Preventive UPS Maintenance for Data Centers: Essential to Uptime
In today’s mission-critical data center environments, downtime just isn’t an option.
Neither is regularly scheduled preventive maintenance (PM) for critical power infrastructure, which is key to lowering total cost of ownership, optimizing efficiency, averting downtime, and actively minimizing the chance of equipment failure and costly repairs.
In fact, a Ponemon Institute study tallied the average cost of a data center outage at $740,357 ─ or more than $7,900 per minute. However, preventive maintenance simplifies processes, cuts costs and enhances overall data center availability. Even more, studies have revealed that more than two-thirds of downtime events stem from preventable causes, including insufficient maintenance, components wearing out due to age and user error. Meanwhile, up to 20% fail because of bad batteries.
Backed by decades of practical expertise, Unified Power’s service technicians are dedicated to helping ensure the ongoing, optimal performance of data center UPS systems and generators. Our PM strategy establishes procedures for scheduled maintenance, safeguarding against downtime risks and ensuring that inspections are not postponed or forgotten.
Most data center sites require at least one or two PMs per year; however, additional visits may be warranted if the environment is susceptible to high heat, dust, contaminants or vibration. Business requirements and overall system design also contribute to the frequency of visits.
How to Maintain Your Data Center UPS
Engaging in routine preventive maintenance services helps ensure that your data center operates at its highest level of performance and potential year-round — without risking lost productivity and revenue.
A data center generator maintenance plan should include inspecting, testing and cleaning of the UPS. Specifically, trained technicians should be paying special attention to the electrical and mechanical components, looking for potential issues ranging from operating irregularities to corroded batteries.
Also, be sure your technician takes into consideration any site regulations or requirements during your scheduled maintenance, as operating irregularities, environmental factors and other issues can impact your data center UPS.
Why Does a UPS Fail?
Among the most common causes of UPS failures are:
- Batteries
- Capacitors
- Internal connections
- User error
- Fans
- Transient spikes
- Blocked air filters
- Stress or overheating of power supplies
Preventive maintenance identifies wear and tear, damage to parts and components, hot spots and other factors that make critical equipment susceptible to downtime.
Comprehensive Data Center UPS Services
Unified Power’s technicians are professionally trained on all major manufacturers’ equipment and provide an affordable service alternative to Original Equipment Manufacturers. Located across the nation, our team is ready to perform the services you need at your convenience ── whether it’s the middle of the night or during regular business hours.
Our trained technicians will identify premature wear and tear of components, ascertain overall system reliability, and validate that your critical infrastructure is achieving your organization’s uptime goals.
Our offering includes:
● UPS Preventive Maintenance Plans
● Data Center Emergency Service
● Battery Preventive Maintenance, Capacity Testing & Recycling
Reasons for a Standby Generator in a Data Center
In addition to a UPS, it is important to equip your data center with a generator that can keep operations up and running during an extended power outage. Whether sparked by a natural disaster, electrical failure, rolling blackout or severe weather, an outage can be devastating to your data center. Equipping your facility with a standby generator ensures you have a steady, secure source of power when an unexpected disaster occurs.
The optimal generator system will keep your business fully operational, as these units are:
- Equipped to maintain all mission-critical applications
- Capable of providing reliable backup power
- Robust enough to power an entire facility
- Designed to last for decades
Data Center Generator Services
Unified Power’s Generator Services enables issues to be identified and resolved before they turn into expensive problems. During maintenance, all generator parts are checked, cleaned and tested to ensure they are functioning as intended, resulting in the ability to:
- Proactively detect issues
- Optimize ongoing performance & safety
- Save money
- Bolster overall efficiency
The Unified Power Difference
For more than two decades, Unified Power has been a trusted provider of world-class services that optimize the reliability and performance of critical power equipment.
Engaging for service with Unified Power gives you access to:
- 24/7 national dispatch center with guaranteed emergency response times
- Highly skilled and continuously trained technicians
- Dedicated account manager
- World-class technical support
- Comprehensive web-based service reporting
- Immediate access to logistics and parts
- Preferred customer rates for non-contract services
- Average savings of 20% on maintenance agreements
Get a Quote for Our Preventive Maintenance Services
No matter what brand UPS or generator you have, Unified Power has you covered. With data center options ranging from regular maintenance to 24-hour emergency services, you can count on our field engineers to provide you with the mission-critical plans you need. With our professional, prompt service, we’ll make sure your data center is operating efficiently — all for an affordable rate.
Interested in receiving a quote or ready to schedule your service? Reach out today to get started.
Selecting a Data Center UPS
Although UPSs are available in several different topology types, not all are well suited for data center applications. While choosing the optimal UPS should take into account multiple factors ─ including your location, load size and budget ─ the most commonly deployed topology in data center environments is the double-conversion online UPS. Read more about the different UPS topologies.