Backup Power With Room To Grow
Scalability is key when it comes to power, since one of the biggest blunders a solution provider can make is to underestimate the required capacity for a given subsystem.
UPSes are rated for a certain capacity, or the amount of current that supported equipment will draw. An underrated UPS might seem like it's working properly until a power outage occurs and all hell breaks loose. With too much current being pulled, a UPS might shut itself down to prevent damage. But that's without regard for the safety of equipment that's plugged into it. The VAR that set up the solution likely would be held responsible for the mess and possibly lose the account.
One good way to avoid such a scenario is to install a UPS that can be scaled according to demand. Install one main system now, and simply add to its capacity down the road as power demands increase.
MGE's Pulsar MX Frame accommodates the company's Pulsar MX 5000 RT power and battery modules, which can be added over time to match rising power demands. The power modules are connected in parallel within the Pulsar MX Frame, which is kind of like a rack. Power handling can be scaled from 5 kVA to 20 kVA, without having to shut down any connected equipment.
This is an ideal solution for racks populated with blade servers because more UPS capacity can be added as more blades are added. Users can even start off with just a single 5 kVA Pulsar MX 5000 RT and then migrate to the fully scalable, redundant Pulsar MX Frame that will accommodate the Pulsar MX 5000 RT's power and battery submodules.
The 3U, 5 kVA units feature hot-swappable battery and power submodules, an auto battery-test function, switched outlets, a multilingual LCD display, and power management software compatible with most operating systems, including Windows Vista.
The Pulsar MX RT starts at a list price $3,936 for a 5 kVA unit. The Pulsar MX Frame begins at $11,905.
MARC SPIWAK is a technical editor for the CRN Test Center.