The "best" configuration understands that WoL works in the first 90% of the battery runtime, but fails in the final 10%. By configuring your APC UPS to use , BIOS AC Recovery , and a Low-power WoL gateway (like a Raspberry Pi), you achieve 99.99% remote availability.
# Trip the outlet for 10 seconds apctest > 6 # Test features > 4 # Power off outlet 1 for 10 seconds apc ups wake on lan best
In the modern era of IT management, downtime is the enemy. Whether you are running a remote office, a home server farm, or a critical data logger in a dusty warehouse, the ability to control power and boot states remotely is non-negotiable. The "best" configuration understands that WoL works in
requires the Network Interface Card (NIC) to remain in a low-power "standby" state. The NIC draws a tiny amount of current (usually 5V standby power from the motherboard) while listening for a specific Ethernet packet. Whether you are running a remote office, a
# Wait 600 seconds (10 minutes) after power fails before shutting down BATTVALUE 600 # Execute custom script when switching to battery ONBATTERY /etc/apcupsd/onbattery.sh In /etc/apcupsd/onbattery.sh , you can include logic: "If the server is the only thing on the UPS, don't shut it down until 5% battery remains." Once the server OS shuts down via PowerChute, it enters S5 (Soft Off) state. The NIC can still listen for WoL only if the motherboard has "Wake from S5" enabled in the BIOS.
Stop wrestling with dead ports and missed magic packets. Configure your APC UPS to cut power gracefully, and configure your BIOS to restore it automatically. That is the industry "best practice" that most articles forget to mention. Are you running a home lab or a data center? Share your apcupsd configuration in the comments below.
Two technologies promise this control: for graceful shutdowns, and Wake-on-LAN (WoL) for remote startups. However, these two technologies often work against each other.