An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), is generally some sort of device that ensures system critical equipment has a continuous power supply by channelling power, when required, via a different source when the main source goes down for any reason.
UPSs can also be known as:
• Uninterruptible Power Source
• Uninterruptible Power System
• Continuous Power Supply (CPS)
Whilst a UPS may sometimes be used to solely watch over a power supply, a UPS can also be used to protect computers, telecommunication equipment or indeed any equipment that is necessary to ensure that loss of life, data, business critical systems, etc as a result of loss of power, disruption or functionality.
A UPS unit can vary in size as well as it's function. For instance, if a UPS is required to look after just one computer, it could be a small battery led device, but a UPS can be a whole unit that may look after a datacentre, building or whole site, such as an airport for example.
UPSs can be split into two different types, off-line and line-interactive (or on-line).
An off-line UPS can be considered as reactive, only kicking in when a power failure happens. Once this occurs, an off-line UPS will boot up and switch the power from the usual and main power source to it's own power source. Even though this is a reactive solution, the switch will happen almost instantaneously.
An on-line UPS differs from an off-line UPS as it continuously monitors and powers the protected circuit. Whilst doing this it obviously uses it's own reserve of power, so it constantly will replenish this as it goes so should anything happen there has been no drain in the on-line UPSs reserve.
Whilst offering a proactive protection against power failures and on-line UPS will provide protection against a myriad of potential power issues, such as a power surge. Due to this an on-line UPS may also be referred to as a power conditioner or a line conditioner.
UPSs started off life a very expensive price of equipment and so were originally used to look after expensive systems for organisations such as the military for example, or in areas where the power source was prone to interruptions or disturbances. As with all technology, as what we use progresses, so the accompanying systems need to, and so UPSs became more affordable to smaller users or businesses. They are now used in many different deployments, from home computers, offices, datacentres, etc.
What is a UPS?
