IPS, or integrated power systems, is a backup power source for when primary energy sources fail. IPS plans have become more sophisticated with technology, including compact batteries and solar panels. All businesses require a constant source of power to operate, making IPS essential for business continuity. A workable IPS plan ensures that even short-term power outages won’t disrupt operations.
IPS, or integrated power systems, is simply a method of ensuring that the power needed to maintain a functional workplace should something go wrong with the primary energy source. With so many of our home and work environments dependent on a constant supply of energy, it’s no wonder that the IPS concept has gone from being a good idea to an essential. Here’s some background on the concept of IPS and how many companies are choosing to implement their backup power practices these days.
IPS plans and procedures are nothing new. As early as the 1940s, manufacturing facilities relied on standby power plants that could be fueled by gas generators in the event of a mass power outage. Hospitals have also operated with a fully fledged disaster recovery program that would ensure power is supplied to all vital functions, such as oxygen for patients and enough power to keep operating theaters 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 would have been needed to power a small power plant, many organizations can now rely on compact backup batteries as part of their IPS escalation procedures.
In telephony, everything from switching stations to relay centers will use a state-of-the-art backup battery that can last over twelve hours before losing power. Many IPS plans will still include generator backup as well, usually as a third alternative if it looks like the battery backup is about to fail. More frequently, companies are starting to incorporate solar panels and battery storage as part of the overall IPS guidelines for the organization.
In years past, IPS plans didn’t have to be developed for many companies, especially those that didn’t rely on electronic equipment to conduct business. However, almost all businesses use computers and a variety of devices that require a constant source of power to operate. Organizations that could once continue to operate in the face of a power outage, such as banks, grocery stores and a number of retail outlets, must have some sort of power source to continue operations.
The loss of important data due to a complete shutdown due to a power outage could be devastating for any business. Preparing a workable IPS plan, including an escalation process for implementing backup power sources, ensures that even if faced with a short-term problem with a node on the National Grid, life will continue as usual .
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