Power Protection FEATURED ARTICLE

The availability of data – it’s hard to believe in an era of Big Data that there’s even a risk that we wouldn’t have access to information. Yet a large storm that takes out our access to power is a great reminder of just how vulnerable we are without proper power protection in place. Without high availability and assurance redundancy, we just might be dead in the water if we can’t complete processes or respond to consumer requests.

For data center leaders, the issues surrounding high availability are much larger than just ensuring access to power. The high availability data center, according to this piece in the Data Center Journal, is one that has systems that have been thoroughly tested, regularly maintained and continuous operation is ensured through redundant components. Data center leaders understand that an unplanned outage and lack of power protection can have devastating effects.

Reliability is addressed by data center managers implementing a number of different measures, including hiring and training the right staff members and developing, launching and testing proven procedures. The data center infrastructure must also have reliability and redundancy built-in, not just for power protection, but also to monitor systems, provide lightning protection, detect moisture and so much more.

To ensure redundancy, servers are configured to switch responsibilities to a remote server when necessary. Also known as a failover, this process is used as the backup method to assume functioning whenever the primary component is not available. Operation is assumed by the secondary components whenever scheduled maintenance takes place or an unexpected power outage occurs. By eliminating single points of failure in the IT infrastructure, the data center leader is minimizing potential problems.

At the same time, it’s also important to put the right monitoring technology in place. There are always threats to your data, no matter how careful you are in the process of trying to protect the reliability of the infrastructure. But ignoring the threats that are completely preventable is an irresponsible way to manage a data center. Instead, put uninterruptible power supply solutions in place to ensure that if the power goes out, you don’t lose access to your data and the changes you’ve made aren’t lost.

Minuteman has built a solid reputation in the industry by providing the power protection you need to not only keep systems online, but also ensure your data is protected when the unexpected becomes the norm. Despite the lengths utilities go to in an effort to ensure you have access to the power you need, challenges still arise. Even the smallest bird or squirrel can get in the wrong place at the wrong time and wreak havoc. If you don’t have a way to prevent this invasion, you can prevent the damage.