At this point, the matter of communicating your needs in terms of how much power is required (W/kV/kVA) and what the input and output requirements (120V/208V) will be is not such a forboding matter. Okay, so now that we know how to speak the language of power, where does one start with acquisition process? My technique is start by contacting the big players first (Liebert and APC) to get an idea of what the equipment is going to cost if we decide to spend all the money, then I price refurbished equipment as well (using Google, eBay, and past-used resources) to get an idea of the full range of options.

The big players:

• Liebert: Unequivocally the company that sets the standard against which all other UPS and power solutions vendors are compared. Currently however, their site is down, so I am unable to link to their contact info. Contacting them is a matter of getting in touch with your local sales representative and telling them what your requirements are. They email you the quotes, your draw drops and heart sinks as you stare at a the figures that could salary an employee for a year.
• APC: APC offers somewhat competitive pricing when compared to Liebert, and while considered a notch less than the most professional solution, their rack-mount offerings can be handy in some situations where space requirements are an issue.
• It's good to contact an APC sales representative directly, but you can also get a quick quote online by using this web form which is burried on their site under Small and Medium Business => Other Finders => UPS => Configure by Load.
• However, something else to keep in mind is that even an APC representative will tell you that the prices are better through their reseller channels.

Other vendors:

• Donavon Distribution Company: In the past I've picked up gear from this small, local company. It's essentially a one-man shop, but the guy (Jack) really knows his stuff. You won't be dealling with a sales weenie when you call. They don't have an online catalog, but the prices were excellent, saving thousands of dollars per unit. The shop is a short drive down the street. This can be handy as I don't have to wait for delivery, and returns are much less painful to handle. He warranties all of his refurbished equipment as well (as I recall, last that I was there).
• Systems Technology Associates, Inc. is another local company where at least one guy, Ron Waters, really seems to know his stuff. He's got in the trenches data center experience and he knows the technology well. He asks the right questions and is proactive in developing a solution rather than just selling a product.

eBay and eBay sellers

• I've been successful in turning up good deals on equipment by searching eBay by the keywords "kva" and "##" where ## is the number of kVA needed.
• Gruber Power Services has phenomenal prices on new and refurbished power equipment. For example, at the time of this writing he is listing off $40,000 retail Powerware units for $15,000, brand new. Specifically I'm referencing Powerware 9335 120kVA units.