Exact guidelines for setting an APC BackUPS in linux

I have an APC BackUPS (1500VA uninterrupted power supply) currently connected to a Windows XP machine. There are three machines connected to this device (it means one UPS supplies power to three machines), and only the Windows XP has messaging enabled with the UPS (through the USB port and with the PowerChute application). I will port this device to a linux system but I am not sure if I can get the same features offered by PowerChute software;

1. In case of power failure, the UPS sends a message that the power is down
2. If power does not return in 5 minutes, the system is "hibernated" (Software suspend for linux, though I never used it since that mod is experimental)
+ I will add a function that when the main system (that is physically connected to the UPS) receives the hibernation/shut-down message, it will get connected to two other machines (Windows XP both) through TCP/IP and also tell them to hibernate.

I already have some other problems with networking currently, so I need exact guidelines.

Regards...