News in the Channel - issue #16

UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLIES

Keeping the lights on

As more business is conducted electronically – in a range of sectors – the need for uninterruptable power supplies becomes ever more important, which presents opportunities for resellers.

Power is critical to many business functions today, especially with the proliferation of business completed online. So when the power goes down, it can be disastrous for a business. It is a relatively common occurrence too. Brian Preston, general manager at CP Automation, points to figures that state globally, more than 350 million people – about 4% of the population – were impacted by a major power outage in 2021 and in the UK alone, power outages last up to 151 minutes on average. The consequences of a power outage can be severe, and vital services crucial for our daily lives are immediately affected, including communication networks and public transport such as electric trains. For businesses, power outages can lead to significant economic losses that can hit businesses hard and affect their overall financial stability. “There is the productivity loss,” says Brian. “Factories, offices and commercial establishments heavily rely on electricity to power machinery and enable day-to-day operations. Power outages disrupt production schedules, lead to idle workers, and result in substantial financial losses for businesses. “Likewise retail stores, restaurants and other consumer-driven businesses suffer when power outages make it impossible to serve customers. With no electricity to keep perishable goods refrigerated or prepare food, inventory is lost and sales decline considerably. “Power surges or outages can damage computer systems, servers and data centres, potentially causing data loss for businesses. Additionally, restoring power to critical infrastructure can be a time-consuming and expensive process.” Jason Koffler, CEO and founder of Critical Power Supplies, adds that not having an appropriate uninterruptible power supply (UPS) in place pushes businesses into an unnecessary reactive mode. “Those that invest in UPS technology are in a much better position to manage and prevent issues from power failures,” he says. “Preventative measures can also ensure that

businesses lessen their environmental impact as proper maintenance of backup power systems can contribute to reducing businesses' environmental impact by extending the lifespan of components like batteries. This helps minimise the volume of waste destined for recycling or landfill disposal.” Pushing awareness Resellers play a crucial role in promoting the adoption and installation of appropriate back- up power solutions, Jason says. “It broadens the security portfolio, delivering business continuity and peace of mind to clients,” he says. “Resellers need to engage not only with IT teams but also with estates teams to ensure that the technology is seamlessly integrated into the hardwired infrastructure. Collaborating across the relevant teams will ensure more comprehensive risk mitigation.” Martin Ryder, channel sales director Northern Europe at Vertiv, adds that the need for UPS is something that resellers should be promoting to their customers. “Because with so much of a business’ operation relying on technology, it is crucial for enterprises to have a reliable, efficient power supply to keep systems running smoothly,” he says. “With downtime costing organisations greatly in monetary and reputational terms, a UPS

Brian Preston general manager

cpaltd.net

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