What UPS do you use and recommend?

[Sonic007]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm needing a new UPS for our main server.

 

What do you use and recommend?

 

Something that can automatically shutdown VM's and server down properly and reboot once power returns would be welcome.

 

Thankyou.

[localzuk]

We use Tripp Lite here these days.

[Alex0x7F]

APC UPS 1500 for our PowerEdge T350

[6Foot2]

Only used APC over the years working in schools. Can't remember the specifics of the models, but most recently was a rack mounted model supporting five servers/server hosts.

[3s-gtech]

I’ve only used APC, our servers are on Smart-UPS 3000s. These have been decent - had 2 die outright in 13 years, and we’re running 6 currently.

 

Not a fan of our 750VA units for our switches - the batteries were all dying within 12 months.

Edited July 11, 2023 by 3s-gtech

[psydii]

a dozen or so 15 year old Smart UPS 2200 around the site for the switch rooms and two 10 year old Smart-UPS SRT 10000 with a load of batteries for the server room. (there used to be a *lot* more kit in that room than there is now)

 

The big one gives us at least 40 minutes of run time, we've never come close to the ups shutting down the servers since its commissioning test (when it only gave us 10 minutes or so for the loads at that time)

[Aprice]

Only APC as well, have had some experience with Dell UPSs (rebadged APC) going bang with some magic smoke.

Also had a domestic APC one that let out magic smoke about 10 years ago that I threw out the window before it burned the house down

[powdarrmonkey]

Eaton over APC for me. They're much easier to monitor.

[localzuk]

I’ve only used APC...had 2 die outright in 13 years

This is why we stopped buying APC here. A high percentage of our hardware faults were UPS related. Which defeats the point of having a UPS if its the thing causing servers to not be turned on.

[Aprice]

We did have an APC unit fail a couple of months back. It was replaced under warranty. But failed removing power from the protected loads, fault code displayed on the LCD. I'm quite surprised they don't have a relay in that would bypass the inverter and connect it straight to mains if a failure like this occurred.

 

Definitely made the case for us that we never have both legs plugged into the same UPS. One straight into the mains or a separate UPS.

[hallb15]

I've started using Riello recently. Had the first one for a few years now and it's been rock solid. We've only had one power cut in that time which it sailed through. So I bought a second one and that has also worked flawlesly.

We get plenty of brown outs here and they handle those with ease.

They have the usual connections to the server to allow graceful shutdown via Powershield software. It has a nice user interface too:

[Net_Man]

We use APC 3000's as well but it seems as though the free APC network shutdown software is being discontinued.

[3s-gtech]

I use apcupsd. It's done everything I've needed, plus gives me a web interface for monitoring.

 

apcupsd | A daemon for controlling APC UPSes

 

I try to have each server independntly powered or UPS'd, so that the dual PSUs can still get power if one UPS dies. Learned that one the hard way! Got used to rebuilding ESXi as a result

[PotNoodleTech]

Moved from APC to Eaton never looked back. Got 2 x 5000 units gives an hour uptime to the server cab.

[mrbios]

Another APC only here, though the last one i bought was a Smart-UPS OnLine one, rather than the standard line interactive Smart-UPS models. Our newer servers were more sensitive and had the odd reboot on power change when we tested our generator, the online models rectified that.

[Sonic007]

Thankyou everyone for your replies. I will check out all those links.

[6Foot2]

Old UPS post reminder:

 

Link: Smell Rotten Eggs In Your server room? - Check Your UPS [?]

 

🤭

[Olliedawg]

APC Smart UPS 3000 Been using these for years, never let me down.

 

*edit typo*

[Sonic007]

APC Smart UPS 3000 Been using these for years, never let me down.

 

*edit typo*

 

 

This is what we currently have. It is just booting up, clicking noise, making odd sounds as if it's rebooting, and then clicking noise, and rebooting again.

[Olliedawg]

This is what we currently have. It is just booting up, clicking noise, making odd sounds as if it's rebooting, and then clicking noise, and rebooting again.

 

Oh dear! Sounds like its ready to kick the bucket! How old is that unit?

[3s-gtech]

This is what we currently have. It is just booting up, clicking noise, making odd sounds as if it's rebooting, and then clicking noise, and rebooting again.

 

It has become an IPS. Fairly typical sort of symptoms. I’ve also found where they’ll just insta-die when put under load, when the batteries are okay, and throw a fault light. Even if it’s a 1 second power blip.

[Sonic007]

Oh dear! Sounds like its ready to kick the bucket! How old is that unit?

 

 

Can't even find any invoice details for when we purchased it so before I started here.... So possibly atleast 6 years old.

[Net-Ctrl]

If you need any assistance in pricing we work with both APC and Riello. We also work with a newer player in the market called Uniti - which is priced very aggressively to gain market share and come with 6-year warranrty. We can also arrange free surveys and health checks of existing solutions. These are dependent on engineer availability.