Short answer: a small business UPS has two jobs: stop data loss when the power drops, and give servers and PCs enough runtime for a graceful shutdown. For workstations, POS and phone systems choose a Defender (PSD2000) or Ninja Slimline (PSLN600). For an office server or comms rack choose a pure sine wave Commander (PSCM2000, PSCRT2000). For business-critical systems choose the online Centurion RT 2000VA Short Base (PSCERT2000SB) with a PSRTBB8 battery bank.
ARC IP Networks is a trusted PowerShield supplier in Australia: genuine stock at competitive prices, with the full PowerShield Australian warranty, Australia-wide delivery and trade pricing.
Small business UPS at a glance
| Need | Recommended PowerShield series | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Reception PCs, workstations and IP phones | Defender (PSD1200, PSD2000) | AVR and battery backup, silent operation, Australian sockets |
| POS terminals and menu boards | Ninja Slimline (PSLN600) | PowerShield lists POS and menu boards as Ninja uses; 42 mm slim, LiFePO4 |
| Office server, NAS or small comms rack | Commander Tower and RT (PSCM2000, PSCRT2000) | Pure sine wave output, 0.9 power factor, SNMP option |
| Business-critical servers, poor or regional power | Centurion RT (PSCERT2000SB, PSLCERT2000) | True online double conversion handles all 9 power problems |
| Longer backup | Battery bank (PSRTBB8) | Adds runtime to the Commander RT 2000VA and Centurion RT 2000VA Short Base |
| Printers, chargers and non-critical gear | ZapGuard (PSZ5U2) | Surge protection without paying for battery capacity |
ARC IP Networks recommendations, based on PowerShield specifications and the PowerShield business solution page.
What a power problem costs a small business
No matter the business, PowerShield notes, chances are you depend on reliable power to keep operations running smoothly. Its business solution focuses on two outcomes: preventing data loss during a power disturbance, and allowing enough runtime for a graceful shutdown of equipment when needed.
PowerShield's training material adds the reasons that matter to a business owner. Even short outages can damage equipment and force costly recalibration. Smaller, modern components are less tolerant of power anomalies. A generator takes time to start, so without a UPS your equipment still hard-shuts down. And with so much now in the cloud, when your local equipment is down, your business processes stop. A UPS, in PowerShield's words, lets you protect hardware, back up power during outages and stay connected.
PowerShield groups mains problems into 9 power problems: power failure, power sag, power surge, under voltage, over voltage, spikes, frequency drift, switching transients and harmonic distortion. Its Shield System then matches each UPS design to how many of the nine it deals with:
| PowerShield Shield System level | Power problems solved | PowerShield series |
|---|---|---|
| Standby (Basic Protection) | 3 of 9: power failure, sag, surge | Ninja Slimline (PSLN600) |
| Line-interactive with AVR (Enhanced Protection) | 5 of 9: adds under voltage and over voltage | SafeGuard, Defender, Commander |
| True online double conversion (Premium Protection) | 9 of 9: adds spikes, frequency drift, switching transients and harmonic distortion | Centurion (tower, rack/tower and LiFePO4); three-phase Centurion Pro and Platinum on project quote |
Source: PowerShield Training Deck 2023 (the 9 power problems and the Shield System).
Most offices on metro power do well with line-interactive Enhanced Protection, which PowerShield recommends for comms closets, non-centralised server rooms and IT enclosures. Choose online Premium Protection for mission-critical servers, sites with poor power or regional locations, and anywhere a generator is the backup source.
Which business equipment needs a UPS
PowerShield's business page lists phone systems, security, workstations, communications, servers and networks. Here is how we match each to the range.
Workstations and phone systems
Desktops, monitors and IP phone systems need a few minutes to save and shut down. A Defender 1200VA or Defender 2000VA gives each desk AVR, battery backup, an LCD and USB communication with NetGuard software. NetGuard comes standard with every PowerShield UPS and handles local monitoring, graceful shutdown during an extended outage and power event logging.
Point of sale and shopfronts
PowerShield lists POS and menu boards among the uses of the Ninja Slimline 600VA. At 42 mm high with LiFePO4 batteries, it fits under a counter or behind a display where a tower UPS will not.
Office servers, NAS and networks
The Commander range is line-interactive with a pure sine wave output and a 0.9 output power factor. The Commander Tower 2000VA (1800 W) suits a server under a desk, and its LCD shows the battery time remaining. The Commander RT 2000VA (1800 W, 2U) goes in a rack or stands as a tower, takes an SNMP or AS400 card, and accepts a PSRTBB8 battery bank. If you run a NAS, see our UPS for NAS guide; for rack layouts, our comms rack UPS guide.
Business-critical systems
The Centurion RT 2000VA Short Base is true online double conversion in 2U, 480 mm deep, which PowerShield says fits most equipment racks. It delivers 1800 W, offers an Advanced ECO mode of up to 98% efficiency and has programmable outlets, so you can shed less important loads and leave more backup time for the critical equipment.
Recommended PowerShield solutions for business
Three typical Australian business set-ups. Live Australian pricing (inc. GST) and availability are shown on each product page.
Small: shopfront, clinic front desk or small office
A few PCs, a POS terminal, the NBN router and an IP phone system.
1200 W tower with LCD and AVR; PowerShield calls it ideal for workstations.
Surge protection for printers and chargers; 1,400 J / 40,000 A.
Medium: office with a server or comms rack
A file server or NAS, switches, firewall and phone system that must shut down cleanly.
Critical: servers the business cannot lose
Online protection, remote management and longer runtime.
1800 W online double conversion, 2U, 480 mm deep.
1800 W online with lithium iron phosphate batteries.
Sizing a business UPS for runtime and shutdown
For a business, size for the shutdown, not just the load: the UPS has to carry the server, switch and firewall for long enough to close applications and power down. That is why PowerShield's example uses battery banks. If a 2000VA unit with one or two banks still is not enough, ask us about the larger Centurion models and three-phase options.
PowerShield asks five questions before it recommends a UPS: where the site is (metro or regional, and how stable the power is), the electrical load (from the equipment specifications), rackmount or tower, how much backup time you need, and how critical the equipment is. Backup time depends on the UPS capacity, the number of batteries and the load. In PowerShield's own example, a Centurion RT 2000VA carrying a 1500VA load runs for 18 minutes on its internal batteries, 67 minutes with one external battery bank and 101 minutes with two.
Work through the numbers in our UPS sizing guide (VA, watts and runtime) and, if you need longer backup, the battery bank and runtime guide.
PowerShield in Australian business networks
At The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, Centurion Tower UPSs protect the main server room and Centurion RT 3000VA UPSs protect network hubs in racks around the park; read the The Bend case study. For a communications network, the Marine Rescue WA radio over IP case study shows PowerShield UPSs keeping a 24/7 service online. PowerShield's training deck also cites the Myki ticketing network in Victoria, where a Centurion RT LiFePO4 sits in each comms cabinet.
Why buy PowerShield from ARC IP Networks
ARC IP Networks is a trusted PowerShield supplier in Australia: genuine stock at competitive prices, with the full PowerShield Australian warranty, Australia-wide delivery and trade pricing.
- Genuine PowerShield stock, supplied new for the Australian market.
- PowerShield Australian warranty: Defender UPSs carry 24 months with advance replacement; Commander and Centurion UPSs 24 months, or 36 months when registered with PowerShield; Centurion RT LiFePO4 models (including their battery modules) 60 months; ZapGuard surge boards 60 months.
- Trade accounts for installers, integrators, electricians and MSPs: apply for a trade account.
- Project quotes for multi-site rollouts, volume orders and lines we supply to order, including three-phase Centurion Pro and Platinum Modular UPSs.
- Australia-wide delivery (shipping details), or pickup from 6 George Street, Blackburn VIC 3130.
- Pre-sales advice on 1300 100 440 or info@arcip.com.au.
Browse the full PowerShield range at ARC IP Networks.
Common questions
Straight answers from the ARC IP Networks team. Last reviewed October 2026.
Add up the watts of the equipment that must stay on, choose a UPS whose watt rating is comfortably higher, then check the runtime covers a graceful shutdown. A Defender 2000VA (1200 W) suits a few workstations; a Commander or Centurion 2000VA (1800 W) suits an office server or comms rack.
It keeps servers and PCs running when mains power drops, and NetGuard software (standard with every PowerShield UPS) can shut them down gracefully during an extended outage, so files and databases close properly.
PowerShield lists POS and menu boards as uses for the Ninja Slimline 600VA, a 42 mm slim LiFePO4 UPS that fits under a counter. A Defender suits a POS PC with more load.
Not always. Line-interactive Commander UPSs with AVR handle five of the nine power problems and suit offices on stable metro power. Choose an online Centurion RT for mission-critical servers, poor power, regional sites or generator backup.
Yes, on expandable models. The Commander RT 2000VA and Centurion RT 2000VA Short Base take the PSRTBB8 battery bank, and other Centurion RT models take their own banks.
Yes, with a communications card. The SNMP Comms Card V4 supports VMware and Hyper-V environments and can schedule shutdowns, startups and reboots.
Yes. ARC IP Networks offers trade accounts for installers, integrators and MSPs, and project quotes for multi-site and volume orders. Call 1300 100 440.
Protect your business from data loss
Send us your equipment list or rack layout and we will size a genuine PowerShield UPS, battery banks and management cards, with a fast project quote.
Related guides and solutions
- How to size a UPS: VA, watts and runtime
- PowerShield battery banks and runtime
- Online vs line-interactive UPS
- Best UPS for comms racks and network cabinets
- Case study: The Bend Motorsport Park
- UPS for home office, NBN, gaming and home theatre
- Industrial UPS for PLCs, control systems and manufacturing
- UPS for security systems: CCTV, NVR, access control and alarms
- UPS and surge protection for audio visual and events
- Shop the PowerShield range at ARC IP Networks