Why would one want n 1 redundancy if the system does not ha

Solution

need for systems to tolerate failures without interrupting service has grown in step with the rapid deployment of electronic systems in applications such as data processing, financial and equities services, telecommunications, and transportation. Many of these systems have on-line; real-time; and, in some cases, safety-related, requirements. Along with our dependency on these systems comes a rising intolerance for downtime that would impact customer service, sales, and, ultimately, corporate profits.

Regardless of the reliability and backup contingencies built into the system, if power is not available, the system won\'t operate. N+1 redundancy and hot swapping offer a means of ensuring uninterrupted operation if a power fault occurs. Implementation of fault tolerant power systems is now becoming standard for many systems and networks where even short periods of downtime can significantly affect processes or services (Fig. 1).

Before a reliable N+1 scheme can be implemented, a number of critical questions must be answered:

How much power do I need?
Do I need current sharing?
How does current sharing work?
How do I detect failures?

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In addition, basic terminology, such as the difference between OR-ing, blocking, isolation, and steering diodes, can often lead to confusion.