Mission critical facilities are those which need to be fully operational at all times regardless of the impact the surrounding environment may have on them. These facilities face many unique challenges, not the least of which is maintaining a steady supply of power at all times. If mission critical facility power fails, then important services will be delayed and in some cases important electronic data will be lost. If you are the manager of a mission critical facility, here are some pieces of equipment that you may want to consider implementing to make sure that your facility always runs at full power with no interruptions.
Power supplies
A reliable power supply and backup power generator are both essential components of mission critical facility power. Standard mission critical facility power can be obtained through the regular means of the local power company, but mission critical facility management ought to be extra careful that all wiring is installed and maintained properly and all power bills are paid on time. An error that results in a temporary power outage is unpleasant and annoying under the best of circumstances but it can be disastrous if it occurs at a mission critical facility.
Even the best management will not be able to protect your mission critical facility power from natural disasters, storms, or unscheduled blackouts. For this reason, you may also wish to consider having a backup power generator that will keep all essential systems running in the event of a loss of power. Hospitals and emergency services have used these backup systems for decades to keep lights and other essential systems running in the event of a power outage. The purpose of these backup systems is not to supply full power to everything in the facility, but just to keep such things as servers, heating and cooling, or other necessary systems online until the regular power comes back.
Power system maintenance
Regular, thorough maintenance by a skilled service professional can also be an important step towards making sure that your mission critical facility power always runs smoothly. Get an electrician to check cords, connections, generators and power sources, and any switches or other hardware that may be involved in the system. This should be done at least once a year, and also after any event that might have put unusual wear and tear on the system, for instance a water leak or power surge. Remember, all the electronic parts in the facility are likely connected, so stress on one piece can cause stress on all the others too.
Additionally, take into account any suggestions the maintenance professional makes. He or she may recommend a new type of wiring, surge protector, or other equipment. While this may seem like a hefty expenditure, carefully weigh the costs before making a final decision.
Conclusion
Regular power is something you may take for granted until the moment disaster strikes and the power is gone. Since mission critical facilities have to stay online at all times, making sure that they are supplied with a reliable source of power is essential. Remember, good planning early on in the facility design process and a little regular maintenance can help avert disaster later on.
