Protect PC and NAS

[BillP]

Hi
I have bought an APC Back-UPS Pro 900 (BR900G-FR) to protect my PC (Windows 7 x64), because we have frequent power outages here.
Thanks to the USB link and Powerchte software, I understand I will now be able to shut down the PC gracely during the battery support time.

I also have a NAS (Synology DS210j), and I'd like to offer it the same protection. I will of course plug the NAS to the UPS, but I cannot plug the USB link since it is already used by the PC. Therefore for a long lasting outage, the NAS will not shut down gracely.

Is there a way to send the shut down order also to the NAS?
- by a USB hub (linking UPS, NAS and PC)?
- by some software?

Thanks for your support!

Stephane

[BillP]

It is not advisable to use a USB hub to split/share the UPS communication, our UPSs uses USB 1.0 which sometimes when used with higher USB speeds drops off the communication. One thing that I could think of is creating a script that would listen or detect if your UPS is shutting down/hibernating and then send a command thru your NAS to shut it off. Unfortunately, PowerChute Personal Edition does not support running a command file.

[BillP]

Thanks!
I see that my NAS can listen to a UPS network server (that would run on my PC, I assume). Would this function be available in one of the softwares you are producing?

[BillP]

I suggest that you check with the manufacturer how would that UPS network server listen for UPS events. Does it support SNMP or does it connect to the UPS using USB or a Network Jack? If it is thru SNMP, you will need to change your UPS into our SMT/SMX units with Network Management Card since your existing one does not have network capabilities.

[Anonymous user]

From an end-user, @Steph3535:
Connect the UPS to the Synology NAS, using the USB cable. In DSM (for others: the Synology Disk Station Manager) you can set one ore more devices as a slave. Communication from master to slave(s) is done over LAN, not USB. With another DS (Synology Disk Station) , this will work almost out of the box.
It is also possible to set a PC as slave. A DS slave will act as a NUT client automatically, but for a PC you will have to install a NUT client on that PC. And a beefy UPS is advisable then. When using the DS as a master, you can't use the Powershute software, but you don't need it (my CD is still in its sealed sleeve)

I found this information very helpful (for Windows):
http://www.gadgetvictims.com/2010/02/battery-backup-solution-for-home.html
My additional mods: http://forum.synology.com/enu/viewtopic.php?f=116&t=59752&p=235213#p235213
And it worked! (I don't use it, but it was fun to try and see that it worked)

And don't forget: Your DS, PC, monitor and router must be powered by the UPS.

[BillP]

Thanks henkgg!
I saw this solution on some forums, and it looks good.
However, my NAS is not powered on very often, therefore I'd like to find a solution the other way round : PC as master and connected to UPS via USB, and NAS as slave. I know Synology NAS DSM is able to listen to a server (I just have to provide its IP, from what I understand). I just need to find how my PC can act as a server for this.

Thanks for your help again, I really appreciate.


Stéphane

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Great input henkgg.