Power and a Backup

We use Uninterruptible Power Supplies, or UPS units, to make sure our computers don't fry at the worst possible time.  Given the way in which computers get around (relatively) slow disk drives by writing things to a cache for storage 'while-U-drive-off,' there's a brief window where even solid electricity can cause problems.  Now, too, power that fluctuates too high can also fry stuff.  Rumour has it, these 'over-volt' incidents can dry pumps, lights, heaters, monitors, disks, power supply units, etc.  Who knows, though;  just huck a UPS onto it and we're good.  Right?

But when's the last time you checked your UPS?  Like a smoke detector, maybe you should.  If you have a dime-store brand - hint: Only Get APC.  Only - then you won't know when/if your battery is sound.  If you do have an APC, though, and you use the cable and software, then you have another line of defense.  The APC units will periodically self-test:

Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2011 09:16:49 -0400
Subject: UPS battery needs changing NOW.
 
UPS battery needs changing NOW.
 
DATE     : Mon Sep 05 09:16:48 EDT 2011
MODEL    : Back-UPS XS 1300 LCD 
STATUS   : ONBATT REPLACEBATT 
LASTXFER : Automatic or explicit self test

So this software tests the batteries, in this case weekly, and reports whether they're reliable enough to give X amount of power for Y minutes.  It's good to know it's looking out for us:  without the proper software and connections, we could never have known that the battery was toast.  (yes, this is the night job; not the sweatshop where we'd have a massive setup and overworked people potentially forgetting to check)

Checking your UPS, though, that's the point here.  How's your important data?  Even with a good, stable power supply unit, so it doesn't shorten the life span of your on-average 3 months disk drive -- Do you have important data backed-up and protected by a decent UPS unit?  Do you have a good battery and the way set up so where it can check the battery and let you know if it's gone sour?

If you can't check the validity of your failsafe plans, then you don't really have a plan.  Check your batteries. Check your backups (and bug me if I haven't provided you the method yet).  Heck, pretend your computer's fried by turning it off, or pretend your house burned down; and then prove you can still see the photos from last Christmas or that you can find your address book (yeah really) ..

.. and if you can't, get it fixed.  Spend some time, relative to how important this stuff is to you, and make sure you're not going to lose your data.  You people with the DVD burners 'for backups' will be in for a terrible surprise.