Data safety and security has never been more critical than now. Businesses across the globe invest in firewalls, antivirus, and antimalware tools to keep their own data — and their clients’ data — safe. There are, however, other types of threats to your technology, so (of course) there are other essential data security best practices and devices to use against commonly forgotten threats like electrical surges or power outages.
Using an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) can save you from very real technological dangers. Using the best UPS for computers minimizes the risk of losing data resulting from electrical issues — a leading healthcare IT challenge in 2019.
To understand the real value of using this handy device, check out this list of the five real dangers of not using a UPS.
What Is UPS and What Is the Best UPS for My Computer?
UPS stands for Uninterruptible Power Supply. It is a device that goes between the power outlet and the power supply unit in a PC or server. Its central role is to provide a battery backup in the event of power failure or when electrical power goes below an acceptable voltage level.
There are two types of UPS devices. A standby UPS uses power from the power outlet to charge the battery. It automatically switches to the battery when it detects a power failure, allowing the device to keep working.
The other type — and what many experts consider the best UPS for computer devices — is a line-interactive UPS. A line-interactive UPS corrects the rise and fall of the voltage and smoothes out waveforms to protect devices in various scenarios. It can protect PC and laptop computers equally well and save you a lot of cash over time. Let’s look further into how a UPS can protect your computer.
1. A Power Surge Can Burn Your Power Supply Unit
One of the most vital parts of the PC case is the power supply unit (PSU). It is the power distribution hub in a computer powering all essential components: the motherboard, processors, graphic cards, the hard drive, etc.
Top-notch PSU components come with several fail switches to protect other components from power-related problems. Unfortunately, sometimes the power surge can be too big for a PSU to cushion its blow.
The motherboard is the first piece to suffer. Electricity can fry its circuits and render it useless. Most warranties do not apply in these events, and your only option will be to replace it.
2. Your Hard Disk Drive Can Suffer
A hard disk drive is where all data is stored. This PC component is susceptible to fluctuations in power. Most HDD manufacturers have improved hard disk drives and made them more resilient to power surges or sudden power failures. HDDs can still fail if an unacceptable level of power goes through their circuits.
HDD failure is the most common power-related problem. In a worst-case scenario, all data on the drive is lost. Permanently. There will be no way you can retrieve it. This is a significant reason to address your backup policies and acknowledge the importance of performing regular backups.
In a better outcome, the drive survives the surge with a few bad sectors. The data stored in these sectors is lost, but everything else can still be restored.
A line-interactive UPS can easily protect delicate components like motherboards, PSUs, and HDDs by suppressing the surges and regulating voltage. In the healthcare vertical, using the best UPS for computers is a valuable asset. It facilitates the meaningful use of electronic health records while keeping those records safe from any electricity-related problems.
3. Unsaved Work is Forever Lost
Imagine: After hours of hard work, you are almost done with an important project on your PC. You go for a lunch break, during which time a random power failure occurs. You come back to your workstation to find all those hours of work are lost. Forever.
This is a pretty common scenario, and many people have experienced the incredible frustration of it. Data security best practices do not revolve exclusively around fancy cybersecurity protections and solutions. A UPS can be a vital asset in your data security strategy and help prevent lost data and unsaved work.
Both standby and line-interactive UPS devices can minimize the risk of data lost because of unsaved work. After a power failure, you or your employees will have more than enough time to save your projects or documents and secure them on portable devices.
4. You Can Lose All Your Valuable Data
Data has become increasingly important across verticals, including the healthcare industry. Medical health records and information technology go hand in hand. This synergy is even more critical today as total patient care becomes a trend in the industry. Staying on top of data security best practices and ensuring data availability across devices has become imperative.
Healthcare IT experts have another challenge to overcome: Data loss. A UPS is just one of many solutions to help experts build a reliable network with several safety measures. With big networks, such as those found in hospitals, a UPS can support servers, computers at MD offices, and front desk clients. When the entire system is rendered safe from power failure and power spikes, the risk of data loss is minimal.
5. It Can Be A Devastating Blow to Your Budget
Finally, consider the dangers of not using a UPS when you have a huge multi-computer system essential to your business. When we talk about businesses, there is not just a single motherboard, a solitary HDD, or one lonely PSU in question. Rather, we are talking about hundreds of devices on a network. One single power surge can wreak absolute havoc, leaving you with no option but to purchase new parts and service all your computers.
Without a UPS, all the data access security best practices in the world will not help much when the power goes out with no warning.
For More Information
Perhaps the biggest advantage of all the benefits UPS systems bring to the table is data loss prevention. Everything else is usually pretty manageable, but if you lose sensitive data — data vital to your business — your options are incredibly limited. Make the investment before the problem occurs. For more questions about which UPS is best for your business computers or how you can engage in the best data access security practices, contact Scale today! Call us at 501-213-1732, or fill out our online form. Let Scale show you why we are the managed IT service provider for you.
