How should organizations determine the appropriate runtime for their UPS battery backup?

Determining UPS runtime involves several key considerations:

  • Generator availability: Sites with generators typically need 5-15 minutes runtime (enough for generator start). Sites without generators may need 30-60 minutes.
  • Business processes: Consider time needed for orderly shutdown or remote orchestration.
  • Load characteristics: Model runtime using vendor curves at your specific load level.
  • Environmental factors: Verify assumptions against ambient temperature as heat affects battery performance.

Avoid oversizing “just in case” – it adds unnecessary cost and maintenance. Instead, right-size runtime and improve redundancy where needed. For multi-rack deployments, consider whether uniform runtime across racks is needed or if a tiered approach (longer runtime for priority racks) would be more cost-effective.