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ITGlossary · Communication and monitoring
Shutdown Software
Software that talks to the UPS and automatically shuts down servers and computers safely before the battery runs out.
Technical level:Intermediate
The program is installed on a server, workstation or virtual machine and receives the UPS status over USB, a serial port or the network, usually through an SNMP card. When the UPS goes to battery, it waits for a set delay or a remaining-runtime threshold and then shuts the systems down in the right order.
Without it, an outage longer than the runtime ends in an abrupt power-off, with a risk of corrupted databases and files. In virtualized environments it shuts down the virtual machines first, then the hosts and finally the storage. A USB link serves a single computer only, so protecting several requires a network connection.
A common mistake is configuring it and never testing it. Run a controlled test and make sure the shutdown completes before the battery runs out.
Related terms
- Ethernet Port (RJ45)The UPS's Ethernet network port, through which it can be monitored and controlled from any computer on the network via a browser, SNMP or shutdown software.
- NUT (Network UPS Tools)Open-source software that reads the UPS status and shares it over the network, so that several servers and NAS devices can shut down in a coordinated way.
- Wake-on-LAN (WoL)Network card feature that starts a powered-off computer or server when it receives a special network packet, the magic packet.
- Alarm ContactA relay output on a UPS that changes state on an alarm, such as battery mode, low battery or a fault, to alert an external system.
- Auto RestartA UPS feature that automatically restarts the system after utility power returns following a shutdown.
- Line Interactive UPSA UPS that corrects voltage sags and swells with an automatic voltage regulator and switches to battery only when the voltage is lost or out of range.