UPS for Linux?

[Bob George]

"Matt G. Ellis" <mge@internetsyndicate.com> wrote:

> I'm trying to buy a UPS for my linux server, a Pentium 100.  What I want
is
> something that will give the box (no monitor) about 5 to 10 mins of uptime
> so it can shut itself down, I'd also like it if the UPS either came with
> software to tell the linux system to shutdown, or if it had whatever
cables
> you would need to get a Open Source program to do the same thing.

I just went through this, and wound up picking up a couple of those $150
CyberPower 900VA units with automatic voltage regulation. Given the power
fluctuations that I've had, I wanted AVR. I realize CyberPower aren't as
highly thought of as some and it may not last forever, but then again, at
half the price it doesn't have to.

The good news was that it came with a cable, and the open-source powstatd
(referenced on the CyberPower website) works fine with one of the sample
configurations. It only works in "dumb" mode, meaning it can detect loss and
restoration of power and low battery, but that's sufficient for my purposes.

I've set powstatd to notify my other Linux box plugged into the UPS, but the
other box (RedHat) seems to ignore it. Other than that, I'm feeling better
about facing the next round of thunderstorms here in the valley.

If money were no object, I'd have gone with an APC unit for ease of battery
replacement etc.

Good luck!