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[t121anf]

what are peoples thoughts on using a UPS with their NAS?

is it even possible to trigger a shutdown (without hacking) from a ups or would it only help if you were at home to shut it down before the ups gave up?

lastly, what size ups would keep a dns-320 going for a few hours?

[ivan]

The only thing I can confirm is that the NAS will run from a UPS, mine do. 

I can't comment on how to shut down when on UPS because the 2kW UPS we use for server and ancillary equipment has a 12 hour battery supply and if that isn't long enough we can start the generator.  The longest mains outage we've had was 5 hours when someone dug up some cable.

One thing I do know is that the DNS-323 has control of a UPS via the USB port, but the 320 doesn't appear to have this.  It does have a power recovery setting - this will auto restart the NAS after a power failure (Management --> system management --> power management --> power recovery settings).

[Jack Ryan]

>> One thing I do know is that the DNS-323 has control of a UPS via the USB port

Does it?

I have heard it said that the DNS series will work with a UPS but I haven't seen it in any of the manuals or configuration screens. Obviously they will operate on UPS power but can the UPS shut down the NAS before the battery runs out?

(I have only used 323, 320 and 325)

Jack

[albert]

I had experience working with UPS and NAS (Buffalo Terastation). The UPS will send power shutdown signal to the NAS via a serial or USB cable whenever power outage occurred.

[Jack Ryan]

I'm sure the UPS can send the signal but the NAS has to understand it and act appropriately. I can't see anywhere in the (D-Link) NAS documentation that this is the case.

Jack

[ivan]

I don't know about the DNS-320, but the DNS-323 is quite happy to work with a UPS (see page 88 in the manual for setup).

[albert]

I'm sure the UPS can send the signal but the NAS has to understand it and act appropriately. I can't see anywhere in the (D-Link) NAS documentation that this is the case.

Jack

Well, it stated in their webpage.

"A convenient USB port on the front of the ShareCenter can be used to attach external USB storage drives, USB printers, or an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for monitoring."

[Jack Ryan]

I don't know about the DNS-320, but the DNS-323 is quite happy to work with a UPS (see page 88 in the manual for setup).

I must have missed something. I have versions 1.0 1.2 and 1.3 of the manual and not only do they not mention UPS (except the carrier), none has 88 pages.

I would love the NASs to support a UPS but I have not seen any configuration on the device or explanation in the manuals. If it is there and I have missed it, please point me in the right direction. Do you have a link to the manual you are using? Have you configured a DNS-323 to use a UPS?

Jack

[Jack Ryan]

Well, it stated in their webpage.

"A convenient USB port on the front of the ShareCenter can be used to attach external USB storage drives, USB printers, or an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for monitoring."

Is this firmware the "world" version or a local special? What is the version? Have you successfully configured a UPS to work with your NAS(s)?

Jack

[albert]

Is this firmware the "world" version or a local special? What is the version? Have you successfully configured a UPS to work with your NAS(s)?

Jack

AFAIK, there is only one version 2.00. Unfortunately, I don't have a UPS so can't verify if this NAS truly support it.

[ivan]

I must have missed something. I have versions 1.0 1.2 and 1.3 of the manual and not only do they not mention UPS (except the carrier), none has 88 pages.

I would love the NASs to support a UPS but I have not seen any configuration on the device or explanation in the manuals. If it is there and I have missed it, please point me in the right direction. Do you have a link to the manual you are using? Have you configured a DNS-323 to use a UPS?

Jack

The DNS-323 manual I am referring to is: DNS-323_c1_manual_v1.5(WW).pdf

Just to prove it I disconnected from our main UPS (controlled by server) and connected it to a spare we have.  With the UPS plugged in the information about the UPS appeared on the Status --> Device Info page so I can only conclude it works.

[Jack Ryan]

The DNS-323 manual I am referring to is: DNS-323_c1_manual_v1.5(WW).pdf

Just to prove it I disconnected from our main UPS (controlled by server) and connected it to a spare we have.  With the UPS plugged in the information about the UPS appeared on the Status --> Device Info page so I can only conclude it works.

Thanks!
If I use the usual path (product resources) I only see earlier manuals that have no references to UPS. I searched directly for the manual you listed and found it - and as you say, UPS is referenced. The manual implies that the UPS status and any configuration is not displayed on the device until a UPS is connected.
I'll connect a UPS and see what happens - hopefully the 323 (and perhaps the 320 and 325) will recognise it.

Thanks again
Jack

[Jack Ryan]

Here is an update. I connected a UPS to the 323 (I'll get to the 320 and 325 in due course) and it was indeed recognised. But...

Here is the log file with comments added:

Start with daily time updates...
2011/08/07   02:30:08   System Time changes to "2011/08/07 02:30:08"
2011/08/08   02:30:08   System Time changes to "2011/08/08 02:30:07"
2011/08/08   11:58:37   System shutdown.

I shut the NAS down here and connected the UPS
2011/08/08   12:02:53   System Time changes to "2011/08/08 12:02:53"
2011/08/08   12:03:10   System up.

Now running on the UPS
2011/08/08   12:09:45   admin login.
I logged in to see the UPS status under "Status" and then removed mains power.

Some time later I was logged out
2011/08/08   12:39:19   admin login.
When I logged in I was presented with a message saying that the NAS was running on battery power and that it would soon shut down.

And here we are powering on after the mains was restored. BUT there was no shutdown logged. It looks like the power was simply removed.
2011/08/08   12:44:15   System Time changes to "2011/08/08 12:44:15"
2011/08/08   12:44:28   System up.
2011/08/08   12:45:13   admin login.

So what happened? If the NAS simply loses power there seems little point in recognising that the UPS is connected. As the NAS knew power was going to be lost perhaps it was *going* to do something but the UPS died before it got a chance. Does that mean that some configuration is required? But there is no configuration screen.

So at the moment it's almost, but not quite.

As soon as I get an off-line 320 (or 325) I'll try it with the UPS.

Jack

[t121anf]

thanks Jack, are you using a home UPS or something more professional?

use to have a proper server UPS but i left it off and the batteries went dead, so currently UPS-less but want one as where I live we seem to have monthly power cuts.

[Jack Ryan]

Here is another update.

Firstly, I have been using consumer UPSs (standby) that are normally used to power routers and other network infrastructure. They easily power these NASs and they support shutdown control. I would use a "proper" UPS but those I have are in service.

I repeated the test with the 323. In summary:

• The UPS is recognised
  Mains power can be removed and then restored and the NAS continues operation.
  If the power is removed long enough to exhaust the battery, the NAS puts itself off-line so that when the power fails, there are no open files. It does not shut itself down before the power is removed.
  After power is restored, the UPS does not put itself back on line until the battery is charged to (something like) 80%.
  

The last point is a killer - the UPS was off line for 16 hours.

The DNS-325:
The 325 recognised the UPS but I have been unable to test its operation because it is on line (being used).

The DNS-320:
Testing has not proceeded very far. The unit hung on several occasions so that even though the drives were on line and operating, the WEB interface crashed. I ignored the advice I received from US and AU tech support and installed firmware version 2.0b06. This restored the WEB interface (so far) so I will try the UPS test when next I get an opportunity.

Jack