ZAP! POP!! POOF!!!

Gone In 60 (Milli) Seconds...

We are always "preaching" about the importance of backing up your computer's data. In this How To article, however, we want to talk about a different kind of backup. This backup is called a U.P.S. No, that's not United Parcel Service! Rather, U.P.S. stands for Uninterruptible Power Supply. If you aren't already using one of these to protect your desktop computer, perhaps you should consider acquiring one.

Have you ever had the electric go off just long enough to cause your computer to shut down while you were in the middle of some project? Have you ever worried about your computer being on during a lightning storm? (Trust us. We live in Florida - the lightning capital of the the US and #2 world-wide* - where storms come in quickly with little or no notice. We've seen what lightning can do to unprotected computers.) These are both serious situations for the life and health of your computer. One of the easiest ways for system files to become corrupted and cause problems is for the computer to be suddenly shut off.

As if those reasons weren't enough for concern, here's one more. You are most likely aware that the electric delivered to your house is supposed to be either 120V or 220V depending on where you live. But, did you know that the electric voltage coming to your meter could vary by as much as 15% plus or minus? While this difference doesn't really affect things like light bulbs, for electronic equipment like computers, this fluctuation can be very damaging. An Uninterruptible Power Supply monitors and controls the voltage being applied to your computer and maintains a constant voltage.

U.P.S. backups come in different sizes and different prices. You can purchase a U.P.S. through us (KCC is an APC Channel Partner) or locally at places like Staples, Office Depot and Walmart. They are easy to use - just plug your computer and your monitor into the battery backup sockets on the unit, plug the U.P.S. into the wall, and your computer is protected. There are some models, like the one I use, that come with software that will even shut down your computer the normal way if the electric is off longer than twenty minutes. The software also monitors the electric voltage and allows you to graphically watch its peaks and valleys. As for the cost, you can pay as little as $40 US to approximately $300 US for personal computers. Many of the manufacturers of U.P.S. units offer a $25,000 insurance policy. If proof is presented that shows your computer was damaged while plugged into one of these backups, the manufacturer will replace your computer up to and including $25,000 in replacement costs.

There's one more advantage to having a U.P.S. There's a peace of mind that exists when you know your files and your investment are safe and that your computer is protected from blackouts, brownouts and lightning.

You can check out a few of these units here:

http://www.apc.com/products/category.cfm?id=13

http://www.tripplite.com/en/products/ups-battery-backup-systems.cfm

One final note: U.P.S. units should not be confused with surge protector strips where you can plug in 6-10 electrical cords. The majority of these strips have no battery backup so they do not keep your computer on if the electric actually goes out. Additionally, most surge protectors offer little, if any, protection from a direct lightning strike.

* Yes, I really did say "lightning capital of the US." See the following as a reference:
http://weather.about.com/od/thunderstormsandlightning/tp/lightningstates.htm