In reply to a post by thomaswarne01:Opinions on Network Equipment and UPS Backup for the appliances
When installing network equipment is it user requirements, best practice or common practice to instigate the use of a UPS to cope with short term power outage eg 1-20mins,
I know their are many variables to this subject such as power outage frequencies or reliability of power but personally I have UPS on my Router, Switch and POE AP but I feel that if I recommend to family to invest in a UPS it is just another device to go wrong.
Any thoughts?
Whether a UPS is really needed is dependant on the type of kit being protected, the likelihood and potential duration of supply faults and the users needs during a power outage/supply fault. Basically if it stops working what are the consequences and will an unexpected power out result in damage to the equipment itself, property or person.
I have certain equipment that has an absolute need for supply backup. Some of these are IT/network related and some are not. For example my NAS array which also hosts a DVR app for security camera recording is quite important and doesn't like being switched off without a proper shutdown sequence, as the data is cached and striped as its written. There are also data scrubbing routines which get quite upset if you just yank the plug out, so to speak.
A non-network/IT example are the double pumps for the below ground drains for our surface water and foul water, which could be catastrophic if there was no power supply during a period of sustained rainfall.
A "standby" type UPS will usually be more than sufficient for home/light business use. An "online" (double-conversion) UPS is technically better, but usually not worth the added investment - for home use. There is quite a big difference technically, between the types and that is reflected in the cost of the units.