[ale] Running a hands off remote Linux installation

[Jim Lynch]

I want to set up a hands off system at a remote location.  I'll put a 
large UPS to keep it running through short power outages but I'm 
concerned about longer outages.  While I obviously want it to be 
available most of the time, if the power goes out for hours, it won't be 
available and I can live with that.  I can sense the failure and do an 
orderly shutdown before the UPS batteries go completely flat.

However I'm stumped on how to get the system to turn itself back on 
after the power comes back.  I know I can set the bios to boot on power 
up automatically but that would require the computer to power off 
externally I would guess and that's not an orderly shutdown besides with 
the UPS in line, I don't really have a way to sense when the mains 
actually come back.

I've thought about putting a small controller, like a Arduino, somewhere 
with a relay to momentarily key the switch leads in the computer when I 
sense all is back to normal, but I'm thinking there might be a better way.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Jim.