UPS Advice

[gibbo_ap]

really need some help with UPS' please

 

is there a logic set/rules for number of UPS' per server? ie they have many outputs for power but only one for RS232. my predecessor didnt seem to have much of an idea and nor do i.

 

at present i am rearranging the server cab and struggling to find space.

 

also do you guys and gal leave much space between servers, UPS'?

 

looks like we are going to have to upgrade our air con too lol

 

at present in our server cab we have-

• server 1
  
• server 2
  
• server 3
  
• mis server
  
• web server
  
• exchange server
  
• nas 1
  
• nas 2
  
• smartcache
  

 

we will have

• server 4
  
• server 5
  
• admin server
  
• terminal server
  
• gateway server
  

 

UPS wise we have

• APC 750
  
• APC 750
  
• APC 1000
  
• APC 1500
  
• APC 3000
  
• APC 3000
  

 

Waiting to go in (somewhere!)

APC 1500

and another in storage (cant remember what one tho)

[localzuk]

Seems like a lot of individual UPSes? I have a similar number of servers, but with 2 APC 5000's, each with its own 16A power ring. These are networked, and soon (when I get round to it) all the connected servers will get the network shutdown software installed. The switch is also on the UPS (well, on both in fact, dual PSUs).

 

Any possibility that you can get rid of that giant stack of UPSes and replace em with a couple of large ones?

 

Regarding space - no. Any space has stuff in it. I've got a total of 2U spare in our server cab.

[gibbo_ap]

Seems like a lot of individual UPSes? I have a similar number of servers, but with 2 APC 5000's, each with its own 16A power ring. These are networked, and soon (when I get round to it) all the connected servers will get the network shutdown software installed. The switch is also on the UPS (well, on both in fact, dual PSUs).

 

Any possibility that you can get rid of that giant stack of UPSes and replace em with a couple of large ones?

 

Regarding space - no. Any space has stuff in it. I've got a total of 2U spare in our server cab.

 

cheers would, say, the two APC 3000 plus a APC 1500 be enough? ...... oh i forgot one more thing going in!!! my server console! that needs 1U, and i have that allocated for the gateway server aggg. i hate servers lol

[FN-GM]

We stick an APC 3000 on every server eeekk

 

What sort of spec are your servers? How power Hungary are they?

[localzuk]

What's the goal of the UPSes? ie. is the intention to allow servers just to turn off? Or more to allow them to allow to run for a while?

 

A 3kW UPS per server is well overkill IMO, unless you have major power issues in your building.

[Soulfish]

We have two 10kva hardwired UPS for the entire server room. These each feed a PDU in the server racks. All servers/switches connect to both of these PDUs to ensure that all servers are connected to more than one UPS

[pete]

You don't want to leave gaps because it allows airflow to slip between servers, rather than going through them. If you need to leave space for whatever reason, use a blanking panel.

 

Regarding UPS sizing you basically work it out like:

 

What's the maximum draw of $bunch_of_kit?

If power goes out, how long can we keep kit running without aircon before it overheats?

Historically, how long are our power outages?

Historically, what's the "yeah, it'll be off for a while" point?

Plus room for expansion / fudge factor.

 

APC have a sizing tool on their site.

[gibbo_ap]

What's the goal of the UPSes? ie. is the intention to allow servers just to turn off? Or more to allow them to allow to run for a while?

 

A 3kW UPS per server is well overkill IMO, unless you have major power issues in your building.

 

more to give them the shutdown in my eyes... the stations are going to be off anyway if there is a power cut, the only thing that it would inturupt would be the cbs

[john]

Make sure you have, if funds allow, 2 UPS's, I am at my wits end with the stupid APC ones we have 2 out of the 3 are now faulty and as a result they randomly turn off, I'm still juggling power leads around to try and get all dual powered kit onto a good one and a bad one / the mains instead to stop us falling over weekly. You want them all network connected and don't forget your switches and router to ensure that they stay in if you have a power failure so it can email you (we will be putting the one good one we have left in the cabinet with that kit in as its elsewhere) and then a large new UPS (or2 smaller ones) in the main Server Room to power all the new kit we have.

 

I don't go near APC UPS's now and only use MGE UPS's, they bought APC out but you can buy there own brand still which are good, they are known as MGE Comet and MGE Comet Extreme the UPSs and are still available.

[Ric_]

My initial advice is to check out UPS Selector Sizing Applications as that will give you an idea of what to run there.

 

In an ideal world, you would stick two chunky UPSs with a NIC and environmental monitoring card into the bottom of each rack. These UPSs would then each power a vertical PDU. Your kit would then be plugged into both UPSs (assuming dual PSUs).

 

You would probably want to use different sources for the power too to give you a chance of keeping a power source if one goes west.

 

Of course, this is an ideal situation. I have one 7.5kVA UPS powering 2 racks with the second PSUs on the servers directly connected to a 'clean' mains supply.

[gibbo_ap]

Thanks all. I have now wired up all servers to the 3000s I will be taking some off to a 1500 and then deciding what do with the rest. To heavy for eBay lol jk. Need the space and we seem to be ups mad. Lol. Way can I get fill the space..... I actually want to virtualize some. Print server n smart cache for start. No idea where to start n don't want to yet. To much happening as u can c with the 'servers to come list'

[torledo]

My initial advice is to check out UPS Selector Sizing Applications as that will give you an idea of what to run there.

 

In an ideal world, you would stick two chunky UPSs with a NIC and environmental monitoring card into the bottom of each rack. These UPSs would then each power a vertical PDU. Your kit would then be plugged into both UPSs (assuming dual PSUs).

 

You would probably want to use different sources for the power too to give you a chance of keeping a power source if one goes west.

 

Of course, this is an ideal situation. I have one 7.5kVA UPS powering 2 racks with the second PSUs on the servers directly connected to a 'clean' mains supply.

 

how do you ensure a clean supply without a second ups ?

 

it's my understanding that you can't get a truly clean supply on the cheap.

Edited April 6, 2010 by torledo