I really don't think a server power-down is a trappable event...

But an alternative might be placing a mail command in the script that starts the server. This, of course, would not need to be done in Perl.

Do you have another server in a more secure location that could be used instead? If you need 24x7 uptime, or close to it, then relying on your roommates seems a bit dangerous.

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"Computeri non cogitant, ergo non sunt"