When the power goes out, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is often the only thing standing between your business and costly downtime. But here’s the reality: many organizations don’t actually know where all of their UPS units are, how many they have, or what condition they’re in.
That might sound surprising, but if your company has 50, 100, or even 200+ UPS devices spread across data centers, branch offices, and remote closets, keeping track becomes nearly impossible (especially if you’re still relying on an old fashioned Excel file).
So let’s ask the critical question:
👉 Do you really know where all your UPS units are, and can you prove they’re ready when you need them most? When was the last battery change for each? When was each one installed? When it is due for replacement? How much runtime does each have?
If you hesitated on any of our questions, you’re not alone. Don’t worry, we;ve got you.
The solution is to implement a single pane of glass monitoring approach powered by DCIM (Data Center Infrastructure Management) software. This type of solution lets you see every unit, track its health, and receive alerts if any device has an alarm or issue. And let’s not forget about exporting reports—hello, easy quarterly reviews—and the added simplicity of planning for battery and unit replacements.
The Hidden Problem of “Lost” UPS Units
UPS devices often enter organizations in a piecemeal fashion. A server closet needs one here. A branch office gets one there. Over the years, hundreds can accumulate. And without centralized oversight, these problems arise:
- Unmonitored devices – Units sit forgotten until they fail.
- Aging batteries – Critical components quietly degrade past their lifecycle.
- Missed maintenance – Service intervals slip because records aren’t centralized.
- Shadow assets – Some UPS units aren’t even on the books anymore.
If any of the above things happen it can result in increased downtime, inflated/wasted operating costs, and an IT team constantly putting out fires instead of focusing on strategic initiatives. We love DCIM softwares because they change the maintenance approach from reactive to proactive.
Why Spreadsheets and Manual Logs Don’t Work
Many companies still rely on Excel spreadsheets or static asset inventories to track UPS fleets. While this might work for a handful of devices, it fails at scale, here’s why:
- Outdated instantly – As soon as a battery is replaced or a new UPS is installed, the spreadsheet is wrong.
- No real-time health data – A static log can’t tell you if a UPS is currently in an alarm state. And requires IT professionals to manually enter the IP address for each UPS to check the health of that UPS. This might be ok for one or two but imagine inputting 100+ IP’s and reviewing each and every one manually. This could be days to weeks of work.
- Fragmented ownership – Different teams may maintain separate records, creating blind spots.
- Zero predictive insight – You can’t anticipate failures, only react after they happen.
Stop managing your UPS’ like it’s 2002, it’s time to be better. Integrating a DCIM solution will save time, money, and so many headaches.
The Single Pane of Glass Approach
A single pane of glass monitoring solution solves all of these challenges by inputting all your UPS data into one intuitive platform, that consistently monitors, alerts, and manages your units.
With modern DCIM software like Vertiv™ Environet Alert, Eaton Brightlayer, or Critical Labs, you gain:
- Real-time visibility across your entire UPS fleet
- Centralized asset tracking to eliminate shadow devices
- Automated alerts for battery failures, load imbalances, or alarms
- Predictive maintenance insights to extend equipment life
- Remote monitoring for distributed sites and edge environments
- Customized reporting for a clear, high-level view
- Detailed equipment data including install date, battery age, type, and more
Stop juggling spreadsheets and local logs, it’s time to get a single dashboard where your entire UPS ecosystem lives. Your IT and facility team will thank you (and be more productive).
Real-World Example: The Fortune 500 UPS Problem
We’ve seen organizations with hundreds of UPS units across dozens of sites—and no one could answer simple questions like:
- Which units are nearing end of life?
- Which locations are at highest risk of outage?
- What percentage of units haven’t been serviced in 3+ years?
By deploying a centralized monitoring solution, they were able to reduce downtime risk by 60%, cut replacement costs by 25%, and give executives confidence in their power resilience strategy. All thanks to the increased data that came from the DCIM which allowed for better planning/budgeting.
The Leading Platforms for UPS Monitoring
We work with leading platforms that deliver true single-pane visibility:
Vertiv™ Environet Alert – A scalable DCIM solution with real-time alarms, analytics, and customizable dashboards. This system lives fully within the walls of your building and security network, running on a server inside your environment only. With no cloud dependency, it’s a great option for organizations concerned with security. Alert also offers a variety of options and adders, making it a solid platform for those looking for a simple-to-use yet highly detailed data system.
Eaton Brightlayer – A cloud-based monitoring platform with integration into Eaton devices and predictive insights. With multiple layers and options, you can get as much—or as little—as you want from this system. It can connect to any smart device (not just Eaton or Tripp Lite), and its wide range of features goes far beyond simply monitoring and managing your UPS fleet.
Critical Labs – A flexible, cloud-based platform for multi-vendor UPS fleets, ideal for organizations with mixed equipment. It is highly secure, with only one-way communication out to the cloud. Critical Labs also offers strong reporting functions and can display data from virtually any smart device.
Each platform can be tailored to your environment, whether you’re running a primary data center, a distributed branch network, or edge sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is UPS monitoring important?
Because even a single UPS failure can take down critical systems. Monitoring ensures devices are healthy, batteries are replaced on time, and risks are mitigated.
2. What is a single pane of glass?
It’s a centralized dashboard that consolidates data from multiple systems into one view—eliminating silos and blind spots.
3. Can DCIM software monitor different UPS brands and other equipment?
Yes. All of these platforms support multi-vendor environments, so you don’t have to rip and replace. Any device that is “smart” and has a communication protocol can be added to the DCIM platform and be monitored.
4. How does centralized UPS monitoring save money?
By preventing downtime, extending asset life through proactive maintenance, and optimizing replacement schedules. Imagine being able to plan out and know that within 6 months you need to replace a UPS. That gives you time to speak with your team, talk about goals for the new unit, discuss things you didn’t like about the existing unit, look at multiple manufacturers, and get a variety of pricing. If you aren’t able to plan, and have a massive failure – where you need to call PTI and say I need a UPS on site within 3 days, that gives less time to plan and less options. You’re at the mercy of UPS stock status, lead time, and more. So, by planning, you have way more control of your UPS replacement (and can save way more money).
5. Who should use DCIM software?
Any organization managing more than a handful of UPS units, especially those with distributed sites or mission-critical workloads.
Take Back Control of Your UPS Fleet
If you can’t confidently answer how many UPS units you have—or whether they’re ready for the next power event—you’re running blind (and that is a risky way to manage your critical equipment). With a single pane of glass DCIM solution, you gain the clarity and control to protect your uptime, reduce costs, and plan smarter.
At Predictive Technology, we help clients deploy UPS monitoring solutions that transform scattered devices into a unified, manageable fleet. Whether you have 10 UPS units or 200+, we’ll help you implement a monitoring strategy that scales with your business.
Ready to see your entire UPS fleet in one dashboard? Contact PTI Solutions today to explore Vertiv Environet Alert, Eaton Brightlayer, or Critical Labs.
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