Having an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) connected to keep systems running in the event of a power outage may seem like an obvious necessity, but what happens when that battery runs down? If the UPS is not communicating directly with EVO, the result is simply that the same sudden loss of power is delayed.
When a file system is in use on any operating system, an unexpected ejection can result in data loss and/or corruption. This is the same principle seen with a USB drive on a workstation -- the operating system will warn that it wasn't ejected properly if the USB is suddenly pulled out. Most of the time, the file system isn't actually in use and no damage is done, but if write operations are happening at the time, the file system is much more likely to be damaged.
Why is this especially important for EVO? For one, it's likely holding significantly more important data than a USB stick, but more importantly --
By design, EVO doesn't need time off, so when editors go home, it should get to work on scheduled tasks such as indexing to make content searchable, transcoding preview proxies, and performing automated file replications for things like backup.
This means EVO probably has its file systems in use around the clock, so ensuring 24/7 availability for power is especially important, even when other systems may be idle.
The solution:
If an APC UPS with USB monitoring capabilities is connected to EVO, the UPS will issue a shutdown command before its battery depletes, allowing EVO time to shut down gracefully before all power is lost.
When the system is allowed time to run through its natural shutdown sequence, it correctly stops services in order to protect the file systems.
See the Welcome page in EVO's web interface for more information about recommended options to ensure safeguards are in place, such as setting up email notifications so the administrator can be immediately notified about important system events, including APC communication status.
In EVO's web interface, navigate to System > APC UPS Configuration to check communication:
See this article for additional UPS recommendations.