UPS-Day on April 6, 2017 in Amsterdam: The uninterruptible power supply is the most important part of any data center

Uninterruptible power supplies were the focus of the information day organized by DatacenterWorks on April 6, 2017 in Amsterdam. Topics at the event included recent developments, what the market looks like today, and the outlook for the future. Data center managers had the opportunity to gather information on the latest developments in the UPS space. There was also plenty of opportunity to network with colleagues and talk shop. Delta MCIS brought a seasoned UPS expert to the event and delivered a presentation.

The main themes of the event were:

• Stable electric grids: Strong thunderstorms and other natural disasters have increased in our region in recent years. Voltage swings across European electrical grids were often the result. Multi-country emergency procedures are not always able to compensate for the resulting downtime with the same quality across all regions. The consequences can be more lengthy blackouts which have a sustained impact on public life and the economy. Losses can run into the millions. Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) are an effective means of protecting important public services such as medical facilities, public transportation, and data centers from blackouts by supplying power until the grid comes back online.
• Trends in the UPS market: The growth in the UPS market has been vigorous in recent years. Companies are becoming increasingly aware of their IT resources and the fact that they must protect their data. UPS units in data centers play a central role in achieving those objectives. Decision-makers now face the question of whether they are able to adequately protect their organizations and core businesses and, crucially, how to finance this protection with the same tight IT budgets they've always had.

The market research outfit Pb7 conducted a study of the Dutch market that answers a few key questions:

• Do companies have to change to meet today's requirements?
• What role does the data center and its IT components play in this context?
• How is urgently needed hardware and software financed? Is leasing a better option for businesses than purchasing?
• According to which criteria do businesses select a UPS? Which characteristics are high on the list of requirements?
• Do decision-makers prefer brand names, or do no-name vendors with cheaper products also stand a chance?

In the event's keynote speech, Peter Vermeulen, Managing Director at Pb7 Research, presented the results of a study his company conducted to answer these questions.

Mission-critical environments require a stable power supply

Vermeulen's keynote kicked off a number of technical presentations in which highly qualified experts informed Dutch data center managers about ensuring a reliable power supply in critical environments. Jack Chou, Sales Manager for UPS and Data Centers at Delta, spoke for instance on how uninterruptible power supplies can help meet the challenges data centers face in this era of big data and cloud computing.

Following the presentations, there was plenty of time to explore the topic in greater depth in an open discussion. Reflecting on UPS Day in Amsterdam, Jack Chou concluded that, "as a manufacturer, it's always very informative to speak directly with the people running the data centers about their needs." He added: "The IT environments and different components in the infrastructures are diverse, as are the requirements placed on an uninterruptible power supply. But the way that the various data center managers are currently dealing with the situation gives us important insights as a manufacturer."

Chou also had good things to say about the study that Pb7 conducted for the Dutch UPS market. "The results of the study show the diverse requirements that Dutch decision-makers have with regard to the stability of the power supply in their data centers. That's valuable assistance to manufacturers who are seeking to fulfill the specific requirements that users in a wide range of industries currently have of their UPS components."