News in the Channel - issue #42

UPS FOR SMBS

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Joshua agrees that AI-enabled applications, edge computing and increasingly powerful workstations place greater demands on IT infrastructure, making continuous uptime even more critical. “As businesses deploy more AI-powered tools, the need for resilient power protection will continue to grow,” he adds. Nigel notes that whether AI workloads are running in local infrastructure, at the edge or in the cloud, any interruption to supporting systems can have a knock-on effect on operations. “AI is also driving growth in higher-performance computing and networking environments, increasing the importance of reliable power, power quality and infrastructure resilience,” he adds. “As a result, businesses are paying closer attention to UPS capacity and broader power protection strategies.” Future As SMBs’ reliance on being always-on increases, especially with the rise in the use of AI, demand for UPS solutions is expected to continue to grow. “As businesses become increasingly dependent on digital systems, resilience is no longer optional, it’s a competitive advantage,” Laura says. “A UPS provides protection against events beyond an organisation’s control, reducing reliance on an increasingly strained electricity grid. Whether it’s enabling a graceful shutdown to prevent data loss, allowing critical tasks to be completed during a short outage or providing valuable time before backup power takes over, a single-phase UPS has evolved from a ‘nice to have’ into an essential part of modern business infrastructure.” Brian agrees demand for UPS systems will grow noting that the transition towards renewable energy is introducing more variability into power supply, increasing the need for reliable backup and conditioning solutions. “In sectors involving lifts and critical building systems,

expectations around safety and uptime are especially high,” he adds. “This will drive demand not just for UPS adoption, but for more advanced systems with greater operational visibility, reliability and ease of maintenance, making them a core part of infrastructure planning.” Giuseppe says the future of the UPS market for business-critical applications belongs to high-efficiency, highly scalable systems. “SMBs are increasingly choosing lithium-ion variants, such as the Vertiv Liebert GXT5 Lithium-Ion, which can offer two or three times the service life of traditional VRLA batteries, lowering the total cost of ownership,” he says. “By combining these advanced systems with automated shutdown tools like Vertiv Power Assist, SMBs can effectively strengthen their operations, transforming power management from passive backup into a proactive foundation for digital continuity.” Joahua adds that as more businesses embrace digital transformation, cloud connected services and AI, and extreme weather events place greater pressure on the electricity network, the UPS market is evolving beyond emergency backup. “It is becoming a fundamental part of business resilience, helping SMBs protect productivity, data, reputation and long- term operational continuity,” he says.

Contributors

Nigel Thompson

midwich.com

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The market is moving beyond simple battery backup towards intelligent power management that includes monitoring, remote control, predictive maintenance and integration

with wider IT management platforms.

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As demand for UPS and power protection solutions increase, so

customers will expect more functionality from these systems, Nigel notes. “The market is moving beyond simple battery backup towards intelligent power management that includes monitoring, remote control, predictive maintenance and integration with wider IT management platforms,” he adds. “With increasing dependence on connected technologies and growing concerns around power quality and resilience, UPS solutions will become an even more important part of business continuity planning in the years ahead.” n

Giuseppe Leto

vertiv.com