Why we need smaller, more powerful UPS

The need for computing is rising faster than ever, as surging digitalisation increases the demand for both computing and storage. But as enterprises race to roll out fresh infrastructure with newer, more powerful servers, one area that is commonly neglected is the UPS or uninterruptible power supply.

Evolving power backup requirements

The issue, according to Mark Kaloudis of Schneider Electric, is how IT planners overlook the space and weight requirements for deploying UPS. this problem is also exacerbated by how power-hungry modern servers have grown to become - the average density per rack has approximately tripled from 2011 to 2020.

Indeed, the latest hyperconverged servers and multi-core processors require more power than before with capacity requirements often approaching 5kVA per rack, often necessitating substantially larger UPS systems in the event of a power failure. Yet the amount of space allocated for UPS systems has remained largely unchanged.

This phenomenon doesn't just happen within the data centre, but anywhere IT systems are deployed, whether in a server closet, break room, an available corner of the office, or even under a desk. Thankfully, the rise of new technologies means that a new generation of UPS solutions can now deliver much more power with a far smaller footprint.

Specifically, lithium-ion technology with its higher power density allows the latest lithium-ion UPS models to be up to 30 per cent smaller and 50 per cent lighter, yet capable of delivering 1.5 times more power than previous models. Moreover, the use of wide-bandgap chips also allows for more power-dense devices and higher operating temperatures that further contribute to a reduction in device size and weight.

Powering edge deployments

Away from the data centre, the edge is another place where the need for more powerful computing requirements has risen sharply. Drivers include deployments to support real-time artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) use cases, which are adversely impacted by latency. Packed with massive processing power, these powerful systems demand much more power than the typical on-premises servers.

Elsewhere, the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) also means a sharp growth in the number of on-premises systems deployed to collect and process data from scores of sources. One reason is to bring processing as close to users as possible to minimise lag, such as within manufacturing environments or even to support autonomous vehicles.

Finally, even retail stores now pack a plethora of systems. For instance, facial recognition systems and sensors might identify customers to flash relevant offers and promotions on in-store displays or smart shelves. Elsewhere, crowd analytics software might be used to alleviate crowd congestion at transportation hubs or recreation facilities such as stadiums.

Of course, smaller, more powerful UPS are hardly the only consideration. Maintenance-free operation and a service lifespan of up to a decade are other factors to consider when shortlisting the right UPS.

The latest connected UPS systems are also remotely managed and are particularly suited for edge deployments.

Businesses seeking to protect their growing IT infrastructure can be assured of being able to find the right systems to meet their growing power backup needs.