Latin America. One of the main concerns of data center administrators is to always keep the equipment in the server room energized, even when there are some type of problems in the power supply, caused by rain, lack of power, short circuit, etc., or maintenance.
Considering that Mexico City has very drastic variations in the electricity supply, these failures, as we know, can damage equipment and cause loss of data or information, and even fire in the server classroom.
Given this situation we have some recommendations to always keep the teams energized within the site.
For the protection of computer and information devices it is important to consider 3 protection characteristics: having suppression, regulation and backup; in this way you can support a discharge and the computer goes to battery to give time to properly close the files or programs in use of the computer, without fear of losing the information.
Acquiring UPS equipment with Hot Swap technology, allows the power supply not to be interrupted during some maintenance process (for example, in the case of battery exchange) or change of the equipment, thanks to the fact that it can be placed in Bypass mode so that the server or other energized equipment does not interrupt its operation due to lack of power.
Depending on the customer's needs, maintain power continuity through different options, either with equipment that provides redundancy (for backup of servers, switches, etc.) or by Hot Swap (to make equipment changes or maintenance without interrupting its operation).
There are small UPSs that offer N+1 redundancy, that is, they have backup power modules, internal and automatic bypass technology before the possibility of failure of the same.
For Data Center there are UPS that can be connected in parallel, that is, two UPS protect the same load; or, with N+1 redundancy that through modular UPS the modules can be programmed leaving one of them in Stand by mode as a backup, in case those that are active suffer lack of power or some type of maintenance.
It is important to choose UPS systems that allow monitoring as well as the availability of equipment at critical times, so that it is possible to transmit alerts over the network and receive them in centralized monitoring systems or email.
It is important to have within a Data Center or site, with cabinets and / or racks that allow the organization of devices such as: UPS with Online technology or double conversion, Internal bypass system (to avoid falling load connected to the UPS), External bypass system (which allows the change of the UPS without disconnecting the load), PDUs (Power Distribution Units), KVM (Centralized Server Switches), Console Servers (Centralized Controllers of Switches, Routers and Switches), Ventilation and Cooling Systems, and finally, power and data cable organizers, all to ensure and manage the constant flow of energy on the site.
Miguel Monterrosas
Technical Support Director of Tripp Lite.
