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WWW.LEGRAND.COM
WHITE PAPER
THE UPS IN DATA CENTERS AND THEIR MAIN FEATURES
ADAPTABILITY
The intense, fast and constant evolution of the “Digital World” is reflected in frequent modifications’ upgrades and renew of
the digital infrastructures. In particular, this happens in Data Centers where the upgrade of active IT devices may often require
also the upgrade of the electric system. Furthermore, with new technologies the performances of IT devices are growing but
dimensions and consumptions are decreasing; this involves space and costs savings, which can be fully achieved only if also
the surrounding infrastructure is able to follow this evolution at the same speed. In addition, during the last few years Data
Centers have experienced a huge evolution and diversification in their final scope. In fact, they passed from private company
or public office Server Room to Clouds, Colocations, Hybrid, Edge, HyperScale Systems: different power sizes, different
services, different management of the IT active load which also means different energy usage and management.
The UPS is fully involved in this evolution since it is the core link between the electric infrastructure and the IT critical load
which need full continuity and high-quality energy feeding.
In a nutshell, last generation UPSs must be able to adapt themselves and match both with the load, the surrounding
infrastructure and in general with the application; this is the meaning of the word “Adaptability”.
ADAPTABILITY WITH LOAD
There are many different reasons and causes which determine variations in the load and energy absorption.
For instance, regarding IT Active loads:
• In normal activity of a colocation Data Center, servers may be connected or disconnected accordingly with leasing
contracts and agreements;
• Data Center managers planned future upgrade or deployment steps to the final regime size of the infrastructure;
• Ordinary or extraordinary maintenance needs to disconnect part of the load keeping in work the other part;
• The IT devices are replaced with new more performing models to reduce the consumptions.
• In an initially underused infrastructure additional IT devices are installed.
There are also cases where the UPS provides energy also to other critical loads different than IT active devices (Servers,
Storages, etc). For instance, the UPS may be used to have continuity also for light, surveillance, safety and cooling
systems. These loads may have several and variable types of energy absorptions and running conditions.
The UPS must be able to guarantee all the functionalities with the best performances in all the expected situation of load
variation and promptly match any evolution of the installed load.
This is possible thanks to high quality electronics and firmware design and equipment combined with native architecture,
which allows easy and reliable power configurations and future upgrade.
Modularity, Scalability and Parallel allows to satisfy the energy needs making the UPS “Adaptable” to the load.
