Smart UPS Smart UPS Online UPSMay 27, 2023

Increasing visibility at edge computing sites with a hands-off approach

Organizations across all verticals are investing in distributed and edge computing environments to support automation efforts and deliver a superior customer experience. Automation helps businesses streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance customer service.

But managing edge infrastructure presents a significant challenge as edge networks grow into hundreds and thousands of sites. Hardly any company, large or small, has the resources and budgets to monitor and manage the servers, storage, security solutions, and UPSs that support mission-critical applications at the edge.

And the challenge is growing by the day. Consider that 75% of enterprise-generated data in 2025 is expected to be created and processed outside traditional centralized data centers or clouds, according to Gartner. That’s up from 10% in 2018. And as of 2022, IDC estimates that at least 40% of cloud rollouts had an edge component.

What this growth of edge computing means

As businesses increasingly rely on edge infrastructure, they must address the following:

Most edge computing sites are unstaffed but must be monitored and managed to avoid downtime.
Expanding edge infrastructure increases resource consumption, so companies need ways to reduce their carbon footprint and meet sustainability goals.

One way to address these challenges involves the management of the UPS fleet. Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs) are an essential component of any edge computing site, providing protection against power fluctuations that can potentially damage equipment. During power outages, UPSs keep the infrastructure running for a period of time, allowing for a graceful shutdown if needed.

Predicting in unpredictable times

In this context, simplification is key to facilitate the already challenging mission of managing a dispersed IT architecture, and the solution might be a next-generation service plan which might include:

A hands-off approach to UPS management at the edge
Transferring monitoring responsibilities to an experienced services provider who keeps an eye on the infrastructure around the clock, including troubleshooting, either remote or on-site
Recommendations to improve maintenance and insights into their operations
Faster response times or SLA to help ensure quick remediation of potentially mission-critical issues
Spare parts coverage for any component of the UPS that would ever need replacement, including the battery
Access to specialized and flexible training from a trusted provider to empower their team and develop their skills
Full visibility of their physical UPS systems inventory

At Schneider Electric, we recently launched this kind of next-generation service plan,which introduces predictive maintenance. By leveraging data analytics, remote experts track battery usage and health to extend its lifecycle. Issues such as premature wear can be traced to conditions such as high temperatures, which, when corrected, help extend the life of a battery. When these issues emerge, Schneider’s experts work with customers to rectify them.

24/7 visibility and contribution to sustainability as a must

Now more than ever, businesses expect to have full visibility of their critical assets under management with a smooth and easy-to-use digital experience. With a portal accessible 24/7 and personalized experience such as the one provided in mySchneider, businesses now have that full visibility of assets and warranty status, online chat, digital entitlements, visits scheduling, and reports.

On the sustainability front, remote monitoring minimizes truck rolls, reducing carbon emissions. It also reduces waste by helping to extend battery life and promotes circularity by giving customers an environmentally sound way to dispose of worn lead-acid batteries. Customers receive pre-paid labels to ship the batteries to facilities that handle proper recycling.

In the end, businesses with single-phase UPSs need a trusted team of experts to keep their operations running at their best, helping them minimize downtime while maximizing operational efficiency and working toward their sustainability goals. They gain peace of mind and free up time, so that they can focus on their core business.