What is the difference between a UPS and a battery backup?
An uninterruptible power supply or uninterruptible power source (UPS) is a device that provides emergency power to a load when the input power source or mains power fails. A UPS is used to protect hardware such as computers, data centers, telecommunication equipment, or other electrical equipment from injuries, fatalities, serious business disruption, or data loss caused by an unforeseen blackout or power outage.
A backup battery provides power to a system when the primary source of power is unavailable. Backup batteries range from small single cells that retain clock time in computers, to large battery room facilities that power uninterruptible power supply systems for large data centers. Small backup batteries may be primary cells. Rechargeable backup batteries are kept charged by the prime power supply.