8-desk engineering office: keeping CAD/BIM data safe with a UPS
Upgrading an IT room into an organized Micro Data Center for continuous operation, data security and zero work interruptions.
The problem
Before the solution was implemented, the office was dealing with:
- frequent micro-outages and voltage sags in the area,
- sudden shutdowns of computers and workstations with drawings open,
- VPN disconnections for colleagues working remotely,
- network and phone instability after power was restored, growing concern about data security (project files, submission records, backups). At the same time, the equipment was installed in scattered locations:
the server under a desk, the NAS and firewall on shelves, the switch and PBX somewhere else, with no organized cabinet, no controlled cooling and no central monitoring.
The client's goal was not simply “to keep the computers from shutting down”, but:
- to stop the loss of productive time,
- to protect project data,
- to consolidate critical equipment in a secure, organized location,
- to have a solution with room for future growth.
Critical load inventory
The office houses the following critical loads, which must be protected from outages and grid disturbances:
- 1x Server (ERP, file server, domain controller): ≈ 350 W
- 1x NAS for project files & backup: ≈ 100 W
- 1x Router / Firewall: ≈ 40 W
- 1x 24-port switch: ≈ 30 W
- 1x Wi-Fi Access Point: ≈ 15 W
- 1x VoIP PBX or central phone system: ≈ 30 W
- 4x Computers + monitors for everyday work: 4 × 330 W = 1,320 W
- 2x High-performance workstations (CAD/BIM, etc.): 2 × 500 W ≈ 1,000 W
- 1x Multifunction printer (at low load / standby on the UPS): ≈ 50 W
The total critical load comes to roughly 2,935 W (≈ 2.9 kW).
The Tescom analysis
Based on the load inventory and the client's requirements:
- A 3 kVA Online UPS could just about cover the current critical load of ~2.9 kW, but with no real headroom for future expansion.
- Beyond electrical protection, the client was asking for:
- consolidation of critical equipment in a single secure, enclosed space,
- stable temperature conditions,
- monitoring and alerting capabilities,
- a solution that could “handle” additions. The assessment showed that a simple “UPS only” solution would not adequately meet the office's operational and future needs.
The proposed solution: Safe Guard Micro Data Center 6 kVA
We proposed a Safe Guard Micro Data Center with:
- A 6 kVA single-phase Online UPS, to comfortably cover the ~2.9 kW critical load and provide power headroom for future additions.
- Built-in battery packs, providing several minutes of runtime at full load. This allows:
- work to continue through the first, most critical minutes of an outage,
- an orderly shutdown of the server, NAS and workstations when the outage lasts longer.
- A 42U cabinet, neatly housing:
- the server and the NAS,
- network equipment (router, firewall, switches, PBX),
- auxiliary devices and monitoring systems.
- PDUs and structured cabling, for a clean layout, easy maintenance and clear separation of power lines.
- A built-in cooling system that keeps the cabinet at a stable temperature, regardless of the temperature in the office.
- A monitoring system (EMS) with sensors, data logging and alerts, so the office manager or IT partner has full visibility of the infrastructure.
The result for the engineering firm
With the Safe Guard 6 kVA in place:
- Power outages no longer immediately interrupt the team's work. Workstations and computers keep running, giving time to complete critical tasks.
- The server, NAS and other systems shut down in a controlled way, with no loss of designs or files.
- The network, VPN and phones remain available for as long as the runtime lasts, allowing communication with clients and partners.
- The equipment now operates in stable, controlled conditions, with a lower risk of faults and a longer service life.
- The office manager has a central, clear view of the infrastructure status and can catch problems before they turn into faults or outages. In practice, the engineering firm gained a small, fully organized server room inside a single cabinet, with a 6 kVA Online UPS and complete protection. For similar small-office profiles, the Safe Guard Micro Data Center approach offers a combination of reliability, security and future scalability that is hard to achieve with piecemeal solutions.