3 Power Problems That Cause Downtime

The Ponemon Institute estimated that downtime costs businesses an average of $7,900 per minute. In 2010, the average was estimated at $5,600, so the threat of downtime is only becoming more serious. It's important to review the different causes of downtime, and how enterprises can prepare their power outage protection. 

Power Surges

A power surge occurs when something boosts the electrical charge of equipment. This charge, exceeding 110 percent of normal output, overpowers a commercial surge protector. The most common cause for power surges is high-power heavy electrical equipment like air conditioners or elevators creating sudden power demands. Upsetting the steady voltage of electrical equipment can damage components, either all at once or gradually over time.

Lightning storms are known to create power outages as well. A lightning surge can overpower electrical systems with millions of volts. Downed power lines and faulty wiring can also lead to power surges. Under any of these circumstances, computer systems can be shut down and experience memory loss.

Power Sags

System faults from switching on loads with high startup currents cause lead to a reduction of voltage, also known as a power sag or a brownout. Lightning strikes can cause power sages, as well as a poorly-connected transformer energizing. This sudden and unexpected drop in the power supply can lead to data loss or system shutdown. 

Electrical Line Noise

Radio Frequency Intolerance and Electromagnetic Interference can affect computer circuits. These types of electrical line noise are cause by electrical storms, microwave radiation, broadcast transmissions and motor control devices. This interference can lead to data error, data loss, and equipment lockup. 

It's scary what these power problems can do to a businesses' productivity and data. The good news is that there are ways to prepare your IT systems to prevent this downtime. Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) provides emergency power when a unit fails. Whereas a deviation in voltage can cause a computer's systems to fail, UPS devices detect these deviations and immediately route their battery power to the computer, maintaining a steady power flow and keeping systems intact and online. 

Custom Networks is your source for effective power protection. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you prepare your system to avoid expensive downtime.