A retail enterprise network should run as efficiently and reliably in stores as it does at the corporate headquarters. That’s true, whether the retail chain has tens of store locations or hundreds spread across the country or perhaps the world.
The first phase is achieving optimal performance in consistency. Each unique store’s IT infrastructure (including point-of-sale, VoIP, wireless access, and cloud applications) should perfectly mirror the others and integrate seamlessly into the corporate enterprise platform. Of course, you already know that. But the second phase is less well known and, arguably, just as crucial to delivering maximum performance. What is this overlooked aspect? Power.
Many retail chains master uniformity and redundancy but miss the need for reliable power.
Creating Server Room Power Redundancy and Edge Computing Power Backup
Okay, what are large retail chains missing when it comes to power? Uptime. A local utility outage immediately disables network switches, firewalls, wireless access points, payment systems, and edge computing devices. In essence, the store’s operations come to a halt. No transactions can be processed, there is no access to cloud services, and there is no ability to communicate with the corporate enterprise platform. They are essentially dead in the water.
The solution they need, and the phase that many retailers overlook installing, is a properly sized rack mount UPS system with remotely managed intelligent PDU deployments. Working in concert, these create reliable power protection across every edge network location.
What is a Rack Mount UPS and an Intelligent PDU?
Rack mount UPS system
UPS stands for uninterruptible power supply. It is a battery backup system that fits within a standard 19-inch rack or network cabinet. It is sized to keep critical equipment/systems operating when the power fails. It instantly switches your power source to the battery, keeping connected devices running without interruption. Commonly, a UPS is sized to maintain operations for 30–60 minutes during a blackout.
Intelligent PDU
A PDU is a Power Distribution Unit. It distributes power from a UPS or wall outlet to multiple devices. It’s essentially an enterprise-grade power strip for your IT closet. It lives between the devices and the power sources (both wall outlet and UPS). It works by continuously monitoring/detecting power sources and switching instantly when an incident occurs, or power is restored. A PDU also includes a variety of remote management capabilities, reducing the need for on-site IT calls and truck rolls.
Right Sizing Your Rack Mount UPS and Intelligent PDU
A power supply backup system is only effective if it is properly sized to the devices it powers.
When determining power needs, use actual equipment loads rather than estimated rack capacity. Do this by documenting the power requirements for all protected equipment.
Common IT device power consumption
- Firewall: 20–60W
- Network Switch: 50–400W
- Wireless Controller: 50–150W
- Edge Server: 200–600W
- Network Video Recorder: 100–300W
Calculate the total power consumption, then add 20–30% growth capacity. As a rule of thumb, you should never be at the maximum capacity of your power system’s potential.
If we take the maximum power consumption numbers from our list, they total 12,310W. Then we add 360W to create a near 30% buffer, for a total of 12,670W. Those should be your power solutions’ minimum specifications to handle a power outage.
The IT Infrastructure Needed to Power Remote IT Closets
As retail networks and multi-site organizations grow in scale and distance, they increasingly rely on distributed IT infrastructure for local processing and connectivity. The more computing is performed on-site (at the edge), the less strain it places on network connections and cloud-based enterprise platforms.
What’s inside a retail location’s IT closet
- Edge computing servers
- Digital signage systems
- Firewalls and SD-WAN appliances
- Network switches
- POS terminals
- Security camera recorders
- Self-service kiosks
- Wireless access point controllers
Each of those systems is at risk during a power outage unless the location has a properly scaled and installed UPS/PDU solution. Even a brief disruption can be damaging.
The dangers of a power failure
- Corrupted POS databases
- Device reboots
- Interrupted or missed customer transactions
- No cloud applications
- VOIP outages
- Security outage
Each of those issues can compound, turning a five-minute power outage into an issue that takes hours to address when power returns.
The Importance of Remote Power Management IT
While a UPS solution works on-site, the UPS and PDU activity should be capable of remote monitoring from a centralized location. This allows others across the network to be notified when an issue occurs at a location and to follow up with IT support if needed. However, remote monitoring isn’t only for when an incident occurs; it can help avoid issues by keeping tabs on the system’s status.
What’s Visible with Remote Monitoring
- Battery health
- Environmental conditions
- Load percentages
- Power quality events
- Runtime remaining
- Utility power status
All of that, and more, can be monitored using SNMP, APIs, and cloud-based capabilities that integrate directly with enterprise management platforms. This level of visibility into systems across a large retail network of locations helps improve uptime and overall IT performance.
Remote monitoring is good; adding an intelligent PDU to the solution is best. More than visibility, an intelligent PDU enables a centralized IT team to take direct actions.
How Remote IT Uses an Intelligent PDU
- Automated alerts
- Energy use reporting
- Load balancing
- Outlet level monitoring
- Power cycling
- Power sequencing
Incorporating an intelligent PDU into the solution reduces truck rolls and shortens outage response times across all locations. It often means that remote power management IT teams can restore services in minutes rather than hours.
Ready to Future-Proof Your Multi-Location Network Power?
Creating power redundancy in edge networks with a rack-mounted UPS and an intelligent PDU is crucial for future-proofing operations. Planning and deploying the best approach to achieve it requires working with an expert. Matrix-NDI solves the challenges of your business operations by unlocking the full ROI of your technology investments. We design and install networks built for maximum speed and perfectly matched to bandwidth demands.
Why Work With Matrix-NDI?
We have on-staff Registered Communications Distribution Designers (RCDD), coast-to-coast service, and elite data networking partners, including Extreme Networks, Nile, and others. Ultimately, Matrix-NDI aligns your business with the devices, internet service, and software to achieve all technical objectives. We invite you to reach out with your needs and see how our expertise, partnerships, and national scale can be leveraged to solve them.
Contact Matrix-NDI to get started. Let’s build smarter, safer, more connected spaces — together.
