The lightning and power interruption season is definitely underway. And not just here in Florida, but everywhere. One of our techs just told me they helped with another reinstallation of CPS due to a computer that was plugged directly into the wall and failed when there was a nearby lightning strike. So it's time for a word about battery backups and spike/surge protectors.
If you are in the middle of your shipping day and there is a nearby lightning strike that causes a power spike or temporary power loss, it's easily possible to lose that day's shipping data. That is NOT a good thing. Or, maybe from some other cause, there is a power spike followed by a power loss and the damage is worse - the computer is dead. We've talked about the automatic tool in CPS to back up the data from your shipping computer. Here are some ways to solve this power problem as much as possible before it happens.
Our programmers try to make CPS as protected as possible against data loss if the power drops. A shipping record is only open when you are working with that particular record. Even with programming precautions, it's still possible that data corruption due to a power failure or voltage surge can interrupt your shipping day. Even a modest investment in a battery backup can more than pay for itself the very first time it takes over during a power loss.
What to look for? Here are some general guidelines. Companies like APC, TrippLite, Belkin and others provide battery backup devices with surge/spike suppression in a variety of sizes. Generally, the higher the rating, the longer the battery backup will supply power to the computer system. Also, in the higher rated devices the surge/spike protection may be better, including being able to handle voltage sags. A voltage sag occurs when the voltage drops to a point that doesn't engage the battery backup but might be low enough to damage the computer. This might not cause damage that day, but over time this, too, can kill a computer.
Make sure you get a device with the right capability for your computer's system, but even in the under $100 price range, you will find a battery backup that can provide protection from a power loss and the resulting mess it can make of your day. The power line is not the only source of potential trouble. For additional protection, look for a connection to protect your network connection, too. Of course, a direct lightning strike can be devastating, but the idea is to do as much as you can for problems you can prevent.
Backing up your computer goes hand-in-hand with using a battery backup, so consider both and solve this problem before it happens.
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