Blade Servers are one of the most fascinating new technologies to be deployed within data centres. A Blade Server is a PCB based server typically housed in a rack mounting 1U high chassis. They are installed en masse and their combined effect in a rack cabinet is to provide a very cost effective square foot of computing power with one downside – the power they demand and the heat they generate – upto 15kW. This article from ZDNET describes some of the issues facing London data centres along these lines.

One of the most important things you need to do when running a UPS and generator set is to have regular dry runs to check for problems and issues – will the generator start, will the UPS synchronise to the generator supply and will automatic shutdown software activate for example. Unfortunately things can go wrong and such tests always need a risk assessment. This article on ZDNet shows that the unexpected can happen – in this case a switchgear fault disrupted a generator and UPS test at Redbus leading to a building evacuation and system downtime.