An APC 80kW uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system to protect the large database and computer network at leading risk information provider TransUnion ITC (previously ITC), has been designed, installed and commissioned by UPS specialist Square One Power Solutions in a contract worth R280 000.
Square One Power Solutions, the UPS arm of JSE-listed IT distributor Square One Solutions Group, was awarded the open tender contract through consulting electrical engineers Rawlins, Wales & Partners.
The 80kW UPS unit, which includes a battery system designed for a 10-year lifespan, has been installed in the basement of TransUnion ITC's new headquarters building at Wanderers Office Park in Illovo, Johannesburg. A 125kVA standby power diesel generator set used at TransUnion ITC's former premises, will be moved to the new building at Wanderers and incorporated into the UPS system.
In the event of a mains power supply failure, the UPS instantly provides battery power at full load for 15 minutes to maintain the integrity of the TransUnion ITC computers and database until standby power is received from the diesel genset.
Should the genset fail the UPS system continues to supply battery power and if mains power is not restored within 15 minutes, it automatically closes any open files and initiates an orderly shutdown of the network, preventing data loss or corruption. When genset or mains power returns, the UPS automatically reboots the servers and network.
Square One Power Solutions Johannesburg branch manager Newton King says the nature of TransUnion ITC's business is such that it cannot be without computer services for any length of time, nor can it afford to sustain data losses from an information base that has been built up over more than 100 years of operation in southern Africa. A critical success factor for TransUnion ITC is that it employs cutting-edge technology, and it is for that reason that it chose the American Power Conversion (APC) UPS.
King adds that Square One Power Solutions is an APC High Power Partner, and selected the APC Silcon DP300E model, which provides economy and exceptional compatibility with gensets, as the best possible UPS solution for TransUnion ITC.
"The Silcon equipment uses unique delta conversion technology that offers exceptionally high efficiency and therefore low operating costs. The unit always operates at a power factor corrected input of 1 so that external phase compensation is not necessary and less energy is consumed, giving savings on monthly power bills sufficient to recover the capital outlay for the unit in five years.
"The Silcon unit is very economical in terms of genset requirements. It needs a genset with a rating of only 1.3 times the UPS capacity as opposed to a conventional UPS, which requires between 1.5 and 2 times the capacity."
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Square One Power Solutions is the UPS arm of the JSE-listed Square One Solutions Group. APC (American Power Conversion) is the largest global manufacturer of UPS systems. An APC High Power Partner, Square One Power Solutions has a national infrastructure and provides UPS solutions for the SOHO, PCA and SME network environment, telecommunications, medical, security, lighting and general industry as well as major corporations and government.
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