Chapter 27. Backup Power Supplies
There really is a
difference between an uninterruptable power
supply (UPS) and a standby
power supply (SPS), but common usage
now designates a unit properly termed an SPS as a UPS. We call a unit
of either sort a backup power supply
(BPS), which neatly sidesteps the terminology
problem.
A BPS comprises a battery and some
supporting circuitry, and is designed to supply power to your PC for
a short period if the utility power fails. This temporary reprieve
allows you to save your work and shut down the PC in an orderly
fashion. BPSs differ in the quality of the power they supply, how
much power they can supply, and for how long they can supply it. BPSs
also condition the utility power to protect equipment against spikes,
surges, drops, brownouts, and electrical noise.
