Why UPS failures are a hidden risk in server rooms
You know there’s an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) in your server room, but do you know if it will actually work when you need it most?
That’s the hidden risk with UPS systems. On the surface, everything appears fine:
The unit is powered on, no alarms are sounding, and it seems to be quietly doing its job in the background, but this creates a dangerous assumption, that your UPS is reliable.
In reality, once a UPS is installed, it’s often forgotten about and that’s where the real risk begins…
The most common point of failure in a UPS system is the battery… UPS batteries degrade gradually over time, often without any obvious warning signs.
By the time a power cut, surge, or fluctuation occurs, the battery may only be able to hold a charge for seconds.
The result? Unplanned IT shutdowns, corrupted data, disrupted services, and unnecessary recovery work.
Power problems don’t have to be dramatic to cause damage either. Brief outages, voltage dips, and power fluctuations can all impact sensitive IT equipment and if the UPS fails to respond correctly, your hardware is vulnerable.
Ageing infrastructure is another major concern… Many UPS systems continue running well beyond their ideal lifespan, sometimes supporting loads they were never designed for due to business growth or system expansion. This puts additional strain on already weakened components.
The real challenge with UPS systems is visibility and unlike server failures, a failing UPS often shows no obvious signs until it’s too late.
There may be no alerts or alarms, just a false sense of security that everything is fine until a power cut, and suddenly you realise it’s not working.
UPS failures aren’t just an IT issue either… they’re a business continuity risk.
Regular testing, battery health checks, and realistic load assessments are the only way to be confident that your backup power will actually protect you when it matters.
Don’t let the moment the power fails be the moment you discover your UPS isn’t working, instead conduct regular checks and contact Data Installation & Supplies (DIS) on 01274 869 099, or fill out the contact form below to talk to our experienced team about our UPS solutions.
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