man with drill
IPS, or Integrated Power Systems, is simply a method of ensuring the power supply needed to keep a job site running in the event there is a problem with the main power source. With so many home and work environments dependent on a constant supply of power, it’s no wonder the IPS concept has gone from being a good idea to being essential. Here is some background on the IPS concept and how many companies choose to implement their backup power supply procedures these days.
IPS plans and procedures are nothing new. As early as the 1940s, manufacturing facilities relied on backup power plants that could run on gas-fired generators in the event of a massive power failure. The hospitals also operate a full disaster recovery program that would ensure power for all vital functions, such as oxygen for patients and enough power to keep operating rooms running in the event of a crisis.
What is different today is that IPS strategies have become more sophisticated as technology has improved and the demand for more reliable IPS options has become necessary. Where once a gas generator was needed to power a small power plant, many organizations can now rely on compact battery backup as part of IPS scaling procedures.
In telephony, everything from switching stations to switching centers will use a state-of-the-art backup battery that can last more than twelve hours before losing power. Many IPS plans will continue to incorporate generator backup as well, usually as a third alternative if it looks like battery backup is about to fail. More often than not, companies are beginning to incorporate solar panels and storage batteries as part of the general IPS guidelines for the organization.
In previous years, it was not necessary to develop IPS plans for many companies, especially those that did not rely on electronic equipment to conduct their business. However, almost all businesses use computers and a wide range of devices that require a stable power source to function. Organizations that could at some point continue to function in the event of a power outage, such as banks, supermarkets, and various retail outlets, must have some type of power source to continue their operations.
The loss of valuable data as a result of a total blackout due to a power outage can be devastating to any business. Preparing a viable IPS plan, including an escalation procedure to implement backup power sources, ensures that even in the face of a short-term problem with a node in the national power grid, life will continue as usual.