When it comes to critical infrastructure like designing a server room, there are two fundamentals to consider. The first is cooling, which involves sizing an air conditioning system to remove heat generated by the servers and create a comfortable working environment.The second step is to select and size an appropriate UPS for Server Room.

UPS Systems Checklist

A UPS system is meant to offer consistent battery backup when there are no mains available. For a rack mount UPS system, the battery is normally internal, but it can also be stored in an exterior cabinet or tray.When choosing the correct uninterruptible power supply to protect your server room or datacentre, there are various factors to consider.

1. Load Sizing Per Phase: The first and foremost step is to determine how much power needs to be drawn by the IT and whether the needed load will require a single or three phase.A thorough list of all servers and related IT network equipment may be created, and each one can be assigned a power value (in Watts or VA) along with the mains power supply requirements (single or three-phase).Single phase 230Vac 50Hz will be used in the majority of compact server and computer room installations.Three phase 400Vac 50Hz mains power supplies may be required for larger IT loads.Power requirements for individual kit can be found on back rating plates, user manuals, and brand’s websites.Because most stated power rates are total power ratings, this will produce an estimate and may potentially oversize the UPS system.Metering individual loads or working back to the next electrical sub-distribution board is a more effective measure.If all of the vital power items are connected to a dedicated circuit or circuits, a UPS system can be built to power up to the distribution board or panel’s circuit breaker size.
2. Battery Runtime: The next step is to figure out how much backup power time you’ll need.A normal UPS monitoring and shutdown installation could take only 10-15 minutes.Alternatively, a longer runtime (up to several hours) may be required by an installation, which can be achieved by using larger extended runtime battery packs or a backup power generator.
3. UPS Power Protection Level: UPS topologies can range from offline/standby to line interactive to on-line.On-line UPSs, also known as double-conversionor triple-conversion systems, offer the best protection both while the mains power supply is present and when there is no power.Line interactive UPSs are smaller and less expensive than traditional UPSs, and they offer intermediate power protection.Small loads up to 2KVA that are less sensitive to millisecond power outages and operate in a reasonably power-problem-free environment may be suitable for line interactive UPS.Offline/standby UPSs typically have a capacity of up to 2kVA and provide basic power protection with mains power filtering and a square-wave output.Desktop PCs, terminals, and small IT peripherals can all benefit from an offline UPS.For small computers and server room installations, line interactive and on-line UPS systems are suggested, with on-line UPS preferred for critical server room and data centre installations.

These are the three basic steps of choosing an UPS for server room environment. Once you are done with this assessment, there are other considerations that are to be determined.

Growth, Durability and Modular UPS Systems

The next stage is to determine the required amount of growth and resilience.It is recommended that the load profile be increased by 20% to allow for future expansion.This is true for mono-block UPS.If greater expansion is necessary, a mono block UPS must be expanded or one that can be fitted with parallel expansion for N+x resilience must be selected.

The built-in automatic bypass in an on-line UPS system protects against a single point of failure.The critical load is moved to the bypass supply without a gap in supply or downtime if the UPS experiences an overload or fault condition.Two or more UPS systems are installed in a robust UPS installation to share the load, with the potential capacity to support the entire load if necessary.

By design, modular UPS systems address both future expansion and durability.A modular UPS is made up of several standard-sized UPS modules housed in a standard-sized chassis.Modular UPSs are typically built in a tower format similar to server rack cabinets.They are designed to scale vertically and give a technique to make the most of the floor space in a server room or datacentre.To scale the arrangement horizontally, additional modular UPS frames can be placed in tandem.Modular UPS for computers or server room are also more likely to be three-phase and have larger power ratings.Single phase forms are also available in smaller sizes.Smaller modular UPS systems with self-contained frames that may be fitted within an existing server cabinet are also available.

As a result, one of the other important concerns for a UPS installation is the availability of space.Smaller UPS systems can be mounted as a floor standing tower alongside a server rack or as a rack mount cabinet within the rack.The larger the uninterruptible power supply, the more space it takes up, and this space grows as the battery duration requirement grows.For big server room applications, a separate UPS and battery room(s) may be required, along with a centralised rather than decentralised solution.

Summary

It is not difficult to select and size the battery and UPS for server room. All you need to do is stick to the basics and look for a brand like Microtek that is reliable and up-to-date with the latest technologies.

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