Feature Summary
- Intelligent microprocessor.
- Line-interactive design.
- Compatible with power management software.
- Automatic frequency selection (50 or 60 Hz).
- Automatic test every 14 days.
- Protection from sags, surges, spikes, and blackouts.
- Modem/fax surge protection (120V models).
- Network surge protection.
- Hot-swappable batteries.
- Advanced battery management.
- Audible alarms.
- LEDs to indicate UPS overload, replace battery, internal fault, power loss, and voltage
regulation.
- Site wiring fault indicator.
- Three-year parts and labor warranty.
Are you vulnerable to a power outage or voltage spike? You may be, particularly if
you’re running CTI applications. Just think: It’s bad enough if your phone
system goes down. But it can be much worse if power fluctuations “zap”
peripheral equipment attached to your PBX. A power surge could, for example, wipe out the
hard disk of the voice mail system. And if you have a unified messaging system, not only
would your company risk losing all its voice mail, but all its e-mail and fax messages as
well. Clearly, no one in their right mind should run a PBX or PBX adjunct (such as a
unified messaging server) without installing some sort of power protection.
If you’re about to investigate your power protection options, you may want to
check out Para Systems, which offers several uninterruptible power supply (UPS) product
lines. We took a close look at their MinuteMan Pro 650, a product in their Pro series,
which includes the 200, 280, 420, 650, 1,000 and 1,400 units. (In each case, the number
denotes the number of voltamperes.) The units in the Pro series have lineinteractive
capabilities that trim overvoltages and boost undervoltages (or brownouts). These
capabilities extend the voltage range of input power that the UPS can use without going
into battery mode. With increasing or decreasing power, the UPS raises output voltage
levels when the input A/C gets too low, and bucks (or reduces) the output voltage levels
when the input A/C gets too high. This voltage regulation preserves battery power for
blackout conditions. Also, it extends the battery life. And, most important, it protects
your delicate, expensive, mis-sioncritical equipment from the rav-ages of erratic power.
INSTALLATION/DOCUMENTATION
Installing a UPS is fairly simple. Just plug the unit into a properly grounded three-prong
electrical outlet, and then connect your computer, monitor, network, or other electrical
components to the UPS.
When we installed our Pro 650 unit, we hooked up a RJ-45 network cable, a computer, and
a 17-inch monitor. This installation, which we can only describe as a cakewalk, earned the
Pro 650 a 5.0 rating. The documentation was straightforward, as you might expect. (There
is, after all, little in the way of complexity in learning how to set up and use a UPS
system.) The documentation contained important information about how to take care of the
unit, where to place the unit (temperature and humidity conditions), as well as how to
replace the batteries. The manual also explained how to interpret the Pro 650’s LED
displays and audible signals. (These usually signify power loss or low battery.) The
manual also included diagrams that helped acquaint us with the Pro 650’s features and
capabilities. At first glance, the documentation seemed quite lengthy for a simple (yet
powerful) UPS battery backup system; however, we soon discovered all the information
presented in English was repeated in three other languages. Overall, we gave the
documentation a 4.95 rating.
FEATURES
Built-In Microprocessor
All Pro units have a built-in microprocessor that provides bidirectional
communications, which the units need to work with MinuteMan’s LANMaster power
management software. This software option offers safe, unattended shutdown capabilities
and several power management functions. The units in the Pro series can also automatically
sense the frequency of incoming power and adjust themselves accordingly. The built-in
microprocessor also incorporates MinuteMan’s advanced battery management feature.
This feature oversees battery charging functions to prevent damage to the battery due to
overcharging.
Power Management Software
Para Systems sells Sentry, an intelligent power management software package that
works with the Pro, XRT, CP, and PML UPS lines. This software is designed to protect your
data and hardware from power anomalies. In the event of a power anomaly, the software
issues warnings to all users on the network. Then, after a predetermined period of time,
it automatically powers down the system before backup power runs out. Also, Sentry
provides a wide range of userprogrammable parameters and warning messages.
At least one other power management software package is available for use with the Pro
units. This software, which is called PowerMon II, is produced by Systems Enhancement
Corporation. For more information on this software, see the Operational Testing section.
Other
Other important features include a series of audible alarms, a site wiring fault
indicator, an alarm silencer, and hot swappable batteries. To safeguard against internal
malfunctions within the UPS, the Pros automatically test their own operation every 14
days. Phone and data lines are also vulnerable to surges. Hence, the Pro models provide
RJ-45/RJ-11 input and output jacks with integrated surge protection.
OPERATIONAL TESTING
Setting Up
We hooked up a 17-inch monitor and a DAX computer to the Pro 650. The DAX, one of
our heavy-duty testing machines, was chock-full of boards, including several telephony
boards from Natural MicroSystems. We supposed this setup would draw a fair amount of
current.
Simulating Power Loss
After we charged the battery, we disconnected the UPS plug from the electrical
outlet, thus simulating a power loss. Then, we waited for the battery to die. As it turned
out, the UPS kept delivering power to the DAX computer and the 17-inch monitor for over 10
minutes, which is ample time to accommodate a manual shutdown. Of course, you may not want
to assume you’ll be around when your power fails. In such an instance, you may opt
for an automated shutdown, which is, in fact, available with the Pro 650 via a power
management software program.
Monitoring Via Software Interfaces
We had installed MinuteMan’s LANMaster, but we couldn’t get it to
detect the UPS. We tried two different machines and two different operating systems,
Windows NT and 95, but to no avail. We then decided to use one of the other power
management programs which was shipped to us by MinuteMan.
For our testing purposes, we installed PowerMon II from Systems Enhancement Corporation
as our power management software program. We had no difficulties getting this program
installed, and it worked on the first attempt. The program’s GUI displays such
conditions as battery low, AC power failure, battery is weak, and normal status for the
UPS unit. Notice the color indicators allow you to see changing power conditions at a
glance.
Configuring settings for the PowerMon II software was very easy. You can set how much
time elapses before the UPS is shut down, turn on or turn off the auto-shutdown feature,
enable or disable network warning messages, and set other parameters from a user-friendly
screen. PowerMon II features an excellent log that can be used for monitoring “line
condition events”. Other utilities can graphically alert you to certain power events.
One utility allows you to glance at a month at a time with graphical keys indicating what
types of power conditions occurred on any given day. Each of the keyed elements also
includes the number of times each event has occurred on any given day. Also, another menu
option allows you to view the current day’s power events .
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
On the software side, when you view the graph that displays the month’s power events,
you cannot zoom to any particular day to view “by hour” when the power (failure)
events occurred. We’d like to be able to double-click on any particular day to zoom
in on that day and its corresponding statistics. The monthly graph gives no indication of
a “total” amount for each power event for any given month. Such a statistic
would help you figure out how many times in any given month the UPS saved your computer
from possible disaster. Such a statistic could come in handy in another way: It could help
you justify all the money you’ve spent on UPS equipment!
CONCLUSION
Para Systems’ MinuteMan Pro series is an excellent choice for your power protection
needs. Para Systems even backs the Pro series with a three-year warranty, as well as a
guarantee to repair or replace any equipment (valued up to $25,000) that is damaged by a
power surge while properly connected to a MinuteMan Pro. The Pro units are surprisingly
small and light given the amount of reserve power they yield. The unit we evaluated, the
Pro 650, fits inside a closet. Though unobtrusive, the Pro 650 establishes a presence
among small workgroups, where its cost-effectiveness will be much appreciated. And it
will, of course, be welcome in computer telephony integration solutions. |
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