If your desktop computer is plugged into an unreasonably heavy box on the floor instead of a surge protector (also known as an uninterruptible power supply or UPS), here’s some good news: when the power goes out in the near future, you’re protected from hours of frustration.  If that box has suddenly started beeping and you’re wondering why, you’re in the right place – see the “Why is it beeping” section below to learn why that’s happening and what you should do about it.

WHAT IS A UPS, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?

An uninterruptible power supply, provides power to your computer for a short time if it loses power for any reason.  For laptops, this is less important, as they have their own internal battery.  But for desktops, this is the difference between losing changes to every unsaved file you have open when the power fails, and having a precious few minutes to save all of that work and shut down your computer properly.  Make sure that your computer is plugged into a socket that is battery powered – many UPS devices have some sockets which are not battery powered!

A UPS also protects you from computer damage.  All plugs on a UPS function as a surge protector, preventing sudden bursts of power from damaging or destroying your computer hardware.  In addition, it protects against brownouts, or short “blips” in power.  Brownouts don’t cause the immense damage to computers they once did – computer hardware and power supplies are both built to be more resilient than they were.  Brownouts can still cause hardware damage in some cases, however, including the loss of data on hard drives.

While your UPS is a great tool, it can’t perform miracles!  It can keep your computer operational during a power outage, but it can’t provide your computer with internet access unless all of the routers and servers between you and the web are also receiving power.  Most UPSs are designed to keep computers operational only for a short period of time, not for prolonged use.

WHY IS THE UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY BOX BEEPING?

If you’ve lost power, it’s beeping to let you know that the battery is in use, and that you should save your work and shut down your computer.  A constant beep (every second or two, and never stopping) generally means the UPS is very low on battery power, and you should shut down immediately.

If there’s been no power loss and it’s still beeping periodically, your UPS is letting you know that it’s failed a self-test.  If you’ve plugged any power-hungry devices into it recently, unplug those first and see if the beeping stops.  Otherwise, the battery may be in need of replacement – the UPS is letting you know that, if the power fails, the device won’t have enough power to keep your computer operational.

If you want to keep your data safe in the event of a power outage, don’t ignore it or unplug it!  Give your IT team a call or send them an email and let them know they need to come take a look at your UPS.  Like anything with a battery, they do need replacement periodically.

To learn more about how Miller Tech Services can help your business protect its data and increase your return on your technology investment, call us at 859-859-592-8872 or email us at [email protected]