Dave Gattis, DITEK Technology Development Manager, guest blogs today, providing practical advice for protecting against power surges in the datacenter.

Dave’s Tech Tip:  Datacenter Surge Protection

Nothing is more important than your customer’s data.  That data is constantly under threat from potential equipment failures.  A switch can be easily replaced, but replacing a server can be a nightmare.  Although most companies have a solid backup plan in place, recreating lost data since the last backup can be costly.  Imagine telling your office that they must repeat an entire day’s work!

Because most networks rely on copper for data transmissions, servers are always at risk of damage.  Most people only consider outside devices as sources for electrical surge, but did you know that ANY CONNECTED DEVICE has the potential to introduce an electrical surge?  That’s where DITEK’s Datacenter Products can help.

Whether your customer is building a new datacenter or adding to existing infrastructure, DITEK products are the ultimate companion products for racks, patch panels, cabling, and battery backups.  Adding DITEK products to your invoices will increase your margins while building your customer’s respect and trust.

Today, most networks contain both POE and non-POE devices on the same network.  The RM12C5RJ is your best protection against voltage spikes, especially between remote and local installations.  If a single switch or transmission line takes a hit, the DTK-RM12C5RJ will prevent the surge from traveling to adjacent switches at each location.

When POE devices are added, we recommend the DTK-RM12POE.  The DTK-RM12POE is designed specifically to support POE devices while offering the same trusted protection against surges and malfunctioning POE devices.  Typical POE devices include IP Cameras, Access Points and VoIP Telephones.

AC power is another area that often goes unprotected.  All AC devices including battery backups should be protected.  The DTK-RMAC12 is an excellent choice for rack mount AC powered devices.  DITEK also offers AC distribution panel solutions to protect multiple AC circuits simultaneously.

Electrical surges can originate almost anywhere, typically travelling in both directions.  For complete network protection, all endpoint devices should have both AC and network protection installed.  DITEK offers products designed to protect any endpoint device on your network.  For POE devices, we recommend the DTK-MRJPOE.  DITEK also offers other variations of POE protection based on the customer’s specific application.  For non-POE devices such as personal computers and printers, we recommend the DTK-MRJ45C5E along with the DTK-6FF or the DTK-8FF.  For more information, click here.