Data vaulting in emergency shutdown

A data storage apparatus includes a processor, a write cache in operable communication with the processor, an auxiliary storage device in operable communication with the write cache, and a temporary power source in electrical communication with each of the processor, write cache, and auxiliary storage device for supplying power in the event of a loss of primary, external power. The auxiliary storage device is dimensioned to have sufficient size for holding dirty pages cached in the write cache, and the temporary power source is configured with sufficient energy for, subsequent to the loss of the external power, powering the processor, the write cache, and the auxiliary storage device for an entire duration of a backup process.