Belkin Universal UPS 800VA with USB Review
Belkin Universal UPS 800VA with USB
I thought I was doing well, by having the family's data all kept together on a 15Gb Snap server on our home network... until a power cut ruined the partition table on the Snap drive and we lost the lot. So why did I not have a UPS? At just over £100, if you don't like the idea of losing your data, just buy this - I don't know why I didn't before.Everything in the above 2 reviews is endorsed: run this under Linux, Windows (any), a Mac, whatever - you get a neat graphical interface on any of these.
And the one thing that isn't clear above is that this unit will comfortably run around three system units for long enough for all of them to shut down safely - you can install the Bulldog Plus software on all three and all will shut themselves down neatly - one acts as a master (connected via USB or serial - all leads are supplied), and the other two "slave" over IP. You get to choose all the delays before shutdown, etc. I tested mine out, using the software console to simulate a loss of power. My 400W base unit stayed running perfectly, and after 25 minutes there was still 40% battery left - I got bored and turned the mains back on.
If you don't want to install the software, then your OS probably already has the HID drivers installed to recognise the unit and self-configure to behave like a laptop with a rechargeable battery (when the juice is running out, it will warn you in advance then shut down before it goes flat). If not, then they are on the included CD.
Belkin have really thought this product through and they must be going like hot cakes.