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A new generation of modular uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) is giving IT solution providers opportunities to expand their business with new and existing customers while creating additional revenue streams. The new Modular UPSs are lighter, smaller, and denser, delivering more power and taking up about half the space of older units.
They are designed to address some of the big challenges that customers face as their IT environments grow. For example, increasingly, customers need more power protection capacity to support the data-intensive applications they deploy for digital transformation. More frequently, these applications reside in edge computing sites where space is at a premium, making these more compact and power dense UPSs well suited for these environments.
The new generation of modular UPSs can deliver up to 20kW in about half the space of older 16kVA units. In addition, because of the way they are designed, modular units provide more scalability and redundancy. Rather than having to buy a new unit every time they need to add capacity, organizations can use expansion slots to add more power and backup batteries.
These units are smaller and denser due to two factors: the use of smaller, lighter lithium-ion batteries and next-generation semiconductors that enable substantial power density and efficiency increases — important as well to enhance sustainability. Modular units also feature remote connectivity, giving solution providers the option of delivering remote monitoring and management services.
New business opportunities
Modular units are expandable to 20kW, but customers don’t have to start with 20kW capacity upfront. Instead, they can add power in increments as they scale their IT and edge environments. This allows IT solution providers to solve a problem for customers who are always running out of rack space as their environments grow. In addition, it enables customers to use more of their rack space for mission-critical applications.
Modular UPSs create revenue streams in several ways. Solution providers can use them to replace older, less efficient, and space hungry devices or to add capacity as needed. There’s also an opportunity to package modular UPSs into more comprehensive solutions with monitoring software, services, and additional IT infrastructure.
So, IT solution providers can create recurring revenue streams by wrapping remote monitoring and management services around the UPS sale. This is especially attractive for customers with edge deployments because edge computing sites are typically unstaffed, so customers without sufficient IT support need solution providers to run and maintain them.
Simple deployment and maintenance
Another advantage of modular UPSs is simplicity. The units are easy to configure, maintain, and manage. Because they weigh much less than traditional units, they require only two people for installation. This means solution providers can dedicate less staff to deployment.
Furthermore, maintenance is minimal because lithium-ion batteries last much longer than the lead-acid batteries used in traditional units. So it’s possible to never have to change a battery throughout the unit’s lifecycle.
Another factor that simplifies maintenance is remote connectivity. Solution providers can remotely reboot units and devices attached to them, which solves most troubleshooting situations.
How to make the business case
Customers who are focused on digital transformation, particularly at distributed IT sites, need help ensuring uptime. How should solution providers position this solution? They can make the business case that the units offer a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) particularly when considering the technology’s expandability, ease of maintenance, and remote monitoring capabilities. A modular UPS equipped with these features helps prevent unplanned downtime and support mission critical operations.
Unlock new opportunities with Modular UPSs
Looking for more information on modular UPSs that can deliver these benefits? Check out the APC Smart-UPS Modular Ultra Series, which can open a new window of opportunity for your business. We saw a need to provide new solutions that our partners can leverage to grow their business in this market. APC Smart-UPS Modular Ultra Series delivers plenty of benefits to partners and customers. They enable solution providers to deliver reliable power protection backed by a trusted vendor partner with decades of experience supporting IT channel partners.
