APC Netshelter Rack Automatic Transfer Switch, 2U, 32A, 230V, 2 IEC 309 IN, 16 C13, 2 C19 OUT, 50/60 Hz

Product Overview

AI-generated summary

For the price (£1181 ex-VAT), this APC Automatic Transfer Switch is only a “yes” if you genuinely need automatic failover between two feeds in a real rack environment. If you’ve got mission-critical gear (network core, storage, lab systems) and downtime costs real money, an automatic transfer switch is one of those boring upgrades that quietly prevents the annoying outages you can’t afford. The APC name also matters here—these units tend to be reliable in service, and they’re the kind of thing you’ll find specified/maintained alongside APC rack infrastructure, so integration and spares tend to be easier in the long run.

I’d be more cautious if you’re running a single-feed setup or you’re already covered by an ATS/SRM/UPS strategy upstream. If your requirement is “we want some resilience,” you might get better value by fixing the basics first (UPS sizing, proper power distribution, load balancing) rather than buying an ATS that mostly sits there waiting for a rare failure. Also, this is not the sort of purchase that pays off for small installs unless your business risk is clear—otherwise you’re paying for automation and redundancy that may never get exercised.

**Who should buy:** UK offices/data rooms with two separate, stable power sources and rack equipment that must keep running through a feed interruption. **Who should not:** single-PSU racks, setups without truly independent feeds, or anyone whose uptime plan is already handled effectively by a UPS or existing transfer solution.