APC UPC + YellowDog Linux?

[Michael George]

On Thursday, September 4, 2003, at 04:32  AM, Don Montalvo wrote:
> I did a search of the archives and the YellowDog site but I haven't  
> been able to find clear, concise instructions on how to set up an APC  
> UPS with a Mac running YellowDog Linux.
>
> I live in Manhattan and I'm running YellowDog Linux 2.3 (Apache 1.3.x)  
> on a Wallstreet Powerbook (233mhz/384M/6G). I didn't install a GUI  
> since it's just functioning as a web server (and I need to keep my CLI  
> skills up to snuff).
>
> I purchased two BE725BB APC UPS's:
>
> <http://apcc.com/resource/include/ 
> techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BE725BB&language=en&LOCAL.APCCountryCode=US 
> >
>
> One is protecting my workstation and the second is going to (I hope)  
> protect my YDL/Wallstreet server. I wouldn't worry so much if the  
> built in battery in the darned thing worked...but I can't afford to  
> get a replacement Wallstreet battery and I'd much rather get this APC  
> UPS working.
>
> Anyone been able to get this to work? I have a simple home  
> network...no SNMP here. Just a dinky YDL/Wallstreet webserver that  
> died when the lights went out.

I have had an incredibly easy time setting up APC UPSs on my linux  
boxes, but they were all with Back-UPS Pros and serial ports.  nut and  
apcupsd are two packages which will work.

I had a client who plugged a server (AMD 1GHz, .5Gb RAM, 7 ATAPI HDD)  
into one like this.  It was rated to handle the wattage of the PS and  
gave a runtime (on paper) of about 3min.  The reality was that when the  
UPS lost power and kicked over to battery it would power-starve the  
server and it would reboot.  Highly annoying, as every time the voltage  
would drop, the UPS would kick over to battery power.  So rather than  
having a temporary brown-down that the PS could have smoothed out for  
the internals, it would reboot.  The opposite of what we want UPSs for  
:)

I'm not saying those ESs won't work for your application, as your  
systems might well be smaller, but I firmly believe that the extra $$  
for the Back-UPS (Pro) is worth it.  Just MHO, I'm not connected w/ APC  
in any way.

-Michael