure proper UPS function.

Though much of the suggested UPS maintenance and service strategy may sound basic, even obvious, the fact of the matter is that UPS failure continually remains a primary source of data center downtime.  And, when you couple that with human error, it is easy to see that many data centers simply are not properly maintaining their UPS systems to prevent failure.  All of these tasks do not need to be completed every day or even every week, certain tasks can be performed weekly while others can be monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually.  By breaking it up you ensure that your UPS system is being frequently and routinely checked while making routine maintenance a far more achievable task.  Additionally, by maintaining a detailed log you can see if UPS maintenance and service has fallen behind and immediately address any concerns.  When data center technicians routinely check the UPS system, they will become familiar with what looks normal and what looks concerning so that, should anything look problematic, it can be addressed and remedied immediately for peace of mind that your UPS will be there when you need it and prevent costly downtime.

Every data center utilizes a UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply – to ensure that power is always available, even in there is a power interruption.  Minimizing downtime while maximizing energy efficiency is a primary goal of any data center or enterprise which is why choosing the right UPS is so important.  The UPS begins supplying power immediately upon sensing that the primary power source has stopped functioning.  This is important because it maximizes uptime which helps prevent frustration and financial loss, as well as prevents the loss of data.  The UPS stores power and sits in waiting until it is needed but it requires things like maintenance and testing to ensure it is ready to be used when needed.  There are two primary types of UPS: Flywheel and Battery and there are pros and cons to each that a data center must carefully weigh.

A flywheel UPS (or sometimes referred to as a “rotary” UPS) is an older type of UPS but is still a viable option for modern data centers.  Flywheel UPS and battery UPS provide the same essential function, but the way that function is achieved, the way energy is stored, is different.  Flywheel batteries store kinetic energy that remains waiting for when it is needed.  Flywheel systems pack a large energy density in a small package.

Flywheel UPS systems tend to be significantly smaller than battery UPS systems.  This can be an advantage when data center square footage is a premium.  Further, Flywheel UPS systems are easier to store – they do not need as much ventilation, require less maintenance, and do not need special disposal arrangements to be made when their lifespan is complete. Flywheel UPS systems can literally last decades with a minimal amount of maintenance which is a stark contrast to battery UPS systems.

One of the most significant drawbacks of a flywheel UPS system is its power output capacity when compared with battery UPS systems.  TechTarget explains this key difference, “The UPS reserve energy source must support the UPS output load, while UPS input power is unavailable or substandard. This situation normally occurs after the electrical utility has failed and before the standby power system is online. As you determine whether flywheels are appropriate for a project, the amount of time that the reserve energy must supply the UPS output is key. For comparable installed cost, a flywheel will provide about 15 seconds of reserve energy at full UPS output load, while a storage battery will provide at least 10 minutes. Given 15 seconds of flywheel reserve energy, the UPS capacity must be limited to what one standby generator can supply.”  Though flywheels cannot deliver the same length of power output that battery UPS systems can, multiple parallel flywheels can be installed so that they all supply backup power in the event that they are needed.

Something important to consider is the type of data center.  If your data center is part of a larger network of data centers then if power failure occurs, another data center could take over the data load and support your data center for a short time until you are back online.  Many data centers are employing this network structure as a better means of maximizing uptime and efficiency.  If this is the case, something like a flywheel UPS system may be ideal because you do not need a prolonged power supply in the event of an emergency.  A shorter UPS runtime is all that is needed.  But, make no mistake; many data center managers still want the maximum amount of time possible when it comes to UPS capacity.  Further, some data centers are opting for a hybrid UPS system that employs both battery and flywheel. While the initial investment in a hybrid UPS system may be more, it should pay for itself in a matter of a few years.

Another important consideration is energy efficiency since many data centers are trying to become more “green.”  Though flywheel UPS systems are often thought of as the green option, Schneider Electric points out that this common assumption may be incorrect, “The results may come as a surprise to many. In almost all cases, VRLA batteries had a lower overall carbon footprint, primarily because the energy consumed to operate the flywheel over its lifetime is greater than that of the equivalent VRLA battery solution, and the carbon emissions from this energy outweighs any carbon emissions savings in raw materials or cooling. Of course, the tool lets users conduct their own comparison to see for themselves. This analysis and tool are a good reminder that decisions around energy storage needs to factor in a number of variables.”  It is more apparent than ever before that ever data center must evaluate their unique, individual needs, as well as their energy goals and uptime goals when choosing which type of UPS system is best.

A battery UPS system supplies electrical power through a chemical reaction that happens within the battery, unlike a flywheel system that uses kinetic energy.  Battery UPS systems are often favored by data centers because they can provide a much longer supply of power than a flywheel UPS.  The exact length of time available will depend heavily on the battery’s age, how well it has been maintained, etc. but for reference, a battery UPS may be able to provide 5+ minutes of power (and sometimes much more depending on a variety of factors as mentioned above) vs. a flywheel UPS that may only be able to provide less than a minute of backup power.

Though a battery UPS provides longer power supply when it is needed, it is not without its drawbacks.  UPS batteries must be routinely maintained.  This includes visual inspection, ensuring adequate cooling and ventilation, cleaning and more to ensure that they will work properly in the event that they are needed.  Additionally, UPS batteries have a shorter lifespan than flywheel UPS systems.  This is because the chemicals within the batteries diminish over time and ultimately lead to battery failure.  For this reason, UPS batteries must be not just routinely maintained but frequently checked to ensure that they are still working and capable of supplying power.

Further, a UPS battery has a limited number of discharge cycles.  Though it can recharge, if it is frequently discharged and then recharged, it will diminish its “expected” capacity and lifespan over time.  For flywheel UPS systems, this is not a problem (though it should be noted that flywheels can only discharge a limited number of times in a short time frame, but multiple discharges over a long period of time is not problematic).  Additionally, UPS batteries contain hazardous materials that must be safely and correctly disposed of when no longer needed.  This means that UPS batteries require special disposal methods that flywheel UPS systems do not require.

As we discussed earlier, because there are advantages and drawbacks to both flywheel and battery UPS systems, many data centers are opting for a hybrid approach.  Data Center Knowledge explains the advantages of having a hybrid system that employs the use of both flywheel and battery power, “According to Kiehn, while the general trend is toward lower-cost systems with shorter runtimes, the size of the market that still wants 5 minutes or more shouldn’t be underestimated. “A lot of customers are still asking for 5 minutes,” he said. They include colocation providers, financial services companies, as well as some enterprises…There are also reliability and TCO benefits to having both flywheel and batteries in the data center power backup chain. When utility power drops, the flywheel will react first and in most cases will never transfer the load to batteries, since the flywheel’s runtime is enough for a typical generator set to kick into gear, Anderson Hungria, senior UPS product manager at Active Power, explained. Because the batteries are rarely used, initial and replacement battery costs are lower. Theoretically, it may also extend the life of the battery, but the vendor has not yet tested for that. As two alternative energy storage solutions, the flywheel and the batteries act as backup for each other, making the overall system more reliable.”

In the technology world, processes and products that are the “old” way of doing things tend to go away quickly in favor of the latest and greatest advancements.  But, when it comes to flywheel UPS systems, they are getting a new life, particularly in the form of hybrid UPS systems.  Flywheels are not an alternative to UPS batteries when it comes to energy efficiency or length of power supply – but that does not mean they are not a viable option for many data centers.  Depending on unique data center needs, they should be considered both from a standalone perspective or as part of a hybrid UPS system to ensure better backup power supply that maximizes uptime and efficiency.

One of the most important components of any data center is their Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).  The UPS is tasked with maintaining uptime in a data center should there ever be a power interruption.  It literally provides an uninterruptible power supply to mission critical infrastructure within a data center.  With proper maintenance, a UPS system can save a data center from downtime that is not only incredibly costly but frustrating and very problematic.  Data center UPS systems are not new; they have been used for decades.  And, just like any technology that has been around for that long, the technology has evolved and enhanced over time.  A data center UPS is a long-term investment and transitioning to a new UPS system could mean potential downtime (among other things).  For this reason, many data centers avoid upgrading their UPS system, if for no other reason than to “avoid the headache.”  But eventually, all data centers must upgrade their UPS system – so how do you know when it is time to upgrade and how do you do it in a smooth and successful way?

For data centers, it can be tempting to “leave good enough alone” with their UPS system.  The UPS seems to be doing an adequate job, it is still working, still providing its essential job duty, so what is the harm in leaving it alone?  Well, a primary reason that many data centers decide to upgrade their UPS system is that it will give them increased power capacity when they need it the most.  Data centers are increasing their infrastructure and rack density to accommodate growing server demands and accommodate various other needs.  If a power interruption occurs and the UPS kicks in to provide backup assistance, it has to be able to actually provide adequate power.  The UPS system you had in place 5 years ago may have been more than enough for your needs at the time, but is it really adequate now?  Have you really evaluated your power needs and what your current UPS system can supply?  If not, now is the time to do so.

As you likely did in the past, you need to determine what your current power needs are and anticipate what your future needs may be when choosing to upgrade your UPS.  TechTarget provides some helpful insight for determining power capacity needs for your new UPS system, ““Increased resiliency and MGE’s un-paralleled load protection will benefit our clients the most,” said Yaeger, “while increased power capacity and improved energy help us the most.” Beware of using the nameplate. This is a legality rating, and will usually give a much higher volt-ampere rating than the unit will ever draw. For example, consider a unit with a nameplate that reads 90 – 240 volts at 4 – 8 amps with a 500 watt (W) power supply. First, the numbers are backward. The larger amperage goes with the lower voltage. If you assume a nominal 120 volts at 8 amps, you get 960 VA. A PF of 0.95 would yield 912 watts. No power supply is that inefficient, and a power supply almost never runs at full power. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that this device will ever draw more than 500 watts of power, but if you want to be really conservative, multiply by 1.1 and figure 550 Ws of input power…Once you have a realistic load estimate, plan to run a UPS around 80% of actual rated capacity. That provides headroom for peak operating conditions, gives you capacity to install a duplicate system before you decommission an old one, or lets you absorb a little growth before you outgrow the unit.”

In addition to increasing your UPS capacity to meet the power demands of your data center, many data centers opt to upgrade their UPS system in an effort to improve energy efficiency.  UPS technology has evolved to be far more intelligent than it was even a few years ago.  Today’s UPS systems have more sophisticated monitoring capabilities that can be integrated with your data center infrastructure management and monitoring for a more comprehensive picture of what is going on in your data center.  Data centers are all looking for ways to improve energy efficiency. Better monitoring allows for data center managers to make more accurate and timely decisions about power in their data center, dramatically improving energy efficiency. Even small changes to improve energy efficiency can lead to significant savings over time.  EnergyStar reports that that small improvements in energy efficiency lead to big savings, “DOE estimates that a 15,000-square-foot data center operating at 100W/square foot would save $90,000 by increasing UPS efficiency from 90% to 95%.”

Once you have determined what the best UPS system is for your needs, you need to determine how to safely and effectively transition the upgrade so that you do not experience downtime or the downtime that is experienced is anticipated and well-planned-for.  Schneider Electric describes how to successfully transition to a new UPS system, “Replacing an older UPS system with a new one may be more complex and time consuming than upgrading especially if the UPS to be upgraded is already modular in design. Careful planning and execution are required in order to minimize UPS downtime during the swap. Some vendors offer a service to do this work as a turnkey project. If the owner’s operations team does not have the availability or expertise, ask the UPS OEM vendor if they can perform every task associated with this effort including remove/dispose the old system, install the new, startup and commission the system, as well as transition an existing service contract (if one exists) all under one order…At the electrical input of the UPS, verification that the feeder breakers and conductors powering the UPS will support a specific replacement UPS is essential…Verification at a minimum includes: visual inspection of breakers and conductors, confirmation of breaker maintenance, as well as a review of electrical system studies (load flow, short circuit analysis, protection coordination, and arc flash) using electrical characteristics of the replacement UPS as a basis for the study. Operational interaction of the replacement UPS with standby generator(s) should also be included in this analysis.”

When it is time to upgrade your data center’s UPS system, preparation is the name of the game.  You will want to assemble a diverse team of people including the data center manager, facilities manager, electrical contractor, other relevant engineers, and more.  By doing so, you have representatives with various knowledge-bases that can provide critical assistance and information during the transition.  If you cannot have any downtime whatsoever, you will need a temporary UPS while you transition to the new UPS.  If a short outage is ok, you can plan exactly when that will occur and anticipate appropriately.  You can install as many of the components of the new UPS system as possible in anticipation of the outage, leaving only the last minute parts of the installation for during the outage.  Whatever is best for your data center, plan for a smooth transition and anticipate any possible things that could arise and arrange contingency plans just in case.

If your data center’s UPS is outdated, inefficient, or incapable of managing your data center’s power needs, it is a clear sign that it is time to do something about your UPS.  The longer you wait, the more money you waste on inefficiency and the higher chance that your data center will experience downtime due to a power interruption.  By anticipating current needs, as well as anticipating the desire to scale to requirements in the future, you can choose the right modern UPS system for your unique data center needs. Making the transition to a new UPS can dramatically improve efficiency and the investment will more than pay for itself over time.

There are arguably few places in which reliable and sufficient backup power is more important than the healthcare industry.  While backup power is very important for a myriad of industries, in the healthcare industry, it can be the difference between life and death.  For the healthcare industry, just like any other industry, if power is interrupted or down for a prolonged period of time, critical operations and data are compromised.  Data could be lost or compromised and mission-critical operations interrupted.  But additionally, if power is lost and a sufficient backup power supply is not in place, critical life saving devices and technologies could become compromised and the health of patients risked.

For many, if a citywide power crisis occurs or some other natural disaster in which they lose power to their homes, they will look to hospitals to be a place of safety and refuge.  City residents rely on hospitals to be there when they need them, regardless of what other crisis may be happening in the surrounding city or state.  Imagine the chaos if a hospital loses power – lights out, medical devices not working, elevators not operating – it would be very frightening for everyone involved including medical professionals, hospital staff and patients.  Though no hospital thinks it will happen to them, as we have seen, it happens more often than it should.  Consumer Reports points out some notable hospital power failures and highlights why many failures happen, “When Superstorm Sandy knocked out power throughout coastal New Jersey and New York on Oct. 29, 2012, nowhere was the terror more palpable than in the darkened hallways and stairways of NYU Langone Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital. As both Manhattan hospitals lost power and their backup systems failed, nearly 1,000 patients had to be evacuated to other facilities. Most of us assume our local hospital will be a safe haven when disaster strikes. But that isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, hospital generators were known to be vulnerable long before Sandy. In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, about 215 patients died in hospitals and nursing homes, partly because generators stopped working. In 2011, a Connecticut hospital evacuated more than 40 patients when its generator failed during Hurricane Irene… A Consumer Reports investigation finds that while extended power outages in hospitals are uncommon, there are reasons for concern:

1.  Many generators are 50 or more years old.

2.  Many are housed in basements, and need to be protected from floods.

3.  Most hospitals can’t afford to move generators to safer locations, and federal and state governments aren’t likely to pick up the tab.

4.  There is no national standard for the installation of backup generators.

5.  Information about hospitals that fail generator tests isn’t available to the public.

Image Via: Electrical Contractor

To operate properly and be in compliance with national guidelines, hospitals must have sufficient backup power in place.  Unfortunately, common risks can go overlooked so it is important to understand what poses a threat to a steady and reliable hospital power supply.  Those risks include flood, fire, power outage, extreme weather, natural disaster, terrorist attack, and more.  Generators must be able to supply constant power in the event of an emergency or power outage because many life-saving machines and critical medical equipment require constant power.  Because of this, a sufficient backup power supply must be readily available at all times and redundancy is not just the cherry on the ice cream sundae, it is vitally important as well.  A sufficient backup power supply and redundancy are only good if one or both work well but that means maintenance and frequent testing must be part of the equation to ensure that they do not fail when they are needed most.

Many hospitals have long relied on generators to supply their backup power.  But, as Healthcare Facilities Today points out, generators are not necessarily the ideal option and should not be the only source of backup power for healthcare facilities, “Healthcare-related facilities could secure seamless operations using power management technology. Organizations relying on onsite generators for backup power are well aware that generators take time to get power to the critical equipment — interruptions in healthcare service delivery is not an option. Power outages, no matter how brief, can be dire risking patients’ lives undergoing surgery or under critical care at an ICU. While some healthcare organizations rely on smaller static UPS systems to support small, non-motor production loads, the most reliable UPS system for healthcare is the rotary UPS technology option.  The rotary UPS provides uninterrupted power for the entire infrastructure and eliminates risks of costly downtime while securing power for critical healthcare services… Healthcare organizations needing a 24×7 power supply can find the best value-add in a UPS system.  Most business-critical organizations select rotary-based UPS systems over costly static-based battery systems because battery systems require continued maintenance (consuming CAPEX funds) and must be regularly updated.”

To reduce power failure vulnerability, the healthcare industry must implement sufficient backup power supply and ensure that the load that needs support never exceeds the supply available.  In fact, it is ideal to not push the limits and, rather, keep the load at approximately 70-90% of what the backup power supply can offer in the event of an emergency.  The healthcare industry must have backup power for their servers to protect data and be able to access patient information and other critical data during an emergency.  Further, they must have steady, reliable power to medically-critical devices.  For hospitals and other healthcare facilities, there should ideally be virtually no lag time if a power loss occurs.  Consider a life-support machine – if there is even a few seconds of lag time between primary power and when the backup power supply kicks in, it could mean a patient loses their life.

Image Via: Consumer Reports

Redundancy and variety of backup power options is the name of the game for healthcare.  Never rely on just one type of backup power or you are sure to find yourself in a world of trouble when a power failure happens.  First, there should be off-site data storage to ensure that no data is lost if a power failure, fire, flood or other natural disaster occurs at the healthcare facility site.  That off-site data storage facility should also have sufficient backup power supply and redundancy.  Safely and securely utilizing the cloud is ideal because while it can be subject to cyber risk, it is unlikely to be impacted by a power failure or natural disaster.

Hospitals often take advantage of two primary types of UPS systems: double-conversion and parallel.  24×7 explains how double-conversion UPS works, “As the name suggests, these devices convert power twice. First, an input rectifier converts AC power into DC and feeds it to an output inverter. The output inverter then processes the power back to AC before sending it on to electronic equipment. This double-conversion process isolates critical loads from raw utility power, ensuring that the equipment receives only clean, reliable electricity.”  And, Critical Power explains how parallel UPS systems operate, “A parallel-redundant UPS system is one in which two or more modules are installed on the same system in what is termed an N+X arrangement (N being the power capacity required by the connected loads and X being the number of modules in addition to that capacity). Parallel-redundancy allows for the failure of one single UPS module in the configuration without the need for the protected load to be transferred to mains power. In such an event, the other UPS modules (all of which have spare capacity) can take over the total load.”

Image Via: Facility Executive

When choosing where to install a backup power supply such as a generator or other switchgear, think about the most secure location.  If it is a new install or you are looking to move your generator for optimal safety, install your backup power supply where it is most protected so that you can minimize its risk of being compromised.  Keep it in a location that is protected from inclement weather such as fire and flood – don’t keep it in the basement or on the roof if possible.  This will help reduce the odds of an extended utility outage.

When it comes to backup power supplies in the healthcare industry, you can never test them too much.  Prepare for the common reasons of power loss or the most likely scenarios and prepare for the unlikely and absurd power loss scenarios.  It is important to prepare for a variety of scenarios and exhaustively test your backup power supply to ensure that it will perform when it is needed most.  In addition to preparing for a variety of scenarios, backup power supplies should be consistently and routinely maintained and tested to ensure they are not only functioning but that they have an adequate power supply to support the full load if needed.  If a hospital experiences an outage that lasts even a few seconds, it can be chaotic, frightening and life-threatening.  All hospitals and medical facilities must implement proper backup power supplies, properly maintain them, prepare for a variety of scenarios, and ensure that the supply can support the full power load if necessary to give their facility the best chance of avoiding a power interruption or outage.

Data Center Backup Power Supply Batteries

All data centers are run on power and (hopefully) the security and peace of mind of having a robust UPS and backup power supply in place.  This is important because power loss can occur for a variety of reasons but if you have a UPS in place with battery capable of withstanding the necessary power load, your data center does not have to experience major outages that cause downtime.  No two data centers are the same and thus every data center has different UPS needs.  What works for one will not necessarily be the best choice for the other so it is necessary to analyze all components of a UPS to ensure you have the best backup power supply for your data center.

Wet-Cell Batteries

When it comes to UPS batteries, data centers frequently choose from two common types: wet-cell batteries (also known as “flooded cell batteries” and VRLA batteries.  Wet-cell batteries are essentially rechargeable batteries that are frequently used in industrial applications.  Sciencing provides a helpful description of what wet cell batteries are and the science behind how they work, “A well cell battery generates power from an electrode and a liquid electrolyte solution. Early wet batteries consisted of solution-filled glass jars and with an electrode dropped into each one. About the size of the average toaster, modern wet cells are used in the ignition system of most cars and are comprised of lead and a solution of sulfuric acid. A sheet of insulation is typically used to separate the anode from the cathode. Wet cells can be either primary or secondary cells.”

Wet-cell batteries are an older technology than VRLA batteries but offer their own set of advantages over VRLA batteries for certain scenarios.  Wet-cell batteries are incredibly reliable but require special installation considerations because they are not “sealed systems” like VRLA batteries.  In fact, wet-cell batteries actually need a separate battery room for safety purposes (protection against acid spills).  However, if properly and consistently maintained, wet-cell batteries can provide a long lifespan of service – typically between 20-25 years.  Even if a wet-cell battery fails it tends to “closed fail” which means that only the one battery that fails, fails.  It will not affect the other batteries in the group.

VRLA Batteries (Valve Regulated Lead Acid Battiers)

While wet-cell batteries offer data centers a long lifespan of service and a considerable amount of reliability, most data centers today use VRLA batteries.  VRLA batteries are “valve regulated lead acid” batteries and they carry a higher power density than wet-cell batteries.  TechTarget explains the science behind VRLA batteries and how they differ from wet-cell batteries, “VRLAs are the norm in most modern UPS systems for data centers. These batteries use a paste electrolyte in a sealed container, as well as a different charging system that makes them much safer and circumvents special facilities to house them. VRLAs take longer to recharge than wet cell batteries, and the other major tradeoff is the UPS battery life. While flooded lead acid batteries can be expected to last up to 25 years with proper maintenance, VRLA batteries often need replacement after only three to five.”  VRLA batteries are able to withstand varying climates better than wet-cell batteries and additionally they tend to recharge more quickly than wet-cell batteries.

Importance of Heat-Tolerant VRLA Batteries

VRLA batteries offer a number of advantages over wet-cell batteries for modern data centers.  Though, it is important to note that the one major drawback of VRLA batteries is that they tend to “open fail” which means that if one fails, the whole string of batteries fail which can lead to major problems.  Data centers generate a lot of heat because of the high volume and concentration of electrical components.  When batteries are exposed to high heat for a prolonged period of time, it can reduce their lifespan and reliability.  Schneider Electric describes the importance of maintaining ideal temperatures for VRLA batteries, “All batteries have a rated capacity which is determined based on specified conditions.  The rated capacity of a UPS battery is based on an ambient temperature of 25°C (77°F).  Operating the UPS under these conditions will maximize the life of the UPS and result in optimal performance.  While a UPS will continue to operate in varying temperatures, it is important to note that this will likely result in diminishing the performance and lifespan of your battery.  A general rule to remember is that for every 8.3°C (15°F) above the ambient temperature of 25°C (77°F), the life of the battery will be reduced by 50 percent.  Therefore, keeping a UPS at a comfortable temperature is crucial to maximizing UPS life and capabilities.” Some data centers are concerned with implementing VRLA batteries because they fear they might experience “thermal runaway.”  Thermal runaway is when the heat generated inside a battery exceeds the rate at which it can be dissipated into the environment which could lead to a catastrophic battery failure.  However, thermal runaway is fairly uncommon in VRLA batteries. But, because of the heat-sensitivity of traditional VRLA batteries, using a high heat-tolerant VRLA battery is ideal in a data center application.

Image Via: TechTarget

Heat-tolerant VRLA batteries are specifically designed to survive in high temperature environments.  This reduces costs for data centers in a number of ways.  First, because the batteries can not only survive but perform well in a high-heat environment, cooling costs are reduced. Science Direct notes that cooling costs are one of the largest expenses for any data center – it averages approximately 40% of a data center’s total energy consumed! By reducing the degree to which you must cool a room by even a small amount, you can yield significant utility savings.  Many data centers are being pushed and feel compelled to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint and this is one simple and effective way to do so. This small change significantly increases your data center’s overall energy efficiency.  Further, because the batteries are designed to withstand high heat, they will not wear out or fail as quickly which means you will not have to replace them as often which maximizes your battery investment.

Battery Monitoring and Maintenance Remains Important

Though VRLA batteries tend to fail more often than wet-cell batteries, this can be easily remedied by implementing a consistent and thorough battery monitoring and maintenance procedure.  This should be outlined in your data center’s DCIM strategy.  All of your data center’s infrastructure must be routinely monitored and maintained and your VRLA battery is certainly no exception.  Though a battery manufacturer will estimate an expected lifespan, batteries provide service in the real world where harsh data center conditions can and will factor in so never assume that your VRLA battery will last the full lifespan, even if the guidelines say that they will provide “maintenance free service for 10 years.”  This truly cannot be emphasized enough, even though VRLA batteries require less maintenance than wet-cell batteries, monitoring and maintenance is critical.

VRLA batteries are easier and less expensive to implement than wet-cell batteries.  As previously noted, wet-cell batteries require a separate room for storage for safety purposes but, as Schneider Electric notes, that is not the case with VRLA batteries, “VRLA batteries and modular battery cartridges can be used in the same room as the equipment they support. If the room has controlled access (i.e., accessible only by trained and authorized personnel), the batteries can be installed in open racks; otherwise the batteries should be in cabinets with lockable doors. Rooms and cabinets should be designed to prevent the accumulation of hydrogen.”

Though wet-cell battery has its place in the data center industry, most modern data centers can take advantage of improved energy efficiency, easier installation and implementation, and easier maintenance by using VRLA batteries for their UPS applications.  Data centers, though important and absolutely necessary for today’s world to operate, consume a huge amount of energy.  It is important for every data center, whether large or small, to look for ways to improve energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint.  Further, because high heat-tolerant VRLA batteries do not have the cooling requirements of other types of batteries, not only will energy efficiency be improved significantly but it will reduce overall utility costs.  And, because they are more resistant to high heat, VRLA batteries are unlikely to experience thermal runaway or fail, which extends the life of the battery and your overall investment in your backup power supply.

Every data center in the world utilizes Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs) for reliable backup power in the event of an outage.  Power outages can occur in a data center for a variety of reasons and can last ¼ of a second or days.  Any length of downtime is costly in a data center and the longer it goes on, the larger the repercussions.  When it comes to data center power, redundancy is the name of the game.

The importance of redundant power in data centers cannot be emphasized enough.  But, in spite of data centers knowing this full well, we see backup power supplies failing time and time again.  Why is this?  To have an adequate and reliable backup power supply consistent maintenance and repairs must take place and managers must anticipate future growth and needs to be able to adequately support the power load if an outage occurs.  GCN reports on how costly data center outages are and the fact that UPS failure remains the number one cause of data center downtime, “According to a recent study by Ponemon Institute, the average cost of a data center outage rose to $740,357 in 2015 — an increase of 38 percent since 2010. The increase in the maximum downtime cost ($2,409,991) was even greater, climbing 81 percent over that same time period… Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) failure continues to be the No. 1 cause of unplanned data center outages, accounting for one-quarter of all such events.”

Data center managers are tasked with determining what UPS is best for their unique needs and what will best support their power load should it be needed.  There are many UPS manufacturers in the market with a variety of products so choosing can be difficult.  But, what we do know is that Eaton, APC, Tripp Lite, and Vertiv remain the industry leading UPS manufacturers.  To understand why this is it is important to take a closer look at each manufacturer.

But, before we look at each manufacturer we must discuss that choosing a brand is not simple because many products seem very similar but there is a huge range of price points.  Data Center Journal explains why it is important to choose well-known, respected UPS manufacturer brands for your data center’s backup power supply, “Many UPS vendors are in the market despite the consolidation of the last three to four years. Some of these are well-known and established brands with proven engineering and testing divisions. They also provide their own engineers for warranty and support maintenance. At the same time the number of new brands is slowly growing, and some of these brands appear to be rebadging similar equipment. Here it is hard to prove the engineering quality because this is a sealed box unit with no user maintainable components. This means that critical electronics that deal with waveform distortions and harmonics as well as varistors that deal with power spikes cannot be proven to be enterprise quality. At the same time, finding local engineers to support the UPS is not a guarantee, and you could find that your nearest engineer is more than a day away. In a time of fiscal belt tightening, choosing a new, cheaper brand for a system that is rarely seen might seem like a sensible business decision. But a UPS is part of your critical infrastructure that needs regular maintenance and the attendance of an engineer as soon as something goes wrong. Skimping on this is a false economy.”

First, Eaton is a well-known industry leader and their UPS products.  Eaton is a power management company that has been in business for decades and continues to produce state-of-the-art equipment today.  They provide energy-efficient solutions for data centers that effectively manage power equipment with efficiency, safety, and sustainability.  Eaton is dedicated to producing high quality products that not only provide data centers with solutions but that improve the quality of life and environment.

Eaton has a complete portfolio of power management solutions, showing that they understand all the ins and outs of every system component and their UPS solutions are no exception.  Eaton UPSs help protect critical equipment through the provision of uninterruptible power and backup power systems.  Eaton’s UPSs can be used to provide high quality backup power to everything from desktop PCs to large data centers.

Another industry-leading UPS manufacturer is APC.  They are often referred to as some of the best UPS systems you can buy but they are also one of the costlier options.  APC has been in business since 1981 and it well-known in the industry for creating innovative, reliable power products.  In 1990, APC introduced the Smart-UPS® line which is still recognized as one of the best network power protection solutions available.  Decade after decade they have continued to stay on the cutting edge of innovation and their UPS products are some of the most highly regarded and popular in the world.

Next, Tripp Lite is another UPS manufacturer that remains incredibly popular in the data center industry.  Tripp Lite has been in business since 1922 and has a wide range of products including UPS systems for a fully integrated, well-functioning system.  They were actually the first company to manufacture UPS systems for desktop computers and they continue to adapt and innovate with new UPS products today.  Tripp Lite understands that a UPS system must provide enough power to outlast an outage as well as automatically save files while shutting down a computer safely during blackouts.  They have a wide range of models with various capacities including single-phase and 3-phase UPS options.

Lastly, Vertiv is a global industry-leading power solution manufacturer and make some of the most highly-respected UPS systems in the market.  Vertiv, formerly known as Emerson Network Power, produces efficient and reliable UPS systems that have a wide range of power capacity to meet the needs of a data center’s mission critical systems.  Vertiv is constantly innovating and Frost & Sullivan recently commended them for their ability to incubate new UPS technology, “Based on its recent analysis of the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Vertiv, formerly Emerson Network Power, with the 2017 EMEA Frost & Sullivan Award for Product Leadership. Vertiv has consistently been mentioned among the top-three global UPS participants because of the exceptional success of its advanced UPS technologies. Its cutting-edge products are perfectly aligned with evolving customer requirements, and boast industry-leading design and scalability. A case in point is the highly innovative Liebert® Trinergy™ Cube UPS, the first static UPS capable of hot-scaling up to 3.4 MW in a single unit, and up to 27 MW when connected in parallel. This power capacity could previously be achieved only by rotary UPS solutions…Vertiv’s AC power UPS portfolio encompasses power ranges from 500 VA to 3.4 MW in a single unit, and provides offline, line-interactive, and online double conversion technologies. Each of its product categories caters to numerous end-user verticals, including niche light industrial applications such as transportation, utility support, healthcare, and industrial processes. ‘The company’s technology excellence is complemented by its brilliant product positioning and pricing strategy,’ said Frost & Sullivan Senior Industry Analyst Gautham Gnanajothi.”

It is exceptionally important that a data center manager do their due diligence and conduct in-depth research into the various UPS manufacturers and their various UPS options for data centers.  When chosen correctly, a UPS system will provide a data center with the adequate amount of power throughout any power interruption or power failure.  Power interruptions and power failures happen every day in data centers and should not be taken lightly.  An adequate power supply must be available at all times which means a data center manager must not only anticipate future needs and growth but constantly maintain and monitor the UPS to ensure that it will be able to provide the necessary power when needed most.  Investing in the right uninterruptible power supply now is not just proactive; it can save you a lot of money and frustration in the long run.  It protects future profitability and provides you the peace of mind that mission-critical operations will not experience downtime.  By choosing one of a UPS from some of the most well-respected and innovative brands including Eaton, APC, Tripp Lite, and Vertiv you will know that you are preparing for any potential risk, providing your data center with adequate reliable redundancy, and setting your data center up for maximized uptime.

Importance of Adequate Power Supply in Education Facilities

Getty Image Via: Huffington Post

The education sector constantly faces a wide array of risks that could impact their access to the power necessary to run their facility.  Whether it is a preschool, elementary, junior high, high school or higher education facility, without power, education cannot take place.  Power outages do not just threaten one specific climate, location, or facility.  Education facilities can be impacted by flood, fire, hurricane, tornado, storms, heat, outside attackers, or other potential threats.  And, if those threats happen to an education facility, power could be lost for minutes or days.  That is a threat to not only education but public safety as well.

Though adequate power supply and a sufficient backup power system is critical for any education facility, the importance and stakes may be even higher in certain higher education facilities where there are mission critical medical facilities or lab facilities.  Regardless of the facility, all can agree that adequate backup power supply be available.  But, determining how much power is needed and for how long can be challenging for education facilities.  Backup power must be sufficient, scalable, and reliable.

What Are the Power Loss Threats to an Education Facility?

Imagine the panic that could ensue if you have a school full of children or adults and the power goes out.  If an adequate backup power supply is in place, it will kick in automatically and supply the necessary power to keep things like electricity functional without interruption.  But, if there is no backup power supply in place, it cannot handle the full load, or has not been tested and maintained and simply fails, panic may take over.  A school could be left without lights, phone, computers, and if there are things like keypads or electrically-accessed door locks, they may not be accessible.

An education facility power outage can delay education, impact school schedules, lose data, damage equipment, lose money, endanger lives, and more.  With so much at stake at every education facility, emergency backup power is an absolute necessity.  Many educators, administrators, or facility managers may think all they need is a backup generator, but it is far more complicated than that.

What Type of Backup Power Does An Education Facility Need?

When posed with the question, “what type of backup power does an education facility need?”, the simple answer may be, “a backup generator.”  But, a school must determine exactly how much power supply they need to support their full load in the event of an emergency.  That varies significantly when you consider the different size and facility networks.  A small local preschool will have different needs than a large state university.  But, regardless of the current size, it is also important to ensure your backup power supply is scalable so that, should needs shift, you can still easily supply your facility with necessary power.

Once the full power load for an education facility has been determined, there is still more to consider.  An education facility cannot simply purchase a backup generator and call it a day.  To adequately protect a school’s power supply the facility will need batteries, backup power supply or uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, emergency lighting, power conditions, and power distribution units (PDU).

Education Facility Backup Power Needs Are Growing

Today’s modern education facilities use more power than ever before because of technological advancements.  Schneider Electric elaborates on why all modern education facility UPS systems must be evaluated to ensure they can handle the significant power demands in the event of a power outage, “School districts all over the country are getting on the technology bandwagon, bringing tablets and Chromebooks into the classrooms and incorporating them into lesson plans…The proliferation of devices in schools is driving the need for increased bandwidth forcing schools to look at their wireless infrastructure.  The same wireless infrastructure that supported one or two wireless devices used by teachers in the classroom cannot be expected to handle the traffic generated from an entire roomful of students, each armed with an iPad or Chromebook…As you upgrade the switches or routers supporting the wireless infrastructure, check to see whether they are connected to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). A UPS can provide backup power that enables the devices to stay connected even during a power disturbance or outage.  Just as important, they also provide “clean” power, taking care of any power surges, jitter and such, which can damage sensitive IT equipment. Such anomalies are not uncommon in a large building such as a school. If the school has air conditioning, for example, whenever it kicks on that is likely to cause a rather dramatic power fluctuation. The UPS will make sure switches and routers are protected and available…Switches and routers don’t draw a lot of power, so a correctly sized UPS can keep your students engaged and connected through a power outage of 30-60 minutes, which is typically enough to ride through the outage. What’s more, a UPS will also protect your investment in networking gear, keeping it safe from brownouts, surges and other potentially damaging electrical events.”

Education Facility Backup Power Supply: More Than Just a Generator

When it comes to backup power supply for the education sector, there are many components needed.  Many education facilities use a standby generator.  Standby generators work by supplying power when they sense a power interruption.  Standby generators tend to work for short durations, typically a few hours, First, when choosing a generator you will need to choose between a diesel generator and gas generator. You will also need power switchgear, a power distribution unit (PDU), uninterruptible power supply (UPS), reliable UPS batteries, and more.

Backup Power Supply and UPS Service and Maintenance is Critical

In addition to having all of the adequate equipment and proper installation, all education facilities must properly service and maintain their backup power supply, including UPS and UPS batteries, to ensure that they will function properly when needed.  Things like batteries have a limited lifespan and over time, even if they are never used, they will slowly lose capacity and eventually will fail.  The University of Washington elaborates on just how important frequent maintenance and backup power supply testing is, “The power plant electrician asks the group if they’re ready with their stopwatches, then counts down. Three—two—one—the lights go black for a beat. Five giant diesel engine backup generators, each larger than a pickup truck, begin to roar. The lights are back on; surgeries continue without missing a beat, and priceless research continues to stay frozen in a lab on campus. It’s a monthly test of the University’s backup power generation capabilities down at the Power Plant….’There are two different kinds of tests we do on a monthly basis,’ said mechanic Ray Massie. ‘Then, once a year, we have a ‘no-kidding, let’s see what this thing can really do’ test where we open up the generators and run them at capacity for four hours to ensure they can handle maximum loads.’…Testing the University’s backup power capabilities isn’t just for peace-of-mind, it’s a regulatory requirement nationally from the National Fire Protection Association that came into place after Hurricane Katrina. While the NFPA has required testing for many years, it’s an extended duration test that came out of the Katrina disaster.

Image via: HavasuNews

‘After Katrina quite a few hospitals in New Orleans ran into power problems,’ said Mark Kirschenbaum, assistant director of campus utilities and manager of the Power Plant. ‘Hospitals in that region were able to start up their backup generators, but then they quickly failed. They hadn’t tested their backup systems long enough or with a large enough load to discover any problems.’ The requirement for the four hour load test is every three years. The University runs short-duration full load tests every month, and the four hour test every January, exceeding the NFPA’s requirements. ‘It’s not just about crossing Ts and dotting Is,’ said Massie. ‘The University, the medical center—they depend on us to keep running. We need to make sure our systems really work.’”

When choosing the backup power supply for your educational facility it is important to work with a company that can help you determine how much power you need to support your full power load in the event of an outage.  Additionally, it is important to work with a company who can maintain your UPS system and components or train you and your personnel on how to best maintain equipment to ensure that they do not fail when needed most.  Redundant power is not simply a luxury or best practice to which education facilities should aspire. Rather, a robust UPS system and backup power supply is an absolute necessity to reduce financial and equipment losses, and protect human lives.

What is a UPS Battery Capacitor?

One of the most critical power elements of any data center is its UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply).  There are many different types of UPS systems but, generally, they all rely on a battery to provide the power needed should a data center power interruption occur.  Because of this, data center UPS batteries must be regularly checked and maintained to ensure that they work when they are needed.  There are different components of a UPS battery that influence its ability to properly work.  One part of a UPS battery – the UPS battery capacitor – must be replaced as needed for the UPS battery to be able to work.

Eaton explains what a UPS battery capacitor is and why it is so important, “A capacitor is a fairly simple electrical device that stores and releases electrical energy. These devices can be as small as your thumbnail or as large as a soda can — depending on the amount of voltage they’re expected to digest (their rated capacity). Generally encased in aluminum or chromium-plated cylinders, capacitors contain a pair of conducting surfaces (often metallic plates or electrodes) which are separated and insulated by a third element, called the dielectric medium.

Why is this important? Along with the surface area of the aluminum plate, the thinness of the dielectric layer determines overall capacitance — that is, how much charge can be stored or managed by the capacitor. The ultra-thin oxide layer possesses remarkable insulating characteristics, making it possible to manufacture very small capacitors that handle very high workloads… The primary use of DC capacitors in UPS applications is to smooth out fluctuations in voltage — a process also known as “supply voltage filtering.” If there’s a change in voltage input, the capacitor dampens the voltage change, eliminating the peaks and filling in the valleys to help maintain a constant voltage level. AC capacitors have much of the same characteristics as DC capacitors in that they have an expected period of useful service and should be considered as perishable commodities…Wet capacitors, when properly designed and fabricated, show very gradual changes in essential characteristics over time, when operated at normally rated voltages. However, the paper, aluminum foil, and electrolyte inside the capacitor are subject to normal breakdown. As those materials age and start to degrade physically and chemically, they lose capacitance. Ultimately, the capacitor no longer performs its job. Adverse operating conditions such as excessive current and heat can hasten the demise of capacitors.”

Why Is a Deteriorating or Failing UPS Battery Capacitor a Problem?

A deteriorating UPS battery capacitor may not always be obvious until there is a problem.  The last thing you want to do is be unaware of the problem and leave your critical equipment unprotected. Because of this, it is critical that data center managers and technicians uphold a regular maintenance schedule.  UPS capacitors can be tested, removed, and replaced individually as needed.  A capacitor has a typical shelf life of about 5-8 years.  But, the actual life of service provided by your capacitors will vary greatly depending on a wide array of factors such as heat, usage, etc.  All UPS capacitors are designed to last a certain length of time but while the manufacturer may say they last a certain length of time it is important to understand that there are two other lifespans for UPS capacitors: effective lifespan and average lifespan.  The average lifespan shows a more accurate picture of how long a UPS capacitor lasts in real life situations.  The effective lifespan is the average lifespan at which a UPS capacitor will provide fully effective, undiminished service to the UPS battery.

All UPS batteries have multiple capacitors but the number of capacitors will depend on the specific battery size.  UPS battery capacitors generally work together in tandem.  That means that if one capacitor fails the others take over for it and it can be challenging to know which one has failed or to even notice right away.  Though a single UPS battery capacitor failure may not completely take you UPS down it will impact the UPS battery performance and ultimately could impact the quality and amount of power available should a power failure occur.

UPS Battery Capacitor Failure Prevention

To prevent UPS battery capacitor failure it is important to properly maintain ambient conditions within the data center as well as regularly maintain your data center.  A comprehensive and consistent data center infrastructure management (DCIM) program is the best way to protect mission critical data center equipment including the UPS system. Battery Power Online elaborates on why having a proactive capacitor replacement program in place is incredibly important for any data center, “However, ensuring battery health by itself isn’t the only factor affecting system uptime. UPS systems also contain large banks of both DC electrolytic and AC polymeric film capacitors that degrade with time. The function of capacitors within the UPS is to filter out electrical fluctuations and provide clean power to the equipment being protected. They are not static electrical components that operate in a circuit. Their design life is a mathematical function of manufacturers’ rated voltage, the voltage actually applied, the current running through them, ambient temperature, and thermal resistance. For all practical purposes, estimating service life would be based on manufacturers’ rated voltage combined with the device’s operating temperature. Over time, even under the most favorable operating conditions, capacitors’ ability to withstand voltage and pressure changes diminish. Adverse operating conditions like excessive current and heat, along with overwork, can accelerate the process considerably. Capacitor failure modes are hard to predict. Sometimes they fail catastrophically, but most of the time, they simply degrade with age. Aging capacitors can contribute to the degradation of batteries and shorten their useful life. But replacement, with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, will help ensure a longer mean time between failures (MTBF) of the UPS and optimize battery life. Battery abnormalities that go undetected, or those that are not properly diagnosed and corrected, can have catastrophic consequences in the data center including costly downtime. Along with helping you establish a regular battery maintenance program, a trusted service provider can set up, maintain and integrate an on-site battery spares cabinet. This solution offers IT and facility managers added peace of mind knowing that fully-charged, ready-to-install batteries are on hand. Additionally, a proactive capacitor replacement program can be established based on equipment age, operating conditions and time of last replacement. However, a replacement program for capacitors based on an experienced service provider’s historical field data is the most reliable way to plan an ideal replacement time, and ensure a healthy backup power system that is able to support business-critical operations when it’s needed.

Because UPS battery capacitors are considered a ‘consumable’ and will naturally degrade over time, regular maintenance and replacement is an important component of proper r data center UPS maintenance.  Most data centers (and businesses in general) are doing everything in their power to maximize uptime.  Power redundancy is key to maximizing reliable and consistent power supply and that means that you need a reliable UPS system that does not fail when it is needed.  APC lists capacitor failure as one of the 5 most common causes of UPS failure and that simply points to a strong need to proactively maintain and replace UPS battery capacitors.  In fact, APC notes that even small adjustments to ambient conditions can help you maximize capacitor life, “Every 10°C (18°F) decrease in temperature doubles capacitor life, so ensure that customers monitor environmental temperature and keep it within the specified range to improve life expectancy.”  Consistent monitoring will help ensure ambient conditions are maintained.  And, consistent maintenance will help ensure that you are able to check and see when capacitors are reaching the end of their lifespan or require replacement before it impacts the performance of your data center UPS system.

The Need for an Analytic-Driven Data Center

Everyone knows the importance of analytics in today’s modern, digital world.  Without measurable data, it is difficult to make informed decisions about operations, efficiency, personnel, products, utilities, and more.  Analytics is a critical component of any data center’s DCIM (data center infrastructure management) but – only if the analytics are being used.

Most data centers are collecting a wealth of information via analytics, whether they realize it or not.  And, if data centers are being run effectively, the analytics are being used to optimize efficiency and maximize a data center’s potential.  The way data centers run is constantly changing as the overall landscape changes, technology updates, and more consistent performance is continually demanded.  Data Center Knowledge explains how metrics were analyzed and used within the data center previously and why moving towards an analytic-driven data center is so important, “Optimization, as applied to data centers, means always having the right amount of resources, to cost-effectively enable the business use of those data centers. Right resourcing means, in effect, enough to get the data center “job” done, but not so much as to waste money. Everything from enough power and floor space to enough “computes,” and everything else. Easily said, but increasingly challenging to accomplish. It used to be that one would optimize any given data center resource by measuring resource utilization; for example, how busy a CPU is, and then make a considered determination of what level was sufficiently busy to be upgraded or extended, or sufficiently non-busy to warrant consolidation. This approach was used, and useful, for everything from CPUs, memory and other server metrics, to things like power consumption, where metrics like PUE (power utilization effectiveness) were created and applied. However, these types of optimizations were always done in domain isolation – silos in effect.  On the software side, pervasive virtualization, containerization, and software automation have completely changed the measurement landscape. The increasingly rich metrics embedded in server chipsets open exciting new possibilities…The closer that data centers can get to complete instrumentation of important metrics like transactional response time and throughput, the lower the overall associated costs will be to successfully deliver those business services, and the more efficient such data centers can become.”

Every data center is unique – the buildings are unique, employees are unique, companies are unique, data demands are unique, heating/cooling is unique, technology being used is unique, etc.  Thus, data center analytics is crucial because it is the only way to gather the data necessary to make informed decisions. Data center analytics provide facts that simply cannot be denied about how a data center operates – good or bad.  Once the analytics are assessed, most data centers will have at least one (or a few) areas in which they can make improvements. As data centers continue to evolve and adapt to modern demands, the insight that analytics provide will directly influence how a data center develops more efficient processes.

Adopting Analytics to Maximize Energy Efficiency in the Data Center

The adoption of data-driven operations within a data center will help improve operations, make data centers more efficient, and provide a wealth of other benefits.  One of the most significant benefits of utilizing analytics as a tool in data centers is that you can get a clear picture of what is and what is not energy efficient within the data center.  Data centers use an astonishing amount of energy and so any areas in which savings can be found can have a significant impact.  In fact, by strategically using data center analytics to inform improved energy efficient practices within the data center, millions of dollars can be saved.  Data Center Frontier explains why analytics are so important in maximizing data center energy efficiency, “Keeping track of how much power you are consuming and how much is available is foundational to the efficiency of any data center, but many data center managers don’t look beyond total actual active power and budgeted power capacity remaining. Trending power capacity can help you forecast more accurately, while tracking actual power by customer cabinets and a location’s total power month to month can help you manage customer billback and energy usage more accurately.”

Adopting Analytics to Maximize Operational Efficiency in the Data Center

Data center operations are constantly changing because technology, infrastructure, and personnel are constantly changing.  The way to avoid confusion and maximize operational efficiency is to have a robust DCIM and that includes the use of analytics to inform decisions.  Making decisions about how to update a data center based on assumptions or anecdotal evidence from the past is not the best way to move forward in a thoughtful and efficient way.  First, assumptions and anecdotal evidence are rarely correct so you are already starting off on a bad foot.  But also, you want hard facts about exactly what has happened in the past as well as predictive analysis that can help you be well-prepared for the future.  And, with real-time analytics you do not have to wait until some arbitrary, pre-determined maintenance date to analyze data, you can see exactly what is happening the moment it is happening so that you can make in-the-moment decisions about how to adapt for data center needs.

Streamline Yet Maximize Data Centers – How?

As data gets bigger and both physical and digital demands increase in data centers, there is a simultaneous greater demand for reducing the footprint of a data center.  So, how are data centers supposed to do more with less exactly?  Analytics can help optimize operations, infrastructure, and energy use to do just that. Without analytics, there are often servers not in use that are being stored and even drawing on the energy resources of a data center.  Rooms that are maintained at a specific temperature may be able to adjust that temperature by 1 or 2 degrees and save a significant amount of money on cooling costs.  There are so many things that come to light when data center analytics are examined.  TechBeacon explains how analytics can often bring to light wasteful resource allocation, “The combination of asset and usage data also enables you to identify waste. Remember those 10 million idle servers worldwide? Analytics and reporting tools can pinpoint physical servers that are running but whose usage is zero. Retiring them or reallocating them to other workloads eliminates waste and reduces spending. In addition, asset and usage data helps uncover resources that have been overallocated capacity. Organizations that are moving into virtualization without a clear understanding of the capacity requirements of the virtualized machines (VMs) may overallocate capacity to be sure there is enough capacity for the VMs and applications running on a physical server. It’s not uncommon to see a virtual server running on a powerful host even though that server is not doing heavy work and does not require the capacity that has been allocated to it. Moving it to a less powerful host in the data center frees up capacity on the more powerful host.”

Data Center Analytics Provide Transparency

A data center may be run by a manager or team of personnel but often a CIO, customer, or another individual will want to know exactly what is happening in the data center to maximize operational and energy efficiency.  Without analytics, you will be left trying to explain what is happening without any real concrete evidence of your efforts.  Data center analytics is a great way to enhance a data center’s transparency in their efforts to be more operationally and energy efficient.  Every data center, regardless of size, must utilize analytics as an important component of their overall DCIM to maximize operational and energy efficiency moving forward.