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The power requirements of your equipment will determine the amount of backup power you will need. It is generally recommended that a UPS have a capacity that is at least 25% greater than the total power capacity requirements of the connected equipment. For example, a desktop computer that runs between 180 VA to 280 VA should be equipped with a 300 VA UPS.

You can check how much power your equipment uses by reading the plate on the back of the equipment. Keep your calculator handy, since these plates won't necessarily list the power requirements in the VAs that UPSes use. If the power figure is given in amps, just multiply by the line voltage (in the U.S., that's usually 110V). Then add up the various pieces of equipment together.

Firms will also need to decide whether they want to centralize or distribute their UPS. Offices that have multiple computers housed in one room will generally find that connecting all the equipment to a central UPS will be more cost effective than purchasing individual UPS units. However, this may not be a reasonable option when the equipment is spread over multiple rooms.