Out in Front: July 18, 1996

The Back-UPS Office is a multipath power device that prevents hardware damage accruing from surges and eliminates data loss arising from blackouts and brownouts. The UPS offers multiple-outlet ac-surge protection, phone-line protection for SOHO (small office/home office) Internet users, network data-line protection for workstations, and battery backup for CPUs. Features include six outlets, all with surge suppression and EMI/RFI filtering.

Outlet spacing allows the use of bulky, transformer-bearing ac adapters without sacrificing available outlets. Three of the outlets provide 7 to 13 minutes of battery backup. The battery is user-replaceable. The UPS conducts an automatic self-test every two weeks to alert the user of an expired battery or other system fault. A site-wiring fault indicator detects building wiring problems. The $179 UPS comes with a two-year warranty and a $25,000, lifetime equipment-protection policy.

—by Bill Travis

American Power Conversion, West Kingston, RI. (401) 789-5735, http://www.apcc.com.