mcs@dreamit.fps.com (Mike Sanfratello) (07/31/90)
I'm looking for a UPS to run on an NCR 386 (10mhz) under SCO XENIX 2.3.1.
I am looking for the type with the AT Bus adapter that will be notified
from the UPS when power outage occurs and can in turn notify software to
sync the system and shut it down.
Could someone out there email me any experiences with such devices and their
manufacturers/pricing/features?
Thanks in advance,
mike (mcs@fps.com or {...}!ucsd!celerity!mcs)scotto@crash.cts.com (Scott O'Connell) (08/04/90)
In article <10415@celit.fps.com> mcs@dreamit.fps.com (Mike Sanfratello) writes: >I'm looking for a UPS to run on an NCR 386 (10mhz) under SCO XENIX 2.3.1. >I am looking for the type with the AT Bus adapter that will be notified >from the UPS when power outage occurs and can in turn notify software to >sync the system and shut it down. > >Could someone out there email me any experiences with such devices and their >manufacturers/pricing/features? > >Thanks in advance, You're welcome. I'm posting because I think this would be of general interest to the net. I recently bought a Para Systems MinuteMan 1200 UPS. It can be ordered with an optional hardware interface and software to bring an SCO Xenix system to an orderly shutdown. They use a standard serial port for the notification. It doesn't even have to be a good serial port as long as the control signals work. They use the control signals instead of serial data for two way communication. The software will watch the port for failure and then execute a script after a user defined period of time. You can write your own shutdown script or use the one they provide. One more thing I should mention is the capacity. We went by the ratings on the equipment to determine what size we should buy. Even with our systems fully loaded, we aren't using anywhere NEAR the ratings on the computers. With a Compaq 386/20 and a Datel 386/25, 4 ESDI drives, two Mountain Hardware external tape drives, two Telebit modems and an Epson printer we are only using around 300 watts. NOTE: The version of software that I have doesn't work! I have faith in the software people that it is a working product. They told me that the version I was shipped was accidentally released prematurely and I believe them. I have verified that it correctly detects the loss of power to the UPS, and the program to shut-down the UPS also works. It doesn't execute the script, though. DISCLAIMER: I have no affiliation with Para Systems other than being a semi-satisfied customer. I have complete faith in the UPS (I really abused it making sure it worked!) and am sure the software will follow, and that's why I'm reccommending this device. Para Systems: 1-800/238-7272 -- Scott O'Connell - N6ZEK UUCP: {nosc, hplabs!hp-sdd}!crash!ipars!scotto ARPA: crash!ipars!scotto@nosc.mil INET: scotto@ipars.cts.com
danielw@wyn386.mi.org (Daniel Wynalda) (08/06/90)
In article <3809@crash.cts.com> scotto@crash.cts.com (Scott O'Connell) writes: >In article <10415@celit.fps.com> mcs@dreamit.fps.com (Mike Sanfratello) writes: >>I'm looking for a UPS to run on an NCR 386 (10mhz) under SCO XENIX 2.3.1. >>I am looking for the type with the AT Bus adapter that will be notified >>from the UPS when power outage occurs and can in turn notify software to >>sync the system and shut it down. >> >>Could someone out there email me any experiences with such devices and their >>manufacturers/pricing/features? >> >>Thanks in advance, Sure... In the February 1990 issue of Unix World (Vol VII, No 2) on Page 119 (Rebecca Thomas' "Wizard' Grabbag" column) there was a nice article on building your own interface to tie to your UPS. It contained the code and the instructions for building this system. I would guess it'll cost you $15-25.00 and 30 minutes (maybe an hour) worth of typing. If you run more than one system, this is probably a VERY good way to go. You can then just build another box and copy the software (you entered it :-) It is really a simple task -- just a relay the trips DTR and the computer watches DTR on the serial port... -- Daniel Wynalda | (616) 866-1561 X22 Ham:N8KUD Net:danielw@wyn386.mi.org Wynalda Litho Inc. | 8221 Graphic Industrial Pk. | Rockford, MI 49341