Schneider Electric Announces New Short-depth Smart-UPS With Lithium-ion, Bringing Critical Power to Europe's IoT and Edge Computing Markets

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Schneider Electric, the leader of digital transformation in energy management and automation, has today announced the availability of 230V models of its short-depth APC Smart-UPS™ line interactive UPS Lithium-ion battery technology models for European markets. The new versions make Lithium-ion battery back-up technology an economic solution for edge computing applications and other installations inside and outside purpose-designed IT environments.

The new APC Smart-UPS models meet a range of European challenges from space limitations and mixed-use areas for IT systems, to lifecycle requirements for ease of installation, access and maintenance, together with demands for more physically compact and lightweight infrastructure equipment with lower maintenance requirements.

Designed to deliver ultra-resilient power protection for IT equipment and network devices, the new APC Smart-UPS line interactive models are able to deliver increased battery life for lower Total Cost Ownership (TCO): Li-ion technology offers savings of up to 50% when compared with Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) utilizing traditional Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries. The new Smart-UPS are offered with a full 5-year warranty covering electronics and batteries.

"Placing critical applications at the network edge presents IT operators with significant new challenges including management of greater numbers of equipment in locations that aren't optimized for IT and lack on-site support," said Rob McKernan, Senior Vice President, Secure Power Division, Europe. "At the same time, power availability continues to play a crucial role and downtime has an immediate impact on business. New APC Smart-UPS with Lithium-ion meets these challenges, providing resilient power protection with cloud-enabled remote management for edge computing environments."

With increased digitization and growing demands for data and connectivity, driven by the Internet of Things (IoT) many businesses are adopting digital transformation strategies to drive efficiency, productivity and increase profitability. As a result, IT systems are being deployed closer to where data is generated, processed and consumed - a disruptive trend known as edge computing.

APC Smart-UPS Line Interactive UPS range options

APC Smart-UPS line Interactive range includes 500, 750, 1000 & 1500VA models with high power factor output. Options include 1U Rack / Tower / Wall Mount (500VA) and 2U & 3U Rack mount (750, 1000, 1500VA which are short-depth, lightweight and cloud-enabled for easy remote monitoring. The new UPSs combine green mode for up to 97% efficiency, with network grade power, automatic voltage regulation AVR) and surge protection.

With their short-depth, compact physical size, the new APC Smart-UPS are ideal for applications where space is at a premium, and can be more easily integrated into IT systems such as Hyper-Converged infrastructure (HCI), rack enclosures or wall mounted systems, such as Schneider Electric's industry-first EcoStruxure™ Micro Data Center C-Series 6U Wall Mount. Used in conjunction with the APC Local Edge Configurator tool, solutions can be customised with optimised power, cooling, enclosure and management options for installation in locations ranging from retail outlets and branch offices to industrial, education and healthcare environments.

APC Smart-UPS options for local and remote management requirements

EcoStruxure Ready APC Smart-UPS models provide a range of management options to suit every need. Each model is cloud-enabled out of the box for optional remote monitoring and includes PowerChute™ Business Edition for graceful unattended shutdown. The optional UPS Network Management Card integrates APC Smart-UPS with Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure IT™ award-winning next generation Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software for simplified remote management. Customers can also benefit from increased reliability and reduced risk of downtime by allowing APC channel partners and Managed Service Providers (MSP's) to monitor their IT systems or leveraging the EcoStruxure Asset Advisor remote monitoring service from Schneider Electric.

Add the benefits of Lithium Ion technology for more reliable IT services

Lithium-ion batteries are designed to accommodate greater temperature fluctuation, supporting high performance at ambient temperatures of up to 40°C/104°F and overcoming the requirement for additional cooling equipment in some installations. Lithium-ion batteries are lighter weight and more compact than their VRLA equivalents, for easier handling and installation, and are more efficient in charge/ discharge cycles. The batteries provide lower TCO through longer operating life and reduced service and replacement costs.

The new 230V Short-depth APC Smart-UPS Line Interactive models will be available during Q1 2020. For more information, please click here to visit the Schneider Electric website.