The value of an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for disaster recovery and business continuity is undisputed. When purchasing a UPS, make long-term flexibility the leading criterion in order to meet the needs of the enterprise, and the growth strategy of the data center.

Old vs. New

A traditional UPS is typically configured as a large box, full of batteries, that sits on the floor of the server room. Newer UPSes can be mounted directly onto server racks with sizes that range from 1U up to 4U or more. While rack-mount UPSes aren't necessarily "better" than older models, they do have specific advantages, particularly with regard to smaller size.

Traditional UPSes have the benefit of sturdiness and lower price, but with the tradeoff of an aged design. For example, the outlets at the rear of a traditional UPS can sometimes be obstructed if a computer attached to the UPS uses an outlet-mounted external transformer...