You can also protect a phone line with a separate phone/modem isolator, which is an
inexpensive device you can buy at any electronics or computer store.Saving the Planet
Power issues should be a two-way street, with some of the solutions coming from the PC
as well as the surge suppressor or UPS. In fact, several governments around the world are
working to find ways to reduce the amount of power a PC and its peripherals uses and
developing regulations to provide safeguards against the electrical hazards associated
with using a PC and its peripheral devices.
To reduce the amount of electricity consumed by computers, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) established guidelines for energy efficiency under a program
called U.S. Green Star, also known as Energy Star. On Green Star systems, the power sup-
ply works with the computer’s components and some peripherals to reduce the power
they use when idle.
Green Star devices have a standby program that puts them into sleep mode after the
device has been idle for a certain period. In sleep mode, the device reduces 99 percent of
its power consumption and uses no more than 30 watts of power.DC Power
There are also power protection devices that provide surge suppression and UPS services
to equipment requiring direct current (DC) electrical power. PCs, printers, and virtually
all other peripheral devices require AC electricity, which is why the discussion in this
chapter is focused on AC power protection equipment. Many networking devices, such
as routers, switches, and access servers, especially those used in large enterprise or ser-
vice provider networks, are powered by DC electricity. Typically, this equipment is pro-
tected by large arrays of battery backups, data center level power protection equipment,
and standby power generators.Chapter 23: Electrical Power Issues^615