Disaster-proof your small-business PC

A basic surge-protecting power strip is virtually a no-brainer for any kind of delicate electronic hardware, but if the power goes out suddenly, you can be stuck with corrupted data or, worse, damaged PCs.

A simple solution is an uninterruptible power supply, or UPS. Sitting between your computer and the power outlet, a UPS can keep your computer running for a few minutes to an hour or longer after a power outage occurs. Installation is easy--much like a power strip, you plug your UPS into a wall outlet, and your hardware into the UPS. Bear in mind that its battery will take a while to fully charge after you connect it for the first time.

Consumer UPS devices can run from less than $50 for one that will run from 2 to 10 minutes to more than $400 for models that can keep the power flowing for more than an hour, depending on what kind of equipment you have plugged into it. APC is one of the best-known names in the UPS market. According to company literature, its $99 Back-UPS ES, which looks like a bulky six-input power strip, will keep a PC with a dual-core CPU, plus a 19-inch LCD monitor, a cable modem, and a wireless router, running for about 13 minutes.

If there is a blackout or localized power failure, no matter how much battery backup time your UPS provides, the smartest thing is to save your work and carefully shut down everything connected to it. The idea of a UPS isn't to continue your business dealings while the lights are out, but to have your data there when the lights come back on.