Selecting the Right Level of Power Protection

There are four choices to make when selecting power protection:

1. Does this equipment need power protection?

Since surge protectors are so inexpensive, and provide protection against power surges. We recommend that all electronic equipment be plugged into surge protectors.

2. Does this equipment need uninterrupted power?

If the equipment is critical to the operation of your business, or requires several minutes to safely shut down, it should be connected to an uninterruptible power supply. For example network servers are constantly writing data to their hard disks. If power were lost during a data write, the data in memory would be lost. Additionally, servers need several minutes to safely shut down. We recommend that all servers be connected to uninterruptible power supplies. Note that uninterruptible power supplies typically have surge-protected outlets.

3. How long do I want my equipment to be able to run in case of a blackout?

The total wattage used by the equipment you want to keep running in case of a blackout, times the length of time you need your equipment to run will determine whether you should implement uninterruptible power supplies or emergency power generation equipment. Many UPS's are sized to allow computers attached to them to run for 10-25 minutes. This is sufficient time for users to logoff their computers, write unsaved data to disk, and perform an orderly shutdown of the operating system.

For most small businesses, the cost of emergency power generation equipment is prohibitive, costing several thousand dollars or more. Most businesses choose to implement uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).

4. Do I need software that will automatically shut down my computer and save my files in the event of a blackout?

Many UPS’s have software that will automatically sense a power outage and perform an orderly shutdown of a computer connected to it. We strongly recommend automatic shutdown software for all network servers.

Deciding Which Equipment to Protect

Below is a chart to assist with determining your power protection needs. Please bear in mind that every business is unique, and these recommendations are general guidelines only. We would be happy to assist you in determining your particular needs.

Item	Recommended Protection Level	# of units	Wattage per unit	Total Wattage
Printers	Surge Protection
Modems/Routers	Surge Protection
Hubs/Switches	Surge Protection
Network Interface Cards	Surge Protection
Desktop Computers	UPS
Network Servers	UPS or EPGE
Web Servers	UPS or EPGE

Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

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Power Protection for Your Computer Hardware - Surge Protectors and UPS'

It's been said that there are two types of computer users: those who have lost data because of a power problem, and those who are going to. Power failure and power surges are responsible for almost half of all data loss occurrences. Fortunately, it is relatively simple and inexpensive to protect against power problems.

Our computers need steady, "clean" power - power that does not sag, spike, or blackout. So how do we protect our computers and data from power problems? Since we don’t have unlimited budgets, we must design a system that gives us the maximum protection that we can afford. We must inventory our systems, and decide which ones need which level of protection.

Understanding Power Protection Equipment

There are three basic levels of power protection equipment commonly used today. Understanding the differences will help you decide which level is appropriate for each piece of equipment you want to protect.

Level 1 protection: The Surge Protector

The most basic protection begins with combating surges and spikes. Surge protectors are inexpensive devices that filter electrical power to eliminate surges and spikes before they get to your equipment.

APC SurgeArrest Home/Office
8-Outlets- $29.95

When purchasing a surge protector, the lower the let-through voltage, the better your equipment will be protected. It is also wise to purchase a surge protector that has a warranty that not only covers the surge protection device, but the equipment that it is protecting.

Note: Many surge protectors do not provide surge protection on every outlet they contain. Be sure to verify that each outlet you plug electronic equipment into is surge-protected.

Level 2 protection: The Uninterruptible Power Supply

The next level of protection involves purchasing an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). UPS prices start at under $100 for very simple devices that provide protection for a laptop computer, to tens of thousands for large server rooms. For a small network server room, expect to pay between several hundred to a few thousand dollars for a UPS. A UPS provides battery backup that aids in saving data by keeping computer systems running with no interruption in the event of a blackout or over voltage. UPS’s also offer protection from surges, spikes, and sags.

APC Back-UPS ES 8 Out
550VA 12V - $95.00

When the power goes out, a UPS provides anywhere from a few minutes to several hours of power to keep your computers running. An important additional benefit of a UPS is that many also are equipped with a special software that senses a blackout, and safely shuts down any computers connected to them, writing unsaved data to disk, and issuing shutdown commands to the operating system.

Note:  If you are connecting multiple computers to a UPS, verify that it has the capability to safely shut down more than one computer.

Level 3 protection: Emergency Power Generation Equipment

A step up from Uninterruptible Power Supplies is Emergency Power Generation Equipment (EPGE). Such equipment is usually powered by Gasoline or Diesel fuel, and can provide power for extended periods. In a small installation, a portable generator is placed outside your business, and extension cords are run from the generator to critical equipment and portable lights. For more complex environments, or permanent installations, the generator is permanently mounted, and connected to the main power supply of the building.

The cost for EPGE begins at a few thousand dollars, and can rise exponentially, depending upon your needs.

Note: EPGE needs regular maintenance and testing. Just like you’re your car, your EPGE will need to be run periodically, tuned up, tested, etc.

Click here for information on selecting the right level of power protection.

- Janet F, IT Consultant

Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: www.northerncomputer.ca

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7 Reasons why it’s Time to give up on Windows XP Once And For All

Although businesses have been getting rid of Windows XP for at least the last 3 years, the fact remains that as of March 2013, nearly 39% of the world's PCs were still running Windows XP. That's about 600 million PCs.

Beginning April 8, 2014, security updates, non-security hotfixes, online technical content updates, and other free or paid assisted support options for Windows XP will stop, making it even more important to upgrade to a new PC with a current operating system.

Here are 7 of the top reasons it’s time to finally give up Windows XP now.

1. Security & Viruses. Microsoft won't be releasing any more security updates to the average user. Any security flaws that hackers find won't be fixed. Your computer will be a sitting duck, even with security software installed. There is a huge library of viruses aimed at Windows XP and limited antivirus support still available.
2. XP Is OLD (almost 13 years old!). And like a teenager, it is having trouble adjusting to the world, it wasn’t built for the modern digital age. The 1st iPod was released the same year as Windows XP. In a world where the 5th iPhone has been released, no one should be left using an O/S that pre-dates the 1st iPod! 
3. Least Secure Operating System (By Far!). ALL other platforms, including Linux, all versions of Mac OS X, Windows 7 and Windows 8 are more secure than XP by a huge margin. It's missing key security features introduced in Windows Vista. It can't support the latest, safest and most Web-compatible versions of Internet Explorer. Web developers will be overjoyed to see XP-only Internet Explorer versions 6, 7 and 8 go away. Those versions are so far behind other browsers, they practically have to write another website just for those browsers.
4. Built For A Simpler Time. XP was created for a simpler world of technology. It was formatted to fit to a screen only 640 pixels wide, and it showcased IE6 as a new product. The internet was a different place when XP was developed. Smartphones were non-existent, laptops were a luxury and tablet computers were science fiction.
5. No More Band-Aids. Only so many Band-Aid fixes on top of each other can be effective. Third party software vendors are also unlikely to support new versions of their applications on Windows XP. Third-party companies would love to stop supporting XP. It takes a lot of time and money to make sure programs and hardware work on every version of Windows.
6. Support Is Ending. Mainstream support of XP ended 4 years ago (April 2009) with only critical security updates since then.
7. Malware Everywhere. You can continue to use XP, but with more malware than ever. XP is by far the most vulnerable platform to connect to the internet.

XP is a relic from a different world. Use at your own risk. For more information on end of life support click here to visit Microsoft’s site.

www.windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows/help/what-does-end-of-support-mean  

Janet F, IT Consultant

Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

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