Abstract: The present invention includes a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) system for facilitating communication between a UPS and a number of computers. If a power malfunction occurs in the UPS system, the UPS notifies a controller instructing of the power malfunction. A timing recovery circuit verifies the legitimacy of the power malfunction. In this manner, the timing recovery circuit checks to ensure an actual power malfunction has occurred, guards against improper UPS power malfunction signals, and other UPS malfunction. Upon verification, the controller then notifies each of the computers to prepare for shutdown. The controller may notify each of the computer of the power malfunction in parallel. Once the computers have prepared for shutdown, each computer sends a return signal to the controller. The controller synchronizes the return signals and notifies the UPS to shutdown the UPS system upon receiving instruction from all of the computers.