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Different Types of UPS Systems

Executive Summary

There is much confusion in the marketplace about the different types of UPS systems and their characteristics. Each of these UPS types is defined, practical applications of each are discussed, and advantages and disadvantages are listed. With this information, an educated decision can be made as to the appropriate UPS topology for a given need.

Introduction

The varied types of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and their attributes often cause confusion in the data center industry. For example, it is widely believed that there are only two types of UPS systems, namely standby UPS and on-line UPS. These two commonly used terms do not correctly describe many of the UPS systems available. Many misunderstandings about UPS systems are cleared up when the different types of UPS topologies are properly identified. UPS topology indicates the basic nature of the UPS design. Various vendors routinely produce models with similar designs, or topologies, but with very different performance characteristics.

UPS types

A variety of design approaches are used to implement UPS systems, each with distinct performance characteristics. The most common design approaches are as follows: