Are you at risk? A quick quiz to
determine your susceptibility to power problems...


According to a study by IBM, more than 120 disturbances hit a typical computer in a typical month. Some have imperceptible effects. Others cause data loss and expensive repairs. Take this easy quiz to see if you are above, at, or below average risk. Just tally your score as you go.

1. Experience

Experience is your best indicator of whether a particular site is more or less at risk. Are your problems chronic (brownouts or blackouts several times a week), frequent (twice a month) or infrequent (one or two per year)?

Score

  • Chronic (>12 per year): 300
  • Frequent (>3 per year): 80
  • Infrequent (< 3 per year): 50
    2. Building

    Overloaded or poor wiring is a major cause of power problems. Wiring systems in many older buildings were not designed for and cannot tolerate the electrical demands of today's office equipment. If it's more than 10 years old, it predates the arrival of laser printers and PCs, and is probably unable to support these power-hungry and sensitive loads.

    Score

  • Over 10 years: 100
  • Over 5 years: 80
  • Less than 5 years: 50
    3. Utility distribution

    Underground distribution suffers fewer power problems than pole linked sources, which are subject to the hazards of tree branches, auto accidents, and curious animals.

    Score

  • Pole: 100
  • Underground: 10
    4. Office equipment

    Studies have shown that as much as 80% of power problems can be tied to the local environment. The innocent looking copy machine or laser printer may be responsible for data loss on your computer. An elevator on the other side of the wall may cause lockups every time a courier arrives.

    Score

  • Heavy machinery / motors: 200
  • Copiers / Laser printers: 150
    5. Connected to network or modem

    The same lightning and surge events that cause damaging utility line transients can also cause power problems to reach your equipment through the "back door" on serial, telephone/modem and LAN connections.

    Score

  • Modem, serial and network connection: 200
  • Modem connection only: 80
  • Unconnected standalone: 50
    6. Size of system

    As a network or multi-user system grows, the points of susceptibility also increase. The design of a LAN can also influence its susceptibility to power problems, as a cluster-oriented LAN may be unaffected by problems that bring down a LAN on a backbone.

    Score

  • More than 10 users: 100
  • More than 5 users: 80
  • Less than 5 users: 50
    7. Distance from source

    Rural sites are notorious for bad power. As common sense dictates, the farther power travels, the greater the chance of a disturbance along the way.

    Score

  • More than 200 miles: 100
  • Less than 200 miles: 80
    8. Weather

    Lightning is perhaps the most dramatic reminder of the susceptibility of computers to damage and data loss. However, lightning and surges go hand in hand with brownouts and blackouts. The map at the left shows the annual number of days areas are expected to experience thunderstorms.

    Score

  • More than 30: 300
  • More than 20: 100
  • Less than 10: 50
    9. Utility demand

    The map above shows the electrical utility safety "cushions" in various areas of the United States. As populations grow and additional generating facilities aren't built, rolling brownouts become a definite reality.

    Score

  • More than 10% under capacity: 200
  • More than 5% under capacity: 100
  • Less than 5% under capacity: 80
    Now simply add your total score.

    More than 900: High risk

    700 - 800: Above average risk

    Less than 650: Average risk

    How bad will it get? Recent data shows a dramatic decrease in local electric utilities' ability to meet demand. In Texas, for example, the safety cushion of 12% overcapacity will be a 4% undercapacity by 1995. Source: Computersite