How to Avoid a Surprise with your UPS

By Heidi at 06/19/07 13:26

Did you have a power outage and come in to the office to find that your crucial computer was dead to the world even though it was hooked to a UPS?

When you buy an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS), make sure that when you install it, you write on the outside with a magic marker the date you installed it so that you can establish a routine for either changing it to a new one or changing the battery in it.

A typical UPS battery has a lifesoan of 3 to 5 years depending on its host operating conditions. On the other hand instead of replacing the battery, you may want to replace the whole unit on crucial systems because the metal oxide varistor in the surge protector wears out over time.

Wiring a LAN rack

Does your Computer Network Rack look similar to this? I know this is a horrible vision of messiness, but honestly, it is very hard to organize the rack when I can't unplug any of the computers to do so!

If I could suggest anything, it would be to plan ahead, plan ahead and plan some more ahead! Figure out how many computers the rack will hold and run the cables in advance so each space is ready to just plug in a computer. Use some cable ties to keep them under control. Also, the use of colored computer cables helps a bunch. You can use one color for network cables, one for backup cables, etc. Make sure you allow enough cable outside the ties to pull the computers out if necessary. I don't know how many times I have needed to get to the back and couldn't get it out far enough with this wreck of a mess.

Also, I would recommend planning some space for a couple monitors. If you aren't using a switch that hooks more than one computer to a monitor, make sure you can reach the computers from a location on the rack. That was part of my problem as well. I didn't leave any space that was good to place a monitor so it ends up on the floor trying to reach the different computers.

Don't forget about your UPS's (power supplies) for each computer and a keyboard for each which is helpful beyond measure. See how many things you have to think about? Now you know why being unorganized like me and not planning ahead has left me in a messy predicament.