Power Protection FEATURED ARTICLE

The problem with power outages – aside from the inconvenience that comes with them – is they are unpredictable.  Even when a major storm is approaching, the timing and extent of outages are an unknown variable.  In those instances, however, preparations can be made in anticipation of an outage at some point during a major weather event.

But, there are countless outages each year that result from entirely random events, from automobile accidents to animals coming in contact with power systems, to faulty equipment, and many other situations.

In Placentia, California, a localized outage was caused by an electrical fire on a telephone pole.  The cause:  A power surge, likely due to unsafe wiring, in a local building housing more than 3,000 marijuana plants, with a street value of several million dollars.  Local authorities say it’s one of the largest operations they’ve uncovered.

Businesses can ill afford operational down time, making random outages more than a nuisance – they can impact revenue.  It’s one of the reasons so many businesses are moving to cloud-based communications solutions, which allow employees to continue to operate from any location, including homes and remote offices.

While communications continuity is critical, protecting infrastructure should also be top of mind.  Even if full backup power systems are too costly to keep all technology operational during an extended outage, short-term UPS systems allow IT systems to be properly shut down to avoid lost data and damage from surges when power is restored.  Power protection systems are designed to meet specific business needs, depending on their technology investments and which servers and other equipment are mission-critical. 

Some can run on extended backup supplies, while others can be protected long enough to safely power them down.  In both cases, one the critical elements is that sensitive circuitry is protected – even small surges can damage network equipment.

Regardless of where your business is located, and even if you’re not in an area particularly susceptible to weather-related outages, random power loss can happen at any time.  While a power protection system does require an investment, it considerably outweighs the time and cost of replacing or repairing your equipment and then getting your business up and running again.  And, if you are in a weather-prone region, power protection is really a no-brainer.