UPS for the Mac

By Plant Engineering Staff October 3, 2006

MGE UPS Systems introduced what is reported to be the industry’s first universal support for Macintosh OS X with the latest release of its Solution-Pac Power Management Software. For Intel-based and legacy Mac hardware protected by an MGE UPS, the software assures added security for connected systems by verifying the UPS connections and, in the event of a prolonged power outage, initiating a graceful shutdown when the UPS battery level is low. Although the Mac OS is very stable in many ways, any Unix-based OS can be especially susceptible to system corruption resulting from any hard shutdown such as those that occur when power fails. Recognizing this, Mac OS X ships with a built-in power management driver that provides limited functionality, while MGE’s new solutions provide additional capabilities and user control.

The software allows MGE’s UPSs to communicate either via the USB interface or the network port on virtually any recent Macintosh computer from the iMacs to the Xserve workgroup servers.

Local power management can be achieved through the Personal Solution Pac application: it consists of a power control module and a simple system preference panel. The control module enables communication with the UPS through the Mac’s USB port, displays user alerts and triggers an orderly shutdown sequence when the battery capacity reaches a user specified level during a power outage. Once installed, the preference panel appears in OS X’s system preferences window and allows users to verify the UPS connection, view a power event log and set the battery level threshold that will trigger a safe shutdown.

Designed to work with MGE’s desktop and network UPS products, Personal Solution Pac for Mac OS X compliments MGE’s robust power management software offerings for PCs, LANs/WANs and enterprise-wide networks and is available now as a free download at: https://www.mgeups.com/download/soft/explore/eng/network/net_sol.htm

More sophisticated management and control can be achieved through MGE’s network-based Network Shutdown Module (NSM), like the management of multiple Mac systems from one centralized UPS or the ability to remotely control On & Off each outlet of an MGE UPS.

MGE UPS Systems
www.mgeups.com/us