» The questions you need answering about power protection «
Who, what, why, when, how, which, where… ?
WHO needs them?
Everyone with a computer should have one!
WHAT are they?
At the simplest level they are essentially an extra fuse box. Going up the scale, they are back-up batteries with various levels of extra filtration and protection cover from electrical disturbances.
WHY do you need one?
Your computer is fed by electricity, but this feed supply is far from regular, it fluctuates constantly and the greater these changes the more your computer - and your data - is at risk.
WHEN should you use them?
Before you even turn your computer on for the first time!
It's not just your computer you may need to consider, but also many of the components that make up a typical network - including PBX's, printers, modems, hubs and routers.
Needless to say, if doesn't stop there, it applies also to cash register tills, ePDQ and other credit card processing EPOS terminals and extends to less frequently considered items like televisions and stereos with delicate circuit boards, expending to the likes of digital cameras and camcorders plugged in for recharges and downloads.
HOW much do they cost?
For the barest cover, a four plug extension lead with surge cover is as little as a few pound / dollars. A quick glance at Woolworth's has them at £7.99, but I have seen them at half that price - and rather more, naturally.
The next real jump is to line interactive units which start around £50 and rising.
After that it's online UPS's which offer the highest level of protection and start around £400 and rise according to needs.
WHICH one do you need?
I'm paranoid, so my answer isn't straight forward, but it's good advice - buy the best type and model you can afford. Realistically though, for the vast majority of home and small office users reading this, a low end line interactive UPS from the likes of Belkin or APC should be sufficient.
The bigger question though is what YOU are trying to protect. What is the potential loss to your business? How often have you needed to call out a computer technician, perhaps paying £40 an hour? How much would you lose if the computer or server went down? Staff sitting idle, the horrendous costs of data recovery…
A good UPS can last as long as ten years. For a full cover, on-line UPS that's just 10p to 20p a day. A line interactive nearly as good (for general use) is a tenth that. For me, logically, the initial outlay vastly outweighs the potential loss of business and indeed hardware. Plus there's the peace of mind factor.
WHERE can you buy one?
For simple, inexpensive surge protectors they are available from most general stores, including the likes of Woolsworths and even Argos, who have a decent range of Belkin. Low end UPS's should be available at any decent computer store*.
*Good look searching! As an experiment I went though the local papers and through 'Yellow Pages' looking at everyone with a web site listed. The 15th I tried offered rentals from £143 a month. That was it. The nearest, anywhere, selling them - let alone recommending them - was the 40th, which was Dell's advert.
.
More amazing, I felt, even on an £8,900 workstation I put together Dell never recommended so much as a surge protector! Small office users? Pttt! Yet they include the option with a bottom of the range £299 server. But hey, Servers are for MEDIUM & LARGE BUSINESS
. *Sheesh!*
Anything better than a surge protector, in the UK at least, you need specialist supplier, a major computer retailer like Dabs (who have a great selection), or buy direct to the manufacturer. Office supplier Viking Direct have a small selection too.
What the heck, my email address in on the contact page if you want advice, or you can ask over the forums. I try to respond quickly to both.
Anyway, hopefully the rest of this article will help you make a more informed choice.
