Eaton announces UPS support for Ubuntu

. . . keeping an eye on the penguin

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Nov. 29, 2007

On the face of it, it's hardly news worth noting. On Nov. 27, Eaton announced that its Personal Solution Pac for Linux and Network Shutdown Module v3 are the first UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) power management solutions to receive Ubuntu's IHV (independent hardware vendor) Certification.

This program is compatible with Ubuntu releases from 6.06 to 7.10. It enables Ubuntu systems to smoothly integrate with Easton UPS systems and assures communication, monitoring and graceful shutdown during prolonged power disturbances. The PSP (Personal Solution Pac) software is targeted at desktop and SOHO users while the NSM (Network Shutdown Module) offers a range of advanced functionality for network installations and enterprise applications.

What's important about this is that it shows Ubuntu is being taken seriously by IHVs. Peripheral builders do not go to the trouble of making software for a Linux distribution, much less going to the additional expense and time of getting certification, unless they believe consumers and businesses are going to be adopting it in large, that is to say, profitable, numbers. That is especially true in the small margin, small volume world of less common peripherals such as UPSs.

"We have long been a leader in implementing power management solutions for Linux and other open-source operating systems under the MGE Office Protection Systems brand," said Hervé Tardy, vice president and general manager, Distributed Power Quality Division of Eaton, in a statement.

"Because Ubuntu is one of the fastest-growing Linux distributions, we feel it is important to offer users the assurance of compatibility that comes with being a certified hardware partner. Personal Solution Pac is open-source software released under a GPL License and based on NUT (Network UPS Tools). Eaton will continue to support the NUT open-source project so that customers who rely on it can be confident that the technical support provided by the Eaton Engineering Team will assure the same enthusiastic 'We're Open' philosophy on an ongoing basis."

Designed for desktop and server applications, Personal Solution Pac 3.0 for Linux provides users with information on important parameters such as power consumption and remaining UPS battery life including an intuitive screen that displays remaining battery backup time available. This real-time indicator works in conjunction with a power consumption sensor that detects how much of the UPS's rated power is being used by connected equipment to help users avoid the common problem of overloading a UPS by plugging too many devices into it. The company claims that with an intuitive graphical user interface, the software displays a real-time view of on-site power quality and includes the ability to set-up automatic actions in case of a power emergency.

Personal Solution Pac automatically detects USB or serial connections. The software instantly avoids communication conflicts by automatically detecting available communication ports. In addition, manual controls enable administrators to customize communication configurations.

Available now, users of MGE Office Protection Systems UPS hardware can download the software for free at the MGE download site. For additional information on MGE Office Protection Systems Linux solutions, visit the product site. For more information about Ubuntu's IHV partners see Ubuntu's IHV Web site.

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

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