A power cut of a few seconds is enough to drop your router, firewall, switches and any local server. The lights come back on; the network doesn't, or the server comes up complaining about an unclean shutdown.
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a battery that sits between the mains and your equipment. It keeps internet equipment and internet-based phones working through a short outage, and gives a server enough time to shut down properly during a longer one.
Batteries wear out
A UPS that hasn't been tested is a box that beeps. Batteries typically need replacing every three to five years, and many units will happily carry on with a dead battery until the day you need it. Ask your IT provider which equipment is on a UPS and when each battery was last tested or replaced.
What should be on one
At minimum: the router and firewall, the core switch, any on-site server or NAS, and the phone system if it's on-premises. Rendering workstations are a judgement call; a mid-render power cut is annoying but not dangerous.
If you'd like a second pair of eyes on your power protection, we'll identify what needs a UPS, help you choose the right size, and make sure it's actually tested.
Want a hand with this? Talk to us.