What is Power Loss?

Computer systems and the important data they contain have become vital to the operation of most
businesses. Every business owner or manager needs to plan for the possibility that the company’s
computers or data may be damaged or lost. There are numerous causes for equipment and data
damage or loss, including power problems, fires, earthquakes, human error, theft, vandalism, etc.
Preparing for such events is called contingency planning. This report focuses on one aspect of
contingency planning: how to protect your computers and data from power problems.

This report is organized into three sections: Section one focuses on defining power problems and their
effects on your computers and data. Section two offers suggestions on how businesses can take steps to
protect their computers and data.

The Power Crisis Is Here

Our businesses are increasingly dependent upon electrical power to operate. The reality is that without
power, many businesses must close their doors. Much of our accounting, customer, and other critical
business information is stored on computers, which need a constant source of power to function
correctly. With California is in the midst of a serious power crisis, experts are predicting widespread
rolling power outages this Spring and Summer. Rolling blackouts substantially increase the risk of
damage to our computers and data.

Equipment and Data is At Risk

A study by IBM has showed that a typical computer is subject to more than 120 power problems per
month. The effects of power problems range from the subtle—keyboard lockups, hardware
degradation—to the dramatic—complete data loss or ruined equipment.

Despite advances in the capabilities of modern personal computers, a momentary power outage is still
all it takes to lose your data. More dangerous is the loss of previously written files, or even an entire
hard disk, which can occur should a power problem strike while your computer is saving a file. Network
file servers constantly writing to disk are particularly susceptible.

It's been said that there are two types of computer users: those who have lost data because of a power
problem, and those who are going to. Over the past few years, we've helped create a new class...
those who have recognized the need for protection and taken steps to ensure that they're prepared for
the inevitable.
 How Power losses occur?
As the chart below clearly shows, power failure and power surges are by far the most frequent cause of
data loss. Fortunately, it is relatively simple and inexpensive to protect against power problems, as
we’ll discover shortly.

Cause Percentage
Power Failure/Surge 45.3%
Storm Damage 9.4%
Fire or Explosion 8.2%
Hardware/Software Error 8.2%
Flood & Water Damage 6.7%
Earthquake 5.5%
Network Outage 4.5%
Human Error/Sabotage 3.2%
HVAC Failure 2.3%
Other 6.7%

Anatomy of a Power Disturbance

Surges, spikes, blackouts and brownouts...what really happens to your computer when it experiences
an out-of-bounds power anomaly? We'll use a nearby lightning strike as an example, although it is just
one of countless problems that can strike your system.

Lightning strikes a nearby transformer. If the surge is powerful enough, it travels instantaneously
through wiring, network, serial and phone lines and more, with the electrical equivalent force of a
tidal wave. The surge travels into your computer via the outlet or phone lines. The first casualty is
usually a modem or motherboard. Chips go next, and data is lost.

The utility responds to overvoltages by disconnecting the grid. This creates brownouts and blackouts. If
the voltage drops low enough, or blacks out, the hard disk may crash, destroying the data stored on the
disk. In all cases, work-in- process stored in cache is instantly lost. In the worst case, password
protection on the hard drive can be jumbled, or the file allocation table may be upset, rendering the
hard disk useless.
Protection is Vital
Power disturbances occur in many forms: surges, spikes, brownouts, and blackouts. A "Stage Three"
emergency means that rolling blackouts would occur to many power grid customers across the state.
These power abnormalities can cause premature failure of delicate electronic components, lost data,
and even catastrophic damage to any electronic hardware.

Regardless of the level of emergency in the state of California, any disruption in electricity spells
disaster for devices requiring utility power. Electricity has become as important to our economy as the
air we breathe. With this importance has come a responsibility to provide protection to electrical
investments.

Protecting Your Computers and Data

Our computers need steady, "clean" power. Power that does not sag, spike, or blackout. So how do we
protect our computers and data from power problems? Since we don’t have unlimited budgets, we
must design a system that gives us the maximum protection that we can afford. We must inventory our
systems, and decide which ones need which level of protection.

Checklist for Protecting Your Computers and Data

From Power Problems
1. Inventory all electronic equipment to be protected

a.  Include total wattage required for each piece of equipment you want to connect top
uninterruptible power

b.  Include physical location of the equipment

2. Draw a floor plan of your office

a.  Include locations of equipment you want to protect

b.  Include electrical outlets, plug type, circuit information and amperage

3. Decide what level of power protection to provide each piece of equipment

4. Purchase and implement power protection equipment

Understanding Power Protection Equipment
There are three basic levels of power protection equipment commonly used today. Understanding the
differences will help you decide which level is appropriate for each piece of equipment you want to
protect.

Level 1 protection: The Surge Protector

The most basic protection begins with combating surges and spikes. Surge protectors are inexpensive
devices that filter electrical power to eliminate surges and spikes before they get to your equipment.
Surge protectors are very inexpensive, starting at around $15 for a 4-outlet protector.

When purchasing a surge protector, the lower the let-through voltage, the better your equipment will
be protected. It is also wise to purchase a surge protector that has a warranty that not only covers the
surge protection device, but the equipment that it is protecting.

Note: Many surge protectors do not provide surge protection on every outlet they contain. Be
sure to verify that each outlet you plug electronic equipment into is surge-protected.

Level 2 protection: The Uninterruptible Power Supply

The next level of protection involves purchasing an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). UPS prices
start at under $100 for very simple devices that provide protection for a laptop computer, to tens of
thousands for large server rooms. For a small network server room, expect to pay between several
hundred to a few thousand dollars for UPS’s. A UPS provides battery back up that aids in saving data by
keeping computer systems running with no interruption in the event of a brownout, blackout, or
overvoltage. UPS’s also offer protection from surges, spikes, and sags.

When the power goes out UPS’s provide from a few minutes to several days of power to keep your
computers running. An important additional benefit of UPS's is that many also are equipped with
special software that senses a blackout, and safely shuts down any computers connected to them,
writing unsaved data to disk, and issuing shutdown commands to the operating system.

Note: Many UPS’s do not provide surge protection on every outlet they contain. Be sure to verify
that each outlet you plug electronic equipment into is surge-protected. If you are connecting
multiple computers to a UPS, verify that it has the capability to safely shut down more than one
computer.
Level 3 protection: Emergency Power Generation
Equipment
A step up from Uninterruptible Power Supplies is Emergency Power Generation Equipment (EPGE). Such
equipment is usually powered by Gasoline or Diesel fuel, and can provide power for extended periods.
In a small installation, a portable generator is placed outside your business, and extension cords are
run from the generator to critical equipment and portable lights. For more complex environments, or
permanent installations, the generator is permanently mounted, and connected to the main power
supply for the building.

The cost for EPGE begins at a few thousand dollars, and can rise exponentially, depending upon your
needs. EPGE can also be rented or leased.

Note that EPGE needs regular maintenance and testing. Just like you’re your car, your EPGE will
need to be run periodically, tuned up, tested, etc.

Selecting The Right Level of Power Protection

There are four choices your must make when selecting power protection:

Does this equipment need power protection?

Does this equipment need uninterrupted power?

How long do I want my equipment to be able to run in case of a blackout?

Do I need software that will automatically shutdown my computer and save my files in the event of a
blackout?

Does this equipment need power protection?

Since surge protectors are so inexpensive, and provide protection against power surges, we
recommend that all electronic equipment be plugged into surge protectors.
Does this equipment need uninterrupted power?
If the equipment is critical to the operation of your business, or requires several minutes to safely shut
down, it should be connected to an uninterruptible power supply. For example network servers are
constantly writing data to their hard disks. If power were lost during a data write, the data in memory
would be lost. Additionally, servers need several minutes to safely shut down. We recommend that all
servers be connected to uninterruptible power supplies.

Note that uninterruptible power supplies typically have surge-protected outlets.

How long do I want my equipment to be able to run in case of a blackout?

The total wattage used by the equipment you want to keep running in case of a blackout, times the
length of time you need your equipment to run will determine whether you should implement
uninterruptible power supplies or emergency power generation equipment.

For most small businesses, the cost of emergency power generation equipment is prohibitive, costing
several thousand dollars or more. Most businesses choose to implement uninterruptible power supplies
(UPS). The size of the UPS you choose is determined by adding up the wattage required to run your
computers, and any other peripheral equipment, such as tape drives, network switches, printers, etc.
Normally, some additional wattage is specified to allow for expansion.

After you've determined your wattage requirements, you need to determine how much time you want
your computers to be able to run in case of a blackout. Many UPS's are sized to allow computers
attached to them to run for 10-25 minutes. This is sufficient time for users to logoff their computers,
write unsaved data to disk, and perform an orderly shutdown of the operating system.

To survive an extended blackout, a larger UPS is required. With rolling blackouts expected to last from
2-4 hours or longer, you should consider the true costs to your business when the power goes out.
Obvious costs, such as payroll, and overtime, are pretty easy to calculate. Quantifying the cost of lost
data, lost sales, or lost goodwill is more difficult.

Simple Steps to Take to Reduce Power Consumption

Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs use 75% less energy
while producing the same amount of light. Check with PG&E for rebates on fluorescent lighting
purchases.

Turn off equipment and lights when not in use. Equipment such as personal computers, copiers,
printers, and lights should be turned off whenever they’re not being used, and at the end of the day.

Limit the use of air conditioning and heating.