[SWLUG] UPS recommendations?

[Mark Summerfield]

On 2008-01-07, Jonathan Wright wrote:
> Mark Summerfield wrote:
> > I thought I'd start the new year with excess paranoia, so I was
> > wondering if anyone had experience of/recommendations regarding UPS
> > systems?
>
> I've had alot of success with APC over the years, including their
> Back-UPS range, with using standard UK plugs, rather than kettle
> sockets, as the power source, so you can plug anything you want into
> them. Generally, half the sockets are battery backed up with the other
> half just surge protected.
>
> I've one running my server, switch, router and wireless access point
> without problems and they're fine with Linux (either Serial, USB or
> Network communications) - acpupsd provides support for that.
>
> Their website has good documentation for load levels, although it's work
> noting that generally with UPS, if you half the load you quadruple the
> time the box will support, so the larger you go, the much better the
> run-time.

Well I bought an APC Back-UPS ES 700 from dabs and it was easy to set
up.

It came with a CD for Windows (which I don't use) and a cable connecting
it to a USB port. I've connected it to the USB but I don't know if there
is any point in doing so---does anyone know if Linux can communicate
with a UPS?

One thing the user guide doesn't tell you (well, apart from anything
Linux related:-) is how to look after the battery. I've asked APC about
this, but for now I'm assuming "always have the mains input to the UPS
on, switch the UPS itself off when the equipment is off", since I switch
off everything at night.

Ironically, soon after the UPS arrived a friend told me that his laptop
had just died---not due to power failure, but due to the hard disk
failing, something a UPS can't save me from:-)

BTW Am I right in assuming that graphics cards have dedicated processors
these days, so that if I get a bigger screen it won't make rendering any
slower? (I've got an "Intel 82945G/GZ Integrated Graphics Controller".)

Thanks!

-- 
Mark Summerfield, Qtrac Ltd., www.qtrac.eu