RE: [cobalt-developers] Qube 2 UPS or Battery Supply Backup ?

["Lyle Scheer" <lyle@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> I've got a good source for rebuilt APC UPS systems, but I
> don't have the
> software daemon; can you please tell me where to get it?

I'm also an advocate of "NUT" (Network UPS Tools) at
http://www.exploits.org/nut/.  In fact, I integrated an earlier version of
this package into the RaQ 3 when it got pulled in from a side project I was
doing.  Advantages at the time were that it was open source (APC
subsequently open sourced their code) and supports more than just APC's
UPSes.  You might look into this package for your Qube 2, especially if you
want to have multiple devices monitoring the same UPS.

I was originally going to release this code on a Qube 2, and got most of the
way there and then stalled.  I might be able to dig up my code (including
RaQ 3 style LCD panel where you can add scripts in the /etc/lcd.d tree to
add functionality to the LCD menus... another chunk of code that got sucked
into the RaQ 3 from my side project).  Interested?

There was a bunch of funkiness on the Qube 2 that I had to get modifications
done to allow the APC to work with the Qube 2 (and other mips products),
such as our boot ROM had always spit out diagnostic messages on every reboot
to the serial port, which can cause the APC to power itself off (the APC
protocol is not very robust, and feed a certain character into the unit and
you can turn off power to the units it feeds very easily).

At the very least you'll need to make sure your Qube 2 has a boot prom of
later revision that can turn console messages on and off (simple test...
power unit off, then power on while holding down the password reset button
at the same time.  If it says "Console ON" or "Console OFF",  you have a
newer flash.  If it goes directly to "Starting UP", you'll want to upgrade)
The newer rom sets a CMOS value that the newer kernels read and then turn on
or off their console messages.... actually a very useful feature.

Hope this helps.

- Lyle


- Lyle