When CSAE asked me to write a monthly "TechTalk" column for The Update, they requested that my first article cover computers and power problems. Power. A simple word that is critical to our daily survival (in this computer era), yet is something we don't pay much attention to - until it's not there. Remember that day in early November when a thunderstorm "interrupted" the power in much of the Sacramento area (including my office building!)? We lost our phones, fax and computers. A very hectic day ground to a halt. All of our plans were on hold, and the rest of the week got interesting. For over an hour, we huddled in my office (the only source of light) and discussed how to rearrange the rest of our week. We needed to reschedule what we had planned to accomplish that day and make room in our schedule for those less fortunate clients that suffered damage from the storm. Talk about interrupting the week's plan!

Fortunately, we were prepared. We raided the refrigerator and reorganized. What really kept this day from being a total loss was that we had another "plan" in place - our "Power Plan." Though unable to use our computers, we were secure in the knowledge that our Power Plan was at work, protecting our systems from damage - and more importantly - protecting our data. There aren't many things more valuable to an association than its member information. Building your own Power Plan is one way to help keep your data safe when the next storm hits.

A good Power Plan includes protecting your network, protecting your stations, using a little common sense and having a "back-up" plan. First, and most importantly, you want to make sure you're protected at the network level. This involves keeping your network's "file server" from losing power. The best way to do this is by installing an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) on your server. A UPS comes in two varieties which I'll simply call "dumb" and "smart." Whichever type you use, be aware that a UPS is not designed for you to keep working when the power fails - it is a protection device that provides you additional time to shut your systems down "gracefully." Thus, protecting the data stored in the system.

A dumb UPS (Back UPS 280/ $100), in a layman's terms is just a battery. When power fails, the battery will "kick-in" and provide power to your system, allowing you 5-15 minutes to "down the server." This works just fine, until you lose power at 3:00 a.m.. Even if you live close, you probably couldn't get to the office quickly enough to bring your system down manually. A smart UPS (Smart UPS 400/ $375), with interface software (PowerChute/ $99), takes care of this problem by issuing the commands to shut your system down before the battery runs out. A system like this is well worth the money! When our power went out, our smart system worked as advertised, shutting our server down properly.

An added benefit of a smart UPS comes when just the server loses power - for example, when someone unplugs it to use that outlet for the coffee grinder. Instantly, the UPS sends a message to the users that the power at the server is out and the system will shut down in X minutes. This gives your users time to save their work - including the changes to the monthly magazine your graphic person spent all morning working on but forgot to save - and to log off the network before the smart system shuts it down. This kind of protection can be priceless when it is compared with the frustration and grief felt when data is lost.

Once the network is protected, you'll want to look at your workstations. For you and me, it's a basic instinct to seek shelter from a storm. Unfortunately, (or maybe fortunately) computers have no instincts, and must rely on you to properly protect them from the damage that can occur when lightning strikes. Most people know that you must plug your station into a surge suppressing power strip. This device will recognize and "suppress" a high voltage "spike" before it attacks your computer. Unfortunately, I've noticed on site visits, that many of you have your system plugged into something that says "surge suppressor", yet provides little or no protection from surges at all! In fact, in some cases you'd be better off plugging your system directly into the wall!

So, how can you tell that your surge suppressor is what it claims to be? The easiest way is to turn it over and look at the bottom. You're looking for a "UL1449" certification and rating seal. The certification shows it's approved for surges and the rating indicates the quality. You want to be sure it is rated on all three lines (Brooks VCN-66 Surge Stopper for $40). If the UL1449 seal is not there, or worse yet, if it says that you have a "power tap," do not use it on your computer system - period. I recommend this as minimum protection for every station, printer, or computer peripheral, whether or not it is connected to your network.

At the start of this article, I mentioned the common sense part of the Power Plan. If the lights are flickering, stop and take notice. If you can turn your station off, do so. When you just have to keep working, save your documents frequently. Every step you take will help eliminate the possibility of damage. Remember the old saying "You can't fool Mother Nature?" She probably doesn't care that you have a deadline to meet, so protect yourself when possible.

The last part of our plan has nothing to do with power systems at all, yet is a vital element of our Power Plan. I'm talking about having a good system backup. All the power protection in the world doesn't hold a candle to having your entire data set tucked nicely away at an off-site storage location. I'll save that discussion for next month.

For now, look at that power strip your computer is plugged into, and talk to your hardware vendor about what type of UPS you're using (is it smart or dumb?). Then, take corrective measures to protect your systems accordingly. Next time there's a storm, you will have the peace of mind that you've protected your data as best you can.

- Jaculin Thompson