UPS backup musings

[Adam Myrow]

I say that a UPS of some sort is worth it for short blackouts.  What makes 
it hard is that they range all over the map in terms of price and ease of 
use.  There are small ones that will power your system for a few minutes, 
and big ones that can keep it running for over an hour.

Here are things I would consider when deciding on a UPS.  First, what are 
you looking for in terms of run time?  How many outlets do you want?  Do 
you want all of them to be battery-backed, or just some of them?  Many of 
the smaller units only provide battery backup to some of the outlets.  Do 
you have any large wall warts?  If so, look for a UPS that has extra space 
between the outlets so the wall warts don't cover adjacent outlets.
  Also, does the device have a display?  If so, check to see if it requires 
sighted assistance to set up.  At a minimum, you want a UPS which can get 
you through a short blackout, and will shut down the system properly when 
the battery gets low.  While journaling filesystems have made things 
better, it is still a good idea to shut down the system properly 
especially if you are in the middle of doing something when the power 
fails.