On Sun, Sep 12, 2004 at 11:33:03PM -0400, Sean Davis wrote:
> Would ups-nut be a better solution?

I use it for exactly that setup. It has a server (running on the machine
connected to the serial cable of the UPS) and clients (on the other machines).
The clients shut down first, then the server.

On sparc64 machines I configure it to do "shutdown -h", since a "shutdown -p"
makes the machine remember it's gracefully turned off and not switch back
on when mains return. On i386 machines I have it do "shutdown -p" and make
sure the bios is configured to power on the machine when power returns (most
PC bios default to stay off in that situation).

Unfortunately this leaves a short window between the shutdown and the actual
shut off of the UPS where the sparc64 machines are at the OF prompt - and
don't reboot if line power is restored. Ups-nut offers a command to forcefully
power of the UPS (even with remaining battery) after the machine connected to
it has unmounted all discs, but I never found a good way to insert a script
to do that in our rc.d system.

Martin