Contents

Introduction--1
Product Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Access Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Recover From a Lost Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Upgrading Firmware through a Serial Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Watchdog Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Control Console--14
USER’S GUIDE

Log On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Main Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Control Console Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Switched Rack PDU

Web Interface--22
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Log On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Tabs, Menus, and Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Home Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Switched Rack PDU Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Device and Outlet Management Menus--32

Device Manager Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Configure and Control Outlet Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Outlet Settings for Outlets and Outlet Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Scheduling Outlet Actions (Web Interface Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Outlet Manager Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

i
 Administration: Security--52
Local Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Remote Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Configuring the RADIUS Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Inactivity Timeout (Administration>Security>Auto Log Off) . . . . . . . . 55

Administration: Network Features--57

TCP/IP and Communication Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
DNS (Administration>Network>DNS>options) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Web (Administration>Network>Web>options) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Console (Administration>Network>Console>options) . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
SNMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
USER’S GUIDE

FTP Server (Administration>Network>FTP Server) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Administration: Notification and Logging--73

Event Actions (Administration>Notification>Event Actions>options) 73
Switched Rack PDU

Active, Automatic, Direct Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Indirect Notification Through Logs or Queries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Administration: General Options--88

Identification (Administration>General>Identification) . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Set the Date and Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Use an .ini File (Administration>General>User Config File) . . . . . . . . 90
Temperature Units (Administration>General>Unit Preference). . . . . . 90
Reset the Interface (Administration>General>Reset/Reboot) . . . . . . . 91
Configure Links (Administration>General>Quick Links) . . . . . . . . . . 91
About the Rack PDU (Administration>General>About) . . . . . . . . . . . 92

APC Device IP Configuration Wizard--93

Capabilities, Requirements, and Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Use the Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

ii
 How to Export Configuration Settings--96
Retrieving and Exporting the .ini File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
The Upload Event and Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Using the APC Device IP Configuration Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

File Transfers--103
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Upgrading Firmware: Methods and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Verifying Upgrades and Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Product Information--112
Two-Year Factory Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
USER’S GUIDE

Index--115
Switched Rack PDU

iii
 Introduction
Product Description
Features of the Switched Rack PDU
The American Power Conversion (APC®) Switched Rack Power Distribution Unit (PDU)
is a stand-alone, network-manageable device that monitors current and allows
programmable control of eight, sixteen, or twenty-four power outlets (depending on the
model).
USER’S GUIDE

You can manage a Switched Rack PDU through its Web interface, its control console,
the InfraStruXure® Manager, or SNMP:
• Access the Web interface using HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), or using
Switched Rack PDU

HTTPS with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

• Access the control console through a serial connection, Telnet, or Secure SHell
(SSH).
• Use InfraStruXure Manager to monitor and manage your Rack PDU.
• Use an SNMP browser and the APC PowerNet® Management Information Base
(MIB) to manage your Rack PDU.

Switched Rack PDUs have these features:

• Monitors current per phase or bank
• Configurable alarm thresholds that provide network and visual alarms to help you
prevent overloaded circuits
• Independent outlet control
• Configurable power delays
• 24 independent outlet user accounts

1
 • Four levels of user access accounts—Administrator, Device User, Read-Only User,
and Outlet User.
• Event and data logging—the event log is accessible by Telnet, Secure CoPy (SCP),
File Transfer Protocol (FTP), serial connection, or Web browser (using HTTPS
access with SSL, or using HTTP access). The data log is accessible by Web
browser, SCP, and FTP
• E-mail notifications for Rack PDU and system events
• SNMP traps, Syslog messages, and e-mail notifications based on the severity level
or category of Rack PDU and system events
• A selection of security protocols for authentication and encryption
The Rack PDU does not provide power protection. Therefore, APC
USER’S GUIDE

does not recommend plugging a unit directly into any unprotected

power source, such as a wall outlet.
Switched Rack PDU

Initial setup

You must define three TCP/IP settings for the Switched Rack PDU before it can
operate on the network.
• IP address of the Rack PDU
• Subnet mask
• IP address of the default gateway
Do not use the loopback address (127.0.0.1) as the default
gateway address. It disables the Switched Rack PDU and
requires you to reset TCP/IP settings to their defaults using a local
serial login.

To configure the TCP/IP settings, see the Installation and Quick Start
manual provided as a PDF file on the Switched Rack PDU Utility CD,
and as a printed manual.

2
 To use a DHCP server to configure the TCP/IP settings at a Rack
PDU, see TCP/IP and Communication Settings.

Access Procedures
Overview
The Switched Rack PDU has two internal interfaces (control console and Web
interface) that allow you to manage the Rack PDU.

For more information about the internal user interfaces, see Control
Console and Web Interface.
USER’S GUIDE

The SNMP interface also allows you to use a SNMP browser with the PowerNet
Management Information Base (MIB) to manage the Rack PDU.
Switched Rack PDU

To use the PowerNet MIB with a SNMP browser, see the PowerNet
SNMP Management Information Base (MIB) Reference Guide, which
is provided on the Switched Rack PDU Utility CD.

Access priority for logging on

Only one user at a time can log on to the Switched Rack PDU. The priority for access,
beginning with the highest priority, is as follows:
• Local access to the control console from a computer with a direct serial connection to
the Rack PDU.
• Telnet or Secure SHell (SSH) access to the control console from a remote computer.
• Web access, either directly or through the InfraStruXure Manager.
See SNMP for information about how SNMP access to the
Switched Rack PDU is controlled.

3
 Types of user accounts
The Rack PDU has four levels of access (Administrator, Device User, Read-Only User,
and Outlet User), which are protected by user name and password requirements.
• An Administrator can use all of the menus in the Web interface and control console.
The default user name and password are both apc.
• A Device User can access only the following:
– In the Web interface, the menus on the Device Manager tab and the event and
data logs, accessible under the Events and Data headings on the left navigation
menu of the Logs tab.
– In the control console, the equivalent features and options. A Device User can also
access the event log in the control console by pressing CTRL+L.
USER’S GUIDE

The default user name is device, and the default password is apc.
• A Read-Only User has the following restricted access:
– Access through the Web interface only.
Switched Rack PDU

– Access to the same menus as a Device User, but without the capability to change
configurations, control devices, delete data, or use file transfer options. Links to
configuration options are visible but are disabled, and the event and data logs
display no button to clear the log.
The default user name is readonly, and the default password is apc.
• An Outlet User has the following restricted access:
– Access through the Web interface and control console.
– Access to the same menus as a Device User, but with limited capability to change
configurations, control devices, delete data, or use file transfer options. Links to
configuration options are visible but are disabled except for the Outlet Control
menu option that allows the user to access the assigned outlets as defined by the
Administrator, and the event and data logs display no button to clear the log.

The user name and password are defined by the Administrator during the process of
adding a new Outlet user.

4
 To set User Name and Password values for Administrator, Device
User, and Read-Only Users accounts, see Setting user access
(Administration>Security>Local Users>options).

You must use the Web interface to configure values for the
Read-Only User and Outlet User.

Recover From a Lost Password

You can use a local computer, a computer that connects to the Rack PDU or other
device through the serial port, to access the control console.
USER’S GUIDE

1. Select a serial port at the local computer, and disable any service that uses that
port.
2. Connect the serial cable (APC part number 940-0144A) to the selected port on
Switched Rack PDU

the computer and to the configuration port at the Rack PDU.

3. Run a terminal program (such as HyperTerminal®) and configure the selected
port for 9600 bps, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, and no flow control.
4. Press ENTER, repeatedly if necessary, to display the User Name prompt. If you
are unable to display the User Name prompt, verify the following:
– The serial port is not in use by another application.
– The terminal settings are correct as specified in step 3.
– The correct cable is being used as specified in step 2.
5. Press the Reset button. The Status LED will flash alternately orange and green.
Press the Reset button a second time immediately while the LED is flashing to
reset the user name and password to their defaults temporarily.
6. Press ENTER as many times as necessary to redisplay the User Name prompt,
then use the default, apc, for the user name and password. (If you take longer
than 30 seconds to log on after the User Name prompt is redisplayed, you must
repeat step 5 and log on again.)

5
 7. From the Control Console menu, select System, then User Manager.
8. Select Administrator, and change the User Name and Password settings,
both of which are now defined as apc.
9. Press CTRL+C, log off, reconnect any serial cable you disconnected, and restart
any service you disabled.

Upgrading Firmware through a Serial Connection

For a complete description of how to download a firmware upgrade
for your Rack PDU, see Upgrading Firmware: Methods and Tools.
That section also explains how to use network-based file transfer
USER’S GUIDE

tools, which complete a firmware upgrade more quickly than the

XMODEM protocol described here, which uses a serial connection.

An administrator can use a local computer that connects to the Rack PDU through the
Switched Rack PDU

serial port, on the front panel of the unit, to upgrade the firmware for the Rack PDU.
1. Select a serial port at the local computer, and disable any service which uses
that port.
2. Use the supplied serial cable (APC part number 940-0144A) to connect the
selected port to the serial port on the front panel of the Rack PDU.
3. Run a terminal program (such as HyperTerminal) and configure the selected
port for 9600 bps, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, and no flow control. Save the
changes.
4. Press ENTER, repeatedly if necessary, to display the User Name prompt.
5. Enter your user name and password (both apc, by default) and press the
ENTER key.
6. From the Control Console menu, select, in order, System, Tools, File
Transfer, and XMODEM.
7. At the prompt Perform transfer with XMODEM-CRC? type YES, and press
ENTER.

6
 8. The system will then prompt you to choose a transfer rate and to change your
terminal settings to match the transfer rate. Press ENTER to set the Switched
Rack PDU to accept the download.
9. In the terminal program, send the file using the XMODEM protocol. When the
transfer finishes, the console will prompt you to restore the baud rate to normal.

Do not interrupt the download.

Upgrading the firmware will not interfere with the operation of the
outlets. The Rack PDU will restart when the download is
complete.
USER’S GUIDE
Switched Rack PDU

7
 Front Panel
Single-phase

- OK
- Warning Link - Rx/Tx
- Overload 10 /100

Status

Press and hold

USER’S GUIDE

to invert display

Reset Serial Port

Switched Rack PDU

B1 B2 - OK
TOTAL - Warning Link - Rx/Tx
- Overload 10/100

Status
Amps
Amps

Amps Switched Rack PDU

Reset
Serial Port

8
 Three-phase
Three-phase Switched Rack PDUs have one of the following front panels:

- OK Press to
- Warning L1 L2 L3 select line. Link - Rx/Tx
- Overload Press and hold 10 /100
to invert display.

Amps
Status

Amps
USER’S GUIDE

Reset Serial Port

Switched Rack PDU

- OK Press to
- Warning B3 B2 B1 select bank. Link - Rx/Tx
- Overload Press and hold 10/100
to invert display.
Amps

Status
Amps

Switched Rack PDU

Reset Serial Port

9
 Item Function

 Load Indicator LED Identifies overload and warning conditions for the
displayed phase, bank, or outlet. See Load
indicator LED.

 Input Selector On 3-phase models, press the input selector to

monitor the current of the next phase or bank.
For either 1- or 3-phase units, press and hold the
input selector to display the IP address of the Rack
PDU or to invert the display. At five seconds, the IP
address is displayed; at ten seconds, the displayed
numbers invert.
USER’S GUIDE

 10/100 Base-T Connector Connects the Rack PDU to the network.

 Status LED See Status LED.

Switched Rack PDU

 Link-RX/TX LED See Link-RX/TX (10/100) LED.

 RJ-12 Serial Port Connects the Rack PDU to a terminal emulator

program for local access to the control console. Use
the supplied serial cable (APC part number
940-0144A).

 Digital Display Displays the current (amps) for the phase or bank
indicated by the illuminated Load Indicator LED. On
3-phase models, the Digital Display will cycle
through the phases, banks, or outlets, displaying
the current for each for 3 seconds.
If an internal communication or power supply failure
occurs (for either a 1- or 3-phase model), the Digital
Display displays Er, which you can clear by
pressing the input selector.

 Reset Button Resets the Rack PDU without effecting the outlet
status.
Warning: Do not press the Input Selector button at
any time while the unit is rebooting, this will effect
the status of the outlets.
10
 Link-RX/TX (10/100) LED
This LED indicates the network status.

Condition Description

Off The device that connects the Rack PDU to the network is off or
not operating correctly.
Flashing Green The Rack PDU is receiving data packets from the network at 10
Megabits per second (Mbps).
Flashing Orange The Rack PDU is receiving data packets from the network at
100 Megabits per second (Mbps).
Solid Green or The Rack PDU is not receiving any network traffic.
USER’S GUIDE

Orange

Status LED
Switched Rack PDU

This LED indicates the network status of the Rack PDU.

Condition Description

Off The Rack PDU has no power.

Solid Green The Rack PDU has valid TCP/IP settings.
Flashing Green The Rack PDU does not have valid TCP/IP settings.†
Solid Orange A hardware failure has been detected in the Rack PDU. Contact
APC Worldwide Customer Support.
Flashing Orange The Rack PDU is making BOOTP requests.
Flashing Orange and The Rack PDU is making DHCP requests.
Green (alternating)

† If you do not use a BOOTP or DHCP server, see the Installation and Quick Start manual,
provided as a PDF on the Switched Rack PDU Utility CD, to configure the TCP/IP settings.

11
 Load indicator LED
The load indicator LED identifies overload and warning conditions for the displayed
phase or bank.

Condition Description

Solid Green The current of the displayed phase or bank is under normal
conditions and is between Near Lowload and Near Overload
thresholds.
Yellow The displayed phase or bank is in a Near Overload Warning
condition. The current is above the Near Overload Warning
threshold.
Red The displayed phase or bank is in an Overload condition. The
USER’S GUIDE

current is above the Overload Alarm threshold.

Watchdog Features
Switched Rack PDU

Overview
To detect internal problems and recover from unanticipated inputs, the Rack PDU uses
internal, system-wide watchdog mechanisms. When it restarts itself to recover from an
internal problem, a System: Warmstart event is recorded in the event log.

Network interface watchdog mechanism

The Rack PDU implements internal watchdog mechanisms to protect itself from
becoming inaccessible over the network. For example, if the Rack PDU does not
receive any network traffic for 9.5 minutes (either direct traffic, such as SNMP, or
broadcast traffic, such as an Address Resolution Protocol [ARP] request), it assumes
that there is a problem with its network interface and restarts itself.

12
 Resetting the network timer
To ensure that the Rack PDU does not restart if the network is quiet for 9.5 minutes, the
Rack PDU attempts to contact the Default Gateway every 4.5 minutes. If the gateway is
present, it responds to the Rack PDU, and that response restarts the 9.5-minute timer.
If your application does not require or have a gateway, specify the IP address of a
computer that is running on the network most of the time and is on the same subnet.
The network traffic of that computer will restart the 9.5-minute timer frequently enough
to prevent the Rack PDU from restarting.
USER’S GUIDE
Switched Rack PDU

13
 Control Console
Log On
Overview
You can use either a local (serial) connection, or a remote (Telnet or SSH) connection
to access the control console.

Use case-sensitive User Name and Password entries to log on (by default, apc and
apc for an Administrator, or device and apc for a Device User). A Read-Only User has
USER’S GUIDE

no access to the control console.

If you cannot remember your user name or password, see

Switched Rack PDU

Recover From a Lost Password.

Remote access to the control console

You can access the control console through Telnet or Secure SHell (SSH). Telnet is
enabled by default. Enabling SSH disables Telnet.

To enable or disable these access methods:

• In the Web interface, on the Administration tab, select Network on the top menu
bar, and then the access option under Console on the left navigation menu.
• In the control console, use the Telnet/SSH option of the Network menu.

Telnet for basic access. Telnet provides the basic security of authentication by user
name and password, but not the high-security benefits of encryption. To use Telnet to
access the control console:
1. From a computer on the same network as the Rack PDU, at a command
prompt, type telnet and the System IP address for the Rack PDU (for
example telnet 139.225.6.133, when the Rack PDU uses the default Telnet
port of 23), and press ENTER. 14
 If the PDU uses a non-default port number (from 5000 to 32768), you must
include a colon or a space, depending on your Telnet client, between the IP
address (or DNS name) and the port number.
2. Enter the user name and password (by default, apc and apc for an
Administrator, or device and apc for a Device User).

SSH for high-security access. If you use the high security of SSL for the Web
interface, use Secure SHell (SSH) for access to the control console. SSH encrypts user
names, passwords and transmitted data. The interface, user accounts, and user
access rights are the same whether you access the control console through SSH or
Telnet, but to use SSH, you must first configure SSH and have a SSH client program
installed on your computer.
USER’S GUIDE

Local access to the control console

For local access, use a computer connected by serial cable to the Rack PDU through
Switched Rack PDU

the serial port on the front panel of the unit:

1. Select a serial port at the local computer, and disable any service that uses that
port.
2. Use the supplied serial cable (APC part number 940-0144A) to connect the
selected port to the serial port on the front panel of the Rack PDU.
3. Run a terminal program (such as HyperTerminal) and configure the selected
port for 9600 bps, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, and no flow control. Save the
changes.
4. Press ENTER, and at the prompts, enter your user name and password.

15
 Main Screen
Example main screen
The main screen that is displayed when you log on to the control console of a Rack
PDU:

User Name : apc

Password : ***

American Power Conversion Network Management Card AOS vx.x.x

(c) Copyright 2006 All Rights Reserved Rack PDU APP vx.x.x
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name : MS3 Test Unit Date : 12/11/2006
USER’S GUIDE

Contact : Bill Cooper Time : 10:16:58

Location : Testing Lab User : Administrator
Up Time : 0 Days 0 Hours 43 Minutes Stat : P+ N+ A+

Switched Rack PDU: Communication Established

Switched Rack PDU

------- Control Console -------------------------------------------------------

1- Device Manager
2- Network
3- System
4- Logout

<ESC>- Main Menu, <ENTER>- Refresh, <CTRL-L>- Event Log

16
 Information and status fields
Main screen information fields.
• Two fields identify the APC operating system (AOS) and application (APP) firmware
versions. The application firmware name identifies the type of device that connects to
the network. In the preceding example, the application firmware for the Rack PDU is
displayed.
Network Management Card AOS vx.x.x
Rack PDU APP vx.x.x

• Three fields identify the system name, contact person, and location of the Rack PDU.
(In the control console, use the System menu to set these values.)
Name : MS3 Test Unit
USER’S GUIDE

Contact : Bill Cooper

Location : Testing Lab
• An Up Time field reports how long the Rack PDU has been running since it was last
reset or since power was applied.
Switched Rack PDU

Up Time : 0 Days 0 Hours 43 Minutes

• Two fields identify when you logged on, by date and time.
Date : 12/11/2006
Time : 10:16:58

• A User field identifies whether you logged in through the Administrator or Device
User account. (The Read-Only User account cannot access the control console.)
User : Administrator

17
 Main screen status fields.
• A Stat field reports the Rack PDU status.
Stat : P+ N+ A+

P+ The APC operating system (AOS) is functioning properly.

N+ The network is functioning properly.
N? A BOOTP request cycle is in progress.
N– The Rack PDU failed to connect to the network.
N! Another device is using the IP address of the Rack PDU.
A+ The application is functioning properly.
USER’S GUIDE

A– The application has a bad checksum.

A? The application is initializing.
A! The application is not compatible with the AOS.
Switched Rack PDU

If P+ is not displayed, contact APC support staff. See APC

Worldwide Customer Support.

• A Rack PDU model and name field reports the operating status of the Rack PDU.
Switched Rack PDU: Communication Established

18
 Control Console Menus
How to use control console menus
The menus in the control console list options by number and name. To use an option,
type the option’s number, press ENTER, and follow any on-screen instructions. If you
use an option that changes a setting or value, select Accept Changes to save your
change before you exit the menu.

While in a menu, you can also do the following:

• Type ? and press ENTER to access brief menu option descriptions (if the menu has
help available).
• Press ENTER to refresh the menu.
USER’S GUIDE

• Press ESC to go back to the menu from which you accessed the current menu.
• Press CTRL+C to return to the main (Control Console) menu.
Switched Rack PDU

• Press CTRL+L to access the event log (Administrator and Device Manager only).
For information about the event log, see Indirect Notification
Through Logs or Queries.

Main Menu
Use the main Control Console menu to access the control console’s management
features:
1- Device Manager
2- Network
3- System
4- Logout

When you log on as Device Manager or Outlet User, (equivalent to

Device User in the Web interface), you can access only the Device
Manager menus and the Logout menu.

19
 Device Manager option
Select the Device Manager menu then select the components to manage from this
menu. To perform any of the following tasks, see Device and Outlet Management
Menus:
• Configure the load thresholds for each phase or bank.
• Configure and control the outlets.
• View the status of the power supply.

Network option
To perform any of the following tasks, see Administration: Network Features:
• Configure the TCP/IP settings for the Rack PDU or, when the Rack PDU will obtain
USER’S GUIDE

its TCP/IP settings from a server, configure the settings for the type of server (DHCP
or BOOTP) to be used.
• Use the Ping utility.
Switched Rack PDU

• Define settings that affect the FTP, Telnet, Web interface and SSL, SNMP, e-mail,
DNS, and Syslog features of the Switched Rack PDU.
• Enable or disable the ISX Protocol.

System option
To perform any of the following tasks, see Administration: General Options:
• Control Administrator and Device Manager access. (You can control Read-Only
User access by using the Web interface only.)
• Define the Name, Contact, and Location values for the system.
• Set the date and time used by the Rack PDU.
• Through the Tools option:
– Restart the Rack PDU.
– Reset parameters to their default values.
– Delete SSH host keys and SSL certificates.

20
 – Upload an initialization file (.ini file) that has been downloaded from another Rack
PDU. The current Rack PDU then uses the values in that .ini file to configure its
own settings.
• Access and configure RADIUS information.
• Access system information about the Rack PDU.
USER’S GUIDE
Switched Rack PDU

21
 Web Interface
Introduction
Supported Web browsers

You can use Microsoft® Internet Explorer (IE) 5.5 and higher (on Windows® operating
systems only), Firefox, version 1.x, by Mozilla Corporation (on all operating systems),
or Netscape® 7.x and higher (on all operating systems) to access the Rack PDU
through its Web interface. Other commonly available browsers also may work but have
USER’S GUIDE

not been fully tested by APC.

In addition, the Rack PDU cannot work with a proxy server. Therefore, before you can
use a Web browser to access its Web interface, you must do one of the following:
Switched Rack PDU

• Configure the Web browser to disable the use of a proxy server for the Rack PDU.
• Configure the proxy server so that it does not proxy the specific IP address of the
Rack PDU.

Log On
Overview
You can use the DNS name or System IP address of the Switched Rack PDU for the
URL address of the Web interface. Use your case-sensitive user name and password
settings to log on. The default user name differs by account type:
• apc for an Administrator
• device for a Device Manager
• readonly for a Read-Only User
The default password is apc for all three account types.

22
 There is no default password for Outlet User accounts. (An Administrator must define
the password and other account characteristics for an Outlet User.)
If you are using HTTPS as your access protocol, your login credentials
are compared with information in a server certificate. If the certificate
was created with the APC Security Wizard, and an IP address was
specified as the common name in the certificate, you must use an IP
address to log on to the Rack PDU. If a DNS name was specified as
the common name on the certificate, you must use a DNS name to log
on.

See Web (Administration>Network>Web>options) to select, enable,

and disable the protocols that control access to the Web interface and
USER’S GUIDE

to define the Web-server ports for the protocols.

For information about the Web page that appears when you log on to
Switched Rack PDU

the Web interface, see Home Page.

URL address formats

Type the Rack PDU DNS name or IP address in the Web browser’s URL address field
and press ENTER. When you specify a non-default Web server port in Internet Explorer,
you must include http:// or https:// in the URL.

Common browser error messages at login.

Error Message
Cause of the Error Browser

“You are not authorized to view this page” Someone else is Internet
or “Someone is currently logged in...” logged on Explorer,
Netscape,
Firefox

23
 Error Message
Cause of the Error Browser

“The connection was refused...” Web access is Netscape

disabled, or the URL
“This page cannot be displayed.” was not correct Internet
Explorer
“Unable to connect.” Firefox

URL format examples.

• For a DNS name of Web1, the entry would be one of the following:
–http://Web1 if HTTP is your access mode
USER’S GUIDE

–https://Web1 if HTTPS (HTTP with SSL) is your access mode

• For a System IP address of 139.225.6.133, when the Rack PDU uses the default port
(80) at the Web server, the entry would be one of the following:
Switched Rack PDU

–http://139.225.6.133 if HTTP is your access mode

–https//139.225.6.133 if HTTPS is your access mode
• For a System IP address of 139.225.6.133, when the Rack PDU uses a non-default
port (5000, in this example) at the Web server, the entry would be one of the
following:
–http://139.225.6.133:5000 if HTTP is your access mode
–https://139.225.6.133:5000 if HTTPS (HTTP with SSL) is your access
mode

24
 Tabs, Menus, and Links
Tabs
In addition to the tab for the Home page, the following tabs are displayed. Click a tab to
display a set of menu options:
• Device Manager: Display Rack PDU status, issue Rack PDU control commands,
configure Rack PDU parameters, run diagnostic tests, configure and schedule
shutdowns, control and configure outlets, assign external device Web links to
outlets, modify outlet group configurations, configure outlet schedules and actions,
and create and maintain Outlet Users.
• Logs: View and configure event and data logs.
USER’S GUIDE

• Administration: Configure security, network connection, notification, and general

settings.

Menus
Switched Rack PDU

Left navigation menu. Each tab (except the tab for the home page) has a left
navigation menu, consisting of headings and options:
• If a heading has indented option names below it, the heading itself is not a
navigational link. Click an option to display or configure parameters.
• If a heading has no indented option names, the heading itself is the navigational link.
Click the heading to display or configure parameters.

Top menu bar. The Home and Administration tabs have a selection of menu options
on the top menu bar. The Security option is selected by default when you click the
Administration tab and the Overview option is selected when you click the Home tab.

Clicking an option on the top menu bar displays the left navigation menu for that option,
with the first menu item selected by default.

Quick Links
See Configure Links (Administration>General>Quick Links) to access
the menu to three configurable links that are shown at the lower left on
25
each page of the Web interface.
 Home Page
Overview
On the Home page of the interface, displayed when you log on, you can view active
alarm conditions and the most recent events recorded in the event log.

Quick status icons

At the upper right corner of every page, one or more icons and accompanying text
indicate the current operating status of the Rack PDU:
USER’S GUIDE

Critical: A critical alarm exists, which requires immediate action.

Switched Rack PDU

Warning: An alarm condition requires attention and could jeopardize

your data or equipment if its cause is not addressed.

No Alarms: No alarms are present, and the Rack PDU is operating

normally.

The Web interface displays the same icons currently displayed on the Home page to
report Rack PDU status:
• The No Alarms icon if no alarms exist.
• One or both of the other icons (Critical and Warning) if any alarms exist, and after
each icon, the number of active alarms of that severity.

To return to the Home page to view its summary of Rack PDU status, including the
active alarms, click a quick status icon on any page of the interface.

26
 Active Alarms
The Active Alarms section displays any alarms present. If no alarms are present, “No
Device-Level Alarms Present” will be displayed. If an alarm is present, the alarm and its
description will be displayed. Click the displayed alarm to view the Device Alarm
Status page, which includes a description and severity level for each alarm present.
The Device Alarm Status page can also be accessed through the Home page top
menu bar.

Load Status
On the Home page, Load Status displays a graph depicting the current load status of
the Rack PDU. The colors green, yellow, and red signify the Load Thresholds set by
USER’S GUIDE

the user. The graphic is accompanied by the measurement of the load in Amps, and a
link to Load Management in the Device Manager tab.
Switched Rack PDU

Outlet Status
The Outlet Status section shows the outlet’s number, phase or bank (for 3-phase
models), state (on or off), and name of the outlet.

Switched Rack PDU Parameters

The Switched Rack PDU Parameters section displays the name, contact information,
location of the PDU, its current rating, the type of user account accessing the Rack
PDU, and the amount of time the Rack PDU has been operating.

Recent Device Events

On the Home page, Recent Device Events displays, in reverse chronological order,
the events that occurred most recently and the dates and times they occurred. Click
More Events to view the entire event log.

27
 Additional information on Home page
The IP address displays in the upper left corner.

A context-sensitive Help link and Log off link are displayed in the upper right corner of
every page.

Selecting a menu to perform a task

• To do the following, see Configure Load Thresholds:
– Configure the overload thresholds for each phase or bank.
– Set the Name, Location, and Coldstart Delay for the Rack PDU.
– Set the names and associated Web links for the outlets.
USER’S GUIDE

• To do the following, see Configure and Control Outlet Groups

– Apply power to and remove power from the outlets.
– Set Power On Delay, Power Off Delay, and Reboot Duration for the outlets.
Switched Rack PDU

– Set the names and associated links for the outlets.

– Create, enable, and use synchronized outlet groups.
• To do the following, see Configuring event actions:
– Access the event log.
– Configure the actions to be taken based on the severity level of an event.
– Configure SNMP Trap Receiver settings for sending event-based traps.
– Define who receives e-mail notification and Syslog messages for events.
– Test e-mail settings.
• To do the following, see Data log (Logs>Data>options):
– Access the data log.
– Define the log interval (how often data will be sampled and recorded) for the data
log.
• To do the following, see Administration: Network Features:
– Configure new TCP/IP settings for the Rack PDU.

28
 – Identify the Domain Name System (DNS) Server, test its network connection, and
enable or disable DNS Reverse Lookup Event Logging (which logs the domain
name of the device associated with each event).
– Define settings for FTP, Telnet, SSH, HTTP and HTTPS, SNMP, and e-mail.
– Configure the Rack PDU’s Syslog message feature.
• To do the following, see Administration: General Options:
– Control Administrator, Device User, Outlet User, and Read-Only User access.
– Define the system Name, Contact, and Location values.
– Set the date and time used by the Rack PDU.
– Restart the Rack PDU.
– Reset network settings to default settings.
USER’S GUIDE

– Define the URL addresses of the user links and APC logo links in the Web
interface, as described in Configure Links (Administration>General>Quick Links).
Switched Rack PDU

Help menu
Click Help from any Web interface page to view help text for that page.

Switched Rack PDU Settings

Configure Load Thresholds
Web interface.
1. Select the Device Manager tab and then the Load Management left
navigation menu.
2. Set Overload Alarm Threshold, Near Overload Warning Threshold, Low
Load Warning Threshold, and Overload Outlet Restrictions for each phase
or bank.
3. Click Apply in that section to set the selected values.

29
 Control console.
1. Select Phase Management from the Device Manager menu.
2. Select Overload Alarm Threshold (amps), Near Overload Warning
Threshold (amps), or Low Load Warning Threshold (amps).
3. Select Accept Changes.

To set the overload outlet restriction, select Outlet Restriction Configuration on the
Device Manager menu. For 3-phase units, select a phase or bank to display and
change the Outlet Phase/Bank Restriction.

Setting Description

Overload Alarm Set the number of amps that will cause an overload of this phase
USER’S GUIDE

Threshold or bank.
Near Overload Set the number of amps at which to generate a warning that the
Warning Threshold Rack PDU is nearing overload of a phase or bank.
Switched Rack PDU

Low Load Warning Set the low threshold, in amps, for the current drawn from this
Threshold phase or bank during normal operation. A load below this level
generates a warning, if the load is equal to this threshold, a
warning alarm is not generated.
Overload Outlet Prevent users from applying power to outlets during an overload
Restriction condition. You can set the following restrictions for each outlet:
• None: You can apply power to outlets regardless of an Overload
Alarm or Near Overload Warning.
• On Warning: You cannot apply power to an outlet on the
selected phase or bank if the current for that phase or bank has
exceeded the Near Overload Warning threshold.
• On Overload: You cannot apply power to an outlet on the
selected phase or bank if the current for that phase or bank has
exceeded the Overload Alarm threshold.
Coldstart Delay The time that the Switched Rack PDU delays applying power to
the outlets after AC power has been applied to the Rack PDU.

30
 Configure Device Settings
Web interface. Select the Administration tab and select General from the top menu
bar. Select Identification from the left navigation menu to configure the Device Name,
Device Contact, and Device Location fields for the Rack PDU (which are equivalent
to the Name and Location fields in the control console).

Control console.
To change the Contact field (the name of the person to contact about
the Rack PDU) in addition to the Name and Location fields in the
control console, see Administration: General Options.
USER’S GUIDE

Setting Description

Name Set the name of the Rack PDU.

Switched Rack PDU

Location Set the location of the Rack PDU.

Contact Set the name of the person to contact about the Rack PDU.

View Power Supply Status (control console only)

Select Power Supply Status from the Device Manager menu to display the status of
the power supply for the Switched Rack PDU.

31
 Device and Outlet Management Menus
Device Manager Tab
The Device Manager tab contains load and outlet configurations and settings for your
Rack PDU. The Load Management option is selected by default.

Load management

The top menu bar option Load Management displays the current load status and
configurable fields to set the Load Thresholds for the banks or phases of the Rack
USER’S GUIDE

PDU.

The current load of the Rack PDU is displayed as a graph. The graph is accompanied
Switched Rack PDU

by the measurement of the load in Amps. Alarms associated with the current load are
displayed next to the graph.

The following alarms can be set through the Load Management menu: Overload
Alarm, Near Overload Warning, Low Load Warning, Overload Outlet Restriction,
and Cold Start Delay.

32
 Configure and Control Outlet Groups
Outlet group terminology
An outlet group consists of outlets that are logically linked together on the same
Switched Rack PDU. Outlets that are in an outlet group turn on, turn off, and reboot in a
synchronized manner:
• A local outlet group consists of two or more outlets on a Switched Rack PDU. Only
the outlets in that group are synchronized.
• A global outlet group consists of one or more outlets on a Switched Rack PDU.
One outlet is configured as a global outlet, which logically links the outlet group to
outlet groups on up to three other Switched Rack PDUs. All outlets in the linked
USER’S GUIDE

global outlet groups are synchronized.

– For global outlet groups, the initiator outlet group is the group that issued the
action.
Switched Rack PDU

– For global outlet groups, a follower outlet group is any other outlet group that is
synchronized with the initiator outlet group.

When you apply an outlet control action to outlets that are members of an outlet group,
the outlets are synchronized as follows:
• For a global outlet group, use the delay periods and reboot duration configured for
the global outlet of the initiator outlet group.
• For a local outlet group, the outlets use the delay periods and reboot duration of the
lowest-numbered outlet in the group.

33
 Purpose and benefits of outlet groups
By using groups of synchronized outlets on Switched Rack PDUs, you can ensure that
outlets turn on, turn off, and reboot in a synchronized manner. Synchronizing control
group actions through outlet groups provides the following benefits.
• Synchronized shutdown and startup of the power supplies of dual-corded servers
prevents erroneous reporting of power supply failures during a planned system
shutdown or reboot.
• Synchronizing outlets by using outlet groups provides more precise shutdown and
restart timing than relying on the delay periods of individual outlets.
• A global outlet is visible to the user interfaces of the Switched Rack PDUs to which it
is linked.
USER’S GUIDE
Switched Rack PDU

34
 System requirements for outlet groups
To set up and use synchronized outlet control groups:
• You need a 10/100Base-T TCP/IP network, with an Ethernet hub or switch that has a
power source not shared by the computers or other devices being synchronized.
• If outlet groups are to be synchronized across multiple Switched Rack PDUs, those
Switched Rack PDUs must meet the following requirements:
– They must be on the same subnet.
– They must use firmware that has the same version number, which must be 3.3.1 or
higher for both the APC Operating System (AOS) module and the application
module.
• You need a computer that can initiate synchronized control operations through the
USER’S GUIDE

Web interface or control console of the Switched Rack PDUs or through SNMP.
• Outlet groups you synchronize must have the same Multicast IP address. Make sure
each Ethernet switch that connects Switched Rack PDUs allows Multicast network
Switched Rack PDU

traffic for that Multicast IP address.

35
 Rules for configuring outlet groups
For a system that uses outlet groups, the following rules apply:
• A Switched Rack PDU can have more than one outlet group, but an outlet can belong
to only one outlet group.
• A local outlet group, which has no global outlet, must consist of two or more outlets.
• You can synchronize a global outlet group on one Switched Rack PDU with a global
outlet group on each of three other Switched Rack PDUs.
– In a global outlet group, you can designate only one outlet to be a global outlet,
linking to outlet groups on other Switched Rack PDUs for the purpose of
synchronization. That global outlet can be the only outlet in its group, or the group
can consist of multiple outlets.
USER’S GUIDE

– To link outlet groups on Switched Rack PDUs for synchronization, those Switched
Rack PDUs must have the same Device Multicast Name and Device Multicast
Address and be running the same version of Switched Rack PDU firmware.
Switched Rack PDU

– A global outlet of one outlet group must have the same physical outlet number as
the global outlet of any other outlet group to which it links.
• To create and configure outlet groups, you must use the Web interface or export
configuration file (.ini file) settings from a configured Switched Rack PDU. The control
console lets you display whether an outlet is a member of an outlet group and lets
you apply control actions to an outlet group, but the control console does not let you
set up or configure an outlet group.

36
 Enable outlet groups
Click the Device Manager tab and select Group Configuration from the Outlet
Groups left navigation menu. Configure the following parameters, and click Apply.

Enable creation of outlet groups.

Parameter Description

Device Level To create an outlet group, you must enable this parameter. It is
Outlet Group disabled by default.

Enable support for global outlet groups (linked groups).

Parameter Description
USER’S GUIDE

Multicast Name To link outlet groups on multiple Switched Rack PDUs, you must
define the same Multicast name and Multicast IP address on each
Multicast IP of those Rack PDUs.
Switched Rack PDU

NOTE: A maximum of four devices can be configured with the

same Multicast name and Multicast IP address.

Enabling encryption and authentication of outlet groups.

Parameter Description

Authentication A phrase of 15 to 32 ASCII characters that verifies that the device

Phrase is communicating with other devices, that the message has not
been changed during transmission, and that the message was
communicated in a timely manner, indicating that it was not
delayed and that it was not copied and sent again later at an
inappropriate time.
Encryption Phrase A phrase of 15 to 32 ASCII characters that ensures the privacy of
the data (by means of encryption).

37
 Setting outlet group port.
Parameter Description

Outlet Group Port The port number on which the device will communicate with other
devices.

Devices wishing to synchronize with Outlet Groups on other

devices must all have the same Authentication Phrase, Encryption
Phrase, and Group Port number. The values are hidden to the
user.
USER’S GUIDE

Create a local outlet group (Web interface)

1. From the Device Manager tab, select Information from the Outlet Groups left
Switched Rack PDU

navigation menu.
2. Make sure outlet groups are enabled.

See Enable outlet groups.

3. Click Create Local Outlet Group.

4. Under Configure Local Outlet Group, select each outlet that will be in the
group and assign the group a name in the Outlet Group Name field. You must
select at least two outlets.

Create multiple global outlet groups (Web interface)

To set up multiple global outlet groups that link to outlet groups on other Switched Rack
PDUs:
1. From the Device Manager tab, select Information from the Outlet Groups left
navigation menu.
2. Make sure outlet groups are enabled and that the Multicast parameters (name
38
 and IP address) are the same for all Rack PDUs to be linked.

See Enable outlet groups.

3. Click Create Global Outlet Groups.

4. For each global outlet group you create, select an outlet by clicking on its
checkbox. Then click Apply. For example, select five outlets to create five
outlet groups, each consisting of one global outlet.
5. To add outlets to any of the global outlet groups you created, see Edit or delete
an outlet group.

Edit or delete an outlet group

USER’S GUIDE

1. From the Device Manager tab, select Information from the Outlet Groups left
navigation menu.
Switched Rack PDU

2. Under Configured Outlet Groups, click on the number or name of the outlet
group to edit or delete.
3. When editing an outlet group you can do any of the following:
–Rename the outlet group.
–Add or remove outlets by clicking the checkboxes to mark or unmark them.

You cannot remove an outlet from an outlet group that contains

only two outlets unless the remaining outlet is a global outlet.

4. To delete the outlet group, click Delete Outlet Group.

39
 Typical outlet group configurations
The following configuration shows two Switched Rack PDUs, each with eight outlet
groups. Each outlet group consists of a single global outlet. Each outlet group  on the
first Switched Rack PDU is linked to the outlet group  in the same location on the
second Switched Rack PDU. One power cord of a dual-corded server  is connected
to each outlet on the first Switched Rack PDU, and its other cord is connected to the
corresponding outlet on the second Switched Rack PDU, ensuring that output power
from both power sources to the server will turn on or off in a synchronized manner in
response to an outlet control action.

ٛ
USER’S GUIDE
Switched Rack PDU

40
 The following configuration shows three sets of synchronized outlets. Global outlets are
shown in black. Outlet groups are enclosed in red rectangles.

 These four global outlet groups synchronize a total of 19 outlets.

 These two global outlet groups synchronize 6 outlets, 2 in one group and 4 in the
other.

 This local outlet group synchronizes 3 outlets on the same Switched Rack PDU.

ٛ
USER’S GUIDE
Switched Rack PDU

41
 Verify your setup and configuration for global outlet groups
To ensure that your setup meets all system requirements for outlet groups and that you
have configured the outlet groups correctly, select Information from the Outlet
Groups left navigation menu in the Web interface to view the groups and their
connections:
• The Configured Outlet Groups section displays the following:
– All configured outlet groups on the current Switched Rack PDU.
– The outlets in each group by outlet number.
– Any outlet groups on other Switched Rack PDUs with which a global outlet group is
synchronized. Each Switched Rack PDU is identified by its IP address, and each
global outlet is displayed in bold text.
USER’S GUIDE

• The Global Outlet Overview section displays the following:

– The IP address of the current Switched Rack PDU.
– The IP address of any Switched Rack PDUs that contain global outlets that are
Switched Rack PDU

available to be synchronized with outlet groups on other Switched Rack PDUs.

– All global outlets configured on the Switched Rack PDUs, regardless of whether
they are synchronized with outlet groups on the current Switched Rack PDU.

42
 Outlet Settings for Outlets and Outlet Groups
Initiate a control action
If you apply an outlet control action to outlets or outlet groups, the
following delays are used for the action:
• For an individual outlet (not in an outlet group), the action uses the
delay periods and reboot duration configured for that outlet.
• For a global outlet group, the action uses the delay periods and
reboot duration configured for the global outlet.
• For a local outlet group, the action uses the delay periods configured
USER’S GUIDE

for the lowest-numbered outlet in the group.

Web interface. To control the outlets on your Switched Rack PDU:
1. From the Device Manager tab, select Control from the left navigation menu.
Switched Rack PDU

2. Mark the checkboxes for each individual outlet or outlet group to control, or
select the All Outlets checkbox.
3. Select a Control Action from the list, and click Next >>. On the confirmation
page that explains the action, choose to apply or cancel it.

Control Console. Select Outlet Control/Configuration from the Device Manager

menu to display a list of outlets. For each outlet, the list indicates whether it is a
member of an outlet group.
1. Choose either of the following:
–To control one outlet and the outlet group, if any, to which it belongs, select the
number of the outlet, and then select Control Outlet.
–To control all outlets, select Master Control/Configuration, and then Control of
ALL Outlets.
2. Select a control action.
3. On the confirmation screen that describes the action to be executed, type Yes
at the prompt to perform the action.
43
 Control actions you can select.

Option Description

No Action (Web interface only) Do nothing.

On Immediate Apply power to the selected outlets.
On Delayed Apply power to each selected outlet according to its
value for Power On Delay.†
Off Immediate Remove power from the selected outlets.
Off Delayed Remove power from each selected outlet according to
its value for Power Off Delay.†
Reboot Immediate Remove power from each selected outlet. Then apply
USER’S GUIDE

power to each of these outlets according to its value

for Reboot Duration.†
Reboot Delayed Remove power from each selected outlet according to
Switched Rack PDU

its value for Power Off Delay. Wait until all outlets are
off (the highest value for Reboot Duration), and then
apply power to each outlet according to its value for
Power On Delay. †
Cancel Pending Commands Cancel all commands pending for the selected outlets
(Web Interface) and keep them in their present state.
Cancel (control console) NOTE: For global outlet groups, you can cancel a
command only from the interface of the initiator outlet
group. The action will cancel the command for the
initiator outlet group and all follower outlet groups.

† If a local outlet group is selected, only the configured delays and reboot duration of the lowest-
numbered outlet of the group are used. If a global outlet group is selected, only the configured
delays and reboot duration of the global outlet are used.

44
 Configure outlet settings and the outlet name
Settings that you can configure. The following settings are available in both the
Web interface and control console unless otherwise indicated:

Setting Description

Name (Web Set the name for one or more outlets. The name is displayed next
interface) to the outlet number on status screens.
Outlet Name
(control console)
Link (Web Define an HTTP or HTTPS link to a Web site or IP address.
interface) • http://www.apc.com links the outlet to the home page of the APC
Web site.
USER’S GUIDE

• http://pdu_ip_address, where pdu_ip_address is the IP

address of the Switched Rack PDU and links the outlet to the Web
interface of the Switched Rack PDU at the IP address, enabling
authorized users to log on.
Switched Rack PDU

Power On Delay Set the number of seconds that the Rack PDU waits after a
command is issued before applying power to an outlet.
NOTE: To configure an outlet to remain off at all times, check the
Never checkbox next to Power On Delay in the Web interface, or
configure a value of –1 for Power On Delay in the control console.
Power Off Delay Set the number of seconds that the Rack PDU waits after a
command is issued before removing power from an outlet.
NOTE: To configure an outlet to remain on at all times, check the
Never check box next to Power Off Delay in the Web interface, or
configure a value of –1 for Power Off Delay in the control console.
Reboot Duration Set the number of seconds an outlet remains off before restarting.

45
 Web interface. To configure the outlet settings or outlet names, select the Device
Manager tab and then Configuration from the left navigation menu. Click the
Configure Multiple Outlets button in the Outlet Configuration section or click on the
outlet name.
• Configure outlet settings for multiple outlets:
– Select the checkboxes next to the numbers of the outlets you want to modify, or
select the All Outlets checkbox.
– Enter values for Name and Link, and click the Apply button immediately below the
list.
– Enter values for Power On Delay, Power Off Delay, or Reboot Duration, and
click the Apply button immediately below the list.
USER’S GUIDE

• Configure outlet settings for a single outlet:

– Enter values for Name and Link, and click the Apply button immediately below the
list.
Switched Rack PDU

– Enter values for Power On Delay, Power Off Delay, or Reboot Duration, and
click the Apply button immediately below the list.

Control console. To configure the outlet settings and outlet name:

1. Select Outlet Management from the Device Manager menu.
2. Select Outlet Control/Configuration from the Outlet Management menu.
3. Choose the number of the outlet you want to control, and press ENTER.
4. Choose Configure Outlet to display and change the values for Outlet Name,
Power On Delay, Power Off Delay, and Reboot Duration.

46
 Scheduling Outlet Actions (Web Interface Only)
Actions you can schedule
To configure values for Power On Delay, Power Off Delay, and
Reboot Duration for each outlet, see Configure outlet settings and the
outlet name. Although you must use the Web interface to schedule
outlet actions, you can set these values in either the Web or control
console interfaces.

For an action to be applied to an outlet group, you must have outlet

groups enabled at the beginning of the scheduled action. For example,
USER’S GUIDE

if Off Delayed is scheduled for 4:00 p.m., the Power Off Delay begins
at 4:00 p.m. Even if you then enable outlet groups during that Power
Off Delay before any of the outlets are scheduled to turn off, the
Switched Rack PDU

action will be applied only to the individual outlet and not the outlet
group.
For any outlets you select, you can schedule any of the actions listed in the following
table to occur daily; at intervals of one, two, four, or eight weeks; or only once.

Option Description

No Action Do nothing.
On Immediate Apply power to the selected outlets.
On Delayed Apply power to each selected outlet according to its value for Power
On Delay.†
Off Immediate Remove power from the selected outlets.
Off Delayed Remove power from each selected outlet according to its value for
Power Off Delay.†

† If an outlet group is selected, the configured delays and reboot duration of the lowest-
numbered outlet (for a local outlet group) or of the global outlet (for a global outlet group that
is initiating the action) are used.

47
 Option Description

Reboot PDU Remove power from each selected outlet. Then apply power to
Immediate each of these outlets according to its value for Reboot Duration.†
Reboot PDU Remove power from each selected outlet according to its value for
Delayed Power Off Delay. Wait until all outlets are off (the highest value for
Reboot Duration), and then apply power to each outlet according
to its value for Power On Delay.†

† If an outlet group is selected, the configured delays and reboot duration of the lowest-
numbered outlet (for a local outlet group) or of the global outlet (for a global outlet group that
is initiating the action) are used.
USER’S GUIDE
Switched Rack PDU

48
 Schedule an outlet event
1. At the Web interface, select the Device Manager tab and then Scheduling
from the left navigation menu.
2. On the Outlet Scheduling page, select how often the event will occur (One-
Time, Daily, or Weekly), and click the Next button.

If you select Weekly, you can choose to have the event occur
once every week or once every two, four, or eight weeks.

3. On the Schedule a Daily Action page, in the Name of event text box, replace
the default name, Outlet Event, with a name that will identify your new
event.
USER’S GUIDE

4. Use the drop-down lists to select the type of event and when it will occur.
The date format for one-time events is mm/dd, and the time
Switched Rack PDU

format for all events is hh/mm, with the two-digit hour specified in
24-hour time.
• An event that is scheduled daily or at one of the intervals
available in the Weekly selection continues to occur at the
scheduled interval until the event is deleted or disabled.
• You can schedule a one-time event to occur only on a date
within 12 months of the date on which you perform the
scheduling. For example, on December 26, 2006, you could
schedule a one-time event on any date from the current date
until December 26, 2007.
5. Use the checkboxes to select which outlets will be affected by the action. You
can select one or more individual outlets or All Outlets.
6. Click Apply to confirm the scheduling of the event, or Cancel to clear it.

When you confirm the event, the summary page is re-displayed, with the new event
displayed in the list of scheduled events.

49
 Edit, disable, enable, or delete a scheduled outlet event
1. At the Web interface, select the Device Manager tab and then Scheduling
from the left navigation menu.
2. In the event list in the Scheduled Outlet Action section of the Scheduling
page, click on the name of the event.
3. On the Daily/Weekly scheduled action detail page, you can do any of the
following:
– Change details of the event, such as the name of the event, when it is scheduled to
occur, and which outlets are affected.
– Under Status of event at the top of the page you can perform the following tasks:
• Disable the event, leaving all its details configured so that it can be re-enabled
USER’S GUIDE

later. A disabled event will not occur. An event is enabled by default when you
create it.
• Enable the event, if it was previously set to Disable.
Switched Rack PDU

• Delete the event, removing the event completely from the system. A deleted
event cannot be retrieved.
4. When you finish making changes on this page, click Apply to confirm the
changes or Cancel.

Outlet Manager Menu

Create and configure outlet user accounts. Individual outlets can be assigned a user
with an Outlet User account. An Outlet User account allows control only to the outlets
assigned. The configuration of outlets is allowed to those with Administrator rights. The
Device Manager has limited outlet configuration rights.

Configure outlet user

1. At the Web interface, select the Device Manager tab and then Outlet Manager
from the left navigational menu.
2. Click the Add New User button.
50
 3. Type in the information for the following options and click Apply to confirm the
changes.
Option Description

User Name Set the outlet user name. "New User" is reserved and is not
allowed.
NOTE: A user name in orange indicates the user account has been
disabled.
Password Set the outlet user password.
User Description Set identification/description of outlet user.
Account Status Enable, disable, or delete outlet user's account.
Device outlet Select the outlets the user can access.
USER’S GUIDE

access
Switched Rack PDU

51
 Administration: Security
Local Users
Setting user access (Administration>Security>Local Users>options)
You set the case-sensitive user name and password for each account type in the same
manner. Maximum length of the username is 10 characters and the password is 32
characters.

For information on the permissions granted to each account type

(Administrator, Device User, Outlet User, and Read-Only User), see Types of
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user accounts.

Account Type Default User Name Default Password Permitted Access

Switched Rack PDU

Administrator apc apc Web Interface and Control

Console
Device User device apc
Read-Only User readonly apc Web Interface only

Remote Users
Authentication (Administration>Security>Remote Users>Authentication Method)
Use this option to select how to administer remote access to the Rack PDU.

For information about local authentication (not using the centralized

authentication of a RADIUS server), see the Security Handbook, available on
the APC Switched Rack PDU Utility CD and on the APC Web site at
www.apc.com.

52
 APC supports the authentication and authorization functions of RADIUS (Remote
Authentication Dial-In User Service).
• When a user accesses the Switched Rack PDU or another network-enabled device
that has RADIUS enabled, an authentication request is sent to the RADIUS server to
determine the user’s permission level.
• RADIUS user names used with the Switched Rack PDU are limited to 32 characters.

Select one of the following:

• Local Authentication Only: RADIUS is disabled. Local authentication is enabled.
• RADIUS, then Local Authentication: RADIUS and local authentication are enabled.
Authentication is requested from the RADIUS server first. If RADIUS authentication
fails, local authentication is used.
USER’S GUIDE

• RADIUS Only: RADIUS is enabled. Local authentication is disabled.

If RADIUS Only is selected, and the RADIUS server is unavailable,
Switched Rack PDU

improperly identified, or improperly configured, you must use a serial

connection to the control console and change the Access setting to Local
Authentication Only or RADIUS, then Local Authentication to regain
access.

RADIUS (Administration>Security>Remote Users>RADIUS)

Use this option to do the following:
• List the RADIUS servers (a maximum of two) available to the Switched Rack PDU,
and the time-out period for each.
• Click Add Server, and configure the parameters for authentication by a new RADIUS
server.
• Click a listed RADIUS server to display and modify its parameters.

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 RADIUS Setting Definition

RADIUS Server The server name or IP address of the RADIUS server.

NOTE: RADIUS servers use port 1812 by default to authenticate users.
To use a different port, add a colon followed by the new port number to
the end of the RADIUS server name or IP address.
Secret The shared secret between the RADIUS server and the Rack PDU.
Timeout The time, in seconds, that the Rack PDU waits for a response from the
RADIUS server.
Test Settings Enter the Administrator user name and password to test the RADIUS
server path that you have configured.
Skip Test and Apply Do not test the RADIUS server path.
USER’S GUIDE

Switch Server Change which RADIUS server will authenticate users if two configured
Priority servers are listed and RADIUS, then Local Authentication or
RADIUS Only is the enabled authentication method.
Switched Rack PDU

Configuring the RADIUS Server

Summary of the configuration procedure
You must configure your RADIUS server to work with the Rack PDU.

For examples of the RADIUS users file with Vendor Specific Attributes (VSAs)
and an example of an entry in the dictionary file on the RADIUS server, see
the APC Security Handbook.
1. Add the IP address of the Rack PDU to the RADIUS server client list (file).
2. Users must be configured with Service-Type attributes unless Vendor Specific
Attributes (VSAs) are defined. If no Service-Type attributes are configured,
users will have read-only access (on the Web interface only).

See your RADIUS server documentation for information about the

RADIUS users file, and see the APC Security Handbook for an example.

54
 3. Vendor Specific Attributes (VSAs) can be used instead of the Service-Type
attributes provided by the RADIUS server. VSAs require a dictionary entry and
a RADIUS users file. In the dictionary file, define the names for the ATTRIBUTE
and VALUE keywords, but not for the numeric values. If you change numeric
values, RADIUS authentication and authorization will fail. VSAs take
precedence over standard RADIUS attributes.

Configuring a RADIUS server on UNIX® with shadow passwords

If UNIX shadow password files are used (/etc/passwd) with the RADIUS dictionary files,
the following two methods can be used to authenticate users:
• If all UNIX users have administrative privileges, add the following to the RADIUS
“user” file. To allow only Device Users, change the APC-Service-Type to Device.
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DEFAULT Auth-Type = System

APC-Service-Type = Admin
• Add user names and attributes to the RADIUS “user” file, and verify password
Switched Rack PDU

against /etc/passwd. The following example is for users bconners and thawk:
bconners Auth-Type = System
APC-Service-Type = Admin
thawk Auth-Type = System
APC-Service-Type = Device

Supported RADIUS servers

APC supports FreeRADIUS, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server®, and Microsoft Windows
2000 RADIUS Server. Other commonly available RADIUS applications may work but
have not been fully tested by APC.

Inactivity Timeout (Administration>Security>Auto Log Off)

Use this option to configure the time (3 minutes by default) that the system waits before
logging off an inactive user. If you change this value, you must log off for the change to
take effect.

55
 This timer continues to run if a user closes the browser window
without first logging off by clicking Log Off at the upper right
corner. Because that user is still considered to be logged on, no
user of that account type can log on until the time specified as
Minutes of inactivity expires. For example, with the default value
for Minutes of inactivity, if a Device User closes the browser
window without logging off, no Device User can log on for three
minutes.
USER’S GUIDE
Switched Rack PDU

56
 Administration: Network Features
TCP/IP and Communication Settings
TCP/IP settings (Administration>Network>TCP/IP)
The TCP/IP option on the left navigation menu, selected by default when you choose
Network on the top menu bar, displays the current IP address, subnet mask, default
gateway, and MAC address of the Switched Rack PDU.

On the same page, TCP/IP Configuration provides the following options for how the
USER’S GUIDE

TCP/IP settings will be configured when the Switched Rack PDU turns on, resets, or
restarts: Manual, BOOTP, DHCP, and DHCP & BOOTP.
Switched Rack PDU

For information on DHCP and DHCP options, see RFC2131 and RFC2132.

57
 Setting Description

Manual The IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway must be configured manually.
Click Next>>, and enter the new values.
BOOTP A BOOTP server provides the TCP/IP settings. At 32-second intervals, the Rack PDU
requests network assignment from any BOOTP server:
• If it receives a valid response, it starts the network services.
• If it finds a BOOTP server, but a request to that server fails or times out, the Rack
PDU stops requesting network settings until it is restarted.
• By default, if previously configured network settings exist, and it receives no valid
response to five requests (the original and four retries), it uses the previously
configured settings so that it remains accessible.
Click Next>> to access the BOOTP Configuration page to change the number of
USER’S GUIDE

retries or the action to take if all retries fail 1:

• Maximum retries: Enter the number of retries that will occur when no valid response
is received, or zero (0) for an unlimited number of retries.
• If retries fail: Select Use prior settings (the default) or Stop BOOTP request.
Switched Rack PDU

DHCP At 32-second intervals, the Rack PDU requests network assignment from any DHCP
server. By default, the number of retries is unlimited.
• If it receives a valid response, by default it requires the APC cookie from the DHCP
server in order to accept the lease and start the network services.
• If it finds a DHCP server, but the request to that server fails or times out, it stops
requesting network settings until it is restarted.
To change these values, click Next>> for the DHCP Configuration page1:
• Require vendor specific cookie to accept DHCP Address: Disable or enable the
requirement that the DHCP server provide the APC cookie.
• Maximum retries: Enter the number of retries that will occur when no valid response
is received, or zero (0) for an unlimited number of retries.
1. The default values for these three settings on the configuration pages generally do not need to be
changed:
•Vendor Class: APC
•Client ID: The MAC address of the Switched Rack PDU, which uniquely identifies it on the local
area network (LAN)
•User Class: The name of the application firmware module

58
 Setting Description

DHCP The default setting. The Switched Rack PDU tries to obtain its TCP/IP settings from a
& BOOTP server first, and then, if it cannot discover a BOOTP server, from a DHCP
BOOTP server. If it obtains its TCP/IP settings from either server, it switches this setting to
BOOTP or DHCP, depending on the type of server that supplied the TCP/IP settings
to the Switched Rack PDU.
Click Next>> to configure the same settings that are on the BOOTP Configuration
and DHCP Configuration pages1 and to specify that the DHCP and BOOTP setting
be retained after either type of server provides the TCP/IP values.
1. The default values for these three settings on the configuration pages generally do not need to be
changed:
•Vendor Class: APC
•Client ID: The MAC address of the Switched Rack PDU, which uniquely identifies it on the local
USER’S GUIDE

area network (LAN)

•User Class: The name of the application firmware module
Switched Rack PDU

DHCP response options

Each valid DHCP response contains options that provide the TCP/IP settings that the
Rack PDU needs to operate on a network, and other information that affects the Rack
PDU’s operation.

Vendor Specific Information (option 43). The Rack PDU uses this option in a DHCP
response to determine whether the DHCP response is valid. This option contains up to
two APC-specific options in a TAG/LEN/DATA format: the APC Cookie and the Boot
Mode Transition.
• APC Cookie. Tag 1, Len 4, Data “1APC”
Option 43 communicates to the Rack PDU that a DHCP server is configured to
service APC devices. By default, this DHCP response option must contain the APC
cookie for the Rack PDU to accept the lease.

To disable the requirement of an APC cookie, see DHCP.

59
 Following, in hexadecimal format, is an example of a Vendor Specific Information
option that contains the APC cookie:
Option 43 = 0x01 0x04 0x31 0x41 0x50 0x43
• Boot Mode Transition. Tag 2, Len 1, Data 1/2
This option 43 setting enables or disables the option Remain in DHCP & BOOTP
mode after accepting TCP/IP settings, which, by default, is disabled.
– A data value of 1 enables the option Remain in DHCP & BOOTP mode after
accepting TCP/IP settings. Whenever the Rack PDU reboots, it will request its
network assignment first from a BOOTP server, and then, if necessary, from a
DHCP server.
– A data value of 2 disables the option Remain in DHCP & BOOTP mode after
USER’S GUIDE

accepting TCP/IP settings. The TCP/IP Configuration setting option switches to

DHCP when the Rack PDU accepts the DHCP response. Whenever the Rack PDU
reboots, it will request its network assignment from a DHCP server only.
Following, in hexadecimal format, is an example of a Vendor Specific Information
Switched Rack PDU

option that contains the APC cookie and the disabled Boot Mode Transition setting:
Option 43 = 0x01 0x04 0x31 0x41 0x50 0x43 0x02 0x01 0x01

TCP/IP options. The Rack PDU uses the following options within a valid DHCP
response to define its TCP/IP settings. All of these options except the first are
described in RFC2132.
• IP Address (from the yiaddr field of the DHCP response, described in RFC2131):
The IP address that the DHCP server is leasing to the Rack PDU.
• Subnet Mask (option 1): The Subnet Mask value that the Rack PDU needs to
operate on the network.
• Router, i.e., Default Gateway (option 3): The default gateway address that the Rack
PDU needs to operate on the network.
• IP Address Lease Time (option 51): The time duration for the lease of the IP
Address to the Rack PDU.
• Renewal Time, T1 (option 58): The time that the Rack PDU must wait after an IP
address lease is assigned before it can request a renewal of that lease.
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 • Rebinding Time, T2 (option 59): The time that the Rack PDU must wait after an IP
address lease is assigned before it can seek to rebind that lease.

Other options. The Rack PDU also uses these options within a valid DHCP response.
All of these options except the last are described in RFC2132.
• Network Time Protocol Servers (option 42): Up to two Network Time Protocol
Servers (NTP) servers (primary and secondary) that the Rack PDU can use.
• Time Offset (option 2): The offset of the Rack PDU's subnet, in seconds, from
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
• Domain Name Server (option 6): Up to two Domain Name System (DNS) servers
(primary and secondary) that the Rack PDU can use.
• Host Name (option 12): The host name that the Rack PDU will use (32-character
USER’S GUIDE

maximum length).
• Domain Name (option 15): The domain name that the Rack PDU will use
(64-character maximum length).
Switched Rack PDU

• Boot File Name (from the file field of the DHCP response, described in RFC2131):
The fully qualified directory-path to an APC user configuration file (.ini file) to
download. The siaddr field of the DHCP response specifies the IP address of the
server from which the Rack PDU will download the .ini file. After the download, the
Rack PDU uses the .ini file as a boot file to reconfigure its settings.

Port Speed (Administration>Network>Port Speed)

It is necessary to be on the upstream network (server) before you

power on the Rack PDU.

The Port Speed setting defines the communication speed of the TCP/IP port.
• For Auto-negotiation (the default), Ethernet devices negotiate to transmit at the
highest possible speed, but if the supported speeds of two devices are unmatched,
the slower speed is used (the default mode is half-duplex).

61
 • Alternatively, you can choose 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps, each with the option of
half-duplex (communication in only one direction at a time) or full-duplex
(communication in both directions on the same channel simultaneously).

DNS (Administration>Network>DNS>options)
Use the options under DNS on the left navigation menu to configure and test the
Domain Name System (DNS):

Servers. Select servers to specify the IP addresses of the primary and optional
secondary DNS server. For the Rack PDU to send e-mail, at least the IP address of the
primary DNS server must be defined.
USER’S GUIDE

• The Switched Rack PDU waits up to 15 seconds for a response from the primary
DNS server or the secondary DNS server (if a secondary DNS server is specified). If
the Rack PDU does not receive a response within that time, e-mail cannot be sent.
Switched Rack PDU

Therefore, use DNS servers on the same segment as the Rack PDU or on a nearby
segment (but not across a wide-area network [WAN]).
To verify that DNS is working correctly after you define the IP
addresses of the DNS servers, see Test.

Naming. Select naming to define the host name and domain name of the Rack PDU:
• Host Name: After you configure a host name here and a domain name in the
Domain Name field, users can enter a host name in any field in the Rack PDU
interface (except e-mail addresses) that accepts a domain name.
• Domain Name: You need to configure the domain name here only. In all other fields
in the Switched Rack PDU interface (except e-mail addresses) that accept domain
names, the Switched Rack PDU adds this domain name when only a host name is
entered.
– To override all instances of the expansion of a specified host name by the addition
of the domain name, set the domain name field to its default, somedomain.com,
or to 0.0.0.0.

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 – To override the expansion of a specific host name entry (for example, when
defining a trap receiver), include a trailing period. The Rack PDU recognizes a host
name with a trailing period (such as mySnmpServer.) as if it were a fully qualified
domain name and does not append the domain name.

Test. Select test to send a DNS query that tests the setup of your DNS servers:
• As Query Type, select the method to use for the DNS query:
• by Host: the URL name of the server
• by FQDN: the fully qualified domain name
• by IP: the IP address of the server
• by MX: the Mail Exchange used by the server
• As Query Question, identify the value to be used for the selected query type:
USER’S GUIDE

Query Type Selected Query Question to Use

by Host The URL

Switched Rack PDU

by FQDN The fully qualified domain name, my_server.my_domain.

by IP The IP address
by MX The Mail Exchange address

• View the result of the test DNS request in the Last Query Response field.

63
 Web (Administration>Network>Web>options)
Option Description

access To activate changes to any of these selections, log off from the Rack PDU:
• Disable: Disables access to the Web interface. (You must use the control console
to re-enable access. Select Network and Web/SSL/TLS. Then for HTTP, select
Access and Enabled. For HTTPS access, also select Web/SSL and Enabled.)
• Enable HTTP (the default): Enables Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which
provides Web access by user name and password, but does not encrypt user
names, passwords, and data during transmission.
• Enable HTTPS: Enables Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS) over Secure
Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL encrypts user names, passwords, and data during
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transmission, and authenticates the Rack PDU by digital certificate. When HTTPS
is enabled, your browser displays a small lock icon.
See “Creating and Installing Digital Certificates” in the Security Handbook on the
Switched Rack PDU Utility CD to choose among the several methods for using
Switched Rack PDU

digital certificates.

HTTP Port: The TCP/IP port (80 by default) used to communicate by HTTP with the
Rack PDU.
HTTPS Port: The TCP/IP port (443 by default) used to communicate by HTTPS
with the Rack PDU.
For either of these ports, you can change the port setting to any unused port from
5000 to 32768 for additional security. Users must then use a colon (:) in the address
field of the browser to specify the port number. For example, for a port number of
5000 and an IP address of 152.214.12.114:
http://152.214.12.114:5000
https://152.214.12.114:5000
ssl cipher Enable or disable any of the SSL encryption ciphers and hash algorithms:
suites • DES: A block cipher that provides authentication by Secure Hash Algorithm.
• RC4_MD5 (enabled by default): A stream cipher that provides authentication by
MD5 hash algorithm.
• RC4_SHA (enabled by default): A stream cipher that provides authentication by
Secure Hash Algorithm.
• 3DES: A block cipher that provides authentication by Secure Hash Algorithm.

64
 Option Description

ssl Add, replace, or remove a security certificate.

certificate
Status:
• Not installed: A certificate is not installed, or was installed by FTP or SCP to an
incorrect location. Using Add or Replace Certificate File installs the certificate to
the correct location, /sec on the Switched Rack PDU.
• Generating: The Switched Rack PDU is generating a certificate because no valid
certificate was found.
• Loading: A certificate is being activated on the Rack PDU.
• Valid certificate: A valid certificate was installed or was generated by the Rack
PDU. Click on this link to view the certificate’s contents.
If you install an invalid certificate, or if no certificate is loaded when you
USER’S GUIDE

enable SSL, the Rack PDU generates a default certificate, a process which
delays access to the interface for up to five minutes. You can use the default
certificate for basic encryption-based security, but a security alert message displays
whenever you log on.
Switched Rack PDU

Add or Replace Certificate File: Enter or browse to the certificate file created with
the Security Wizard.
See “Creating and Installing Digital Certificates” in the Security Handbook on the
Switched Rack PDU Utility CD to choose a method for using digital certificates
created by the Security Wizard or generated by the Rack PDU.
Remove: Delete the current certificate.

65
 Console (Administration>Network>Console>options)
Option Description

access Choose one of the following for access by Telnet or SSH:

• Disable: Disables all access to the control console.
• Enable Telnet (the default): Telnet transmits user names, passwords, and data
without encryption.
• Enable SSH v1 and v2: Do not enable both versions 1 and 2 of SSH unless you
require both. They use extensive processing power.
• Enable SSH v1 only: SSH version 1 encrypts user names, passwords, and data
for transmission. There is little or no delay as you log on.
• Enable SSH v2 only: SSH version 2 transmits user names, passwords, and data
USER’S GUIDE

in encrypted form with more protection than version 1 from attempts to intercept,
forge, or alter data during transmission. There is a noticeable delay as you log on.
Configure the ports to be used by these protocols:
Switched Rack PDU

• Telnet Port: The Telnet port used to communicate with the Rack PDU (23 by
default). You can change the port setting to any unused port from 5000 to 32768
for additional security. Users must then use a colon (:) or a space, as required by
your Telnet client program, to specify the non-default port. For example, for port
5000 and an IP address of 152.214.12.114, your Telnet client requires one of the
these commands:
telnet 152.214.12.114:5000
telnet 152.214.12.114:5000
• SSH Port: The SSH port used to communicate with the Rack PDU (22 by
default). You can change the port setting to any unused port from 5000 to 32768
for additional security. See the documentation for your SSH client for the
command line format required to specify a non-default port.
ssh Enable or disable encryption algorithms (block ciphers) compatible with SSH
encryption version 1 or version 2 clients:
If your SSH v1 client cannot use Blowfish, you must also enable DES.
Your SSH v2 client selects the enabled algorithm that provides the highest security.
If the client cannot use the default algorithms (3DES or Blowfish), enable an AES
algorithm that it can use (AES 128 or AES 256).

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 Option Description

ssh host Status indicates the status of the host key (private key):
key • SSH Disabled: No host key in use: When disabled, SSH cannot use a host key.
• Generating: The Rack PDU is creating a host key because no valid host key was
found.
• Loading: A host key is being activated on the Rack PDU.
• Valid: One of the following valid host keys is in the /sec directory (the required
location on the Switched Rack PDU):
•A 1024-bit host key created by the APC Security Wizard
•A 768-bit RSA host key generated by the Switched Rack PDU
Add or Replace: Browse to and upload a host key file created by the Security
Wizard:
USER’S GUIDE

If you use FTP or SCP instead to transfer the host key file, you must specify the
/sec directory as the target location in the command.

To use the APC Security Wizard, see the Security Handbook on the Switched Rack
Switched Rack PDU

PDU Utility CD.

NOTE: To reduce the time required to enable SSH, create and upload a host key in
advance. If you enable SSH with no host key loaded, the Rack PDU takes up
to 5 minutes to create a host key, and the SSH server is not accessible during
that time.
Remove: Remove the current host key.

To use SSH, you must have a SSH client installed. Most Linux and other
UNIX® platforms include a SSH client, but Microsoft Windows operating
systems do not. Clients are available from various vendors.

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 ISX Protocol (control console only)
Use this option to enable (the default) or disable the APC InfraStruXure (ISX) Protocol.
The APC InfraStruXure (ISX) Protocol allows the Switched Rack PDU to communicate
with other APC devices, including the InfraStruXure Manager, if your system includes
one.

SNMP
SNMPv1 (Administration>Network>SNMPv1>options)
All user names, passwords, and community names for SNMP are transferred over the
network as plain text. If your network requires the high security of encryption, disable
USER’S GUIDE

SNMP access or set the access for each community to Read. (A community with Read
access can receive status information and use SNMP traps.)
Switched Rack PDU

When using InfraStruXure Manager to manage a Switched Rack PDU on the public
network of an InfraStruXure system, you must have SNMP enabled in the Rack PDU
interface. Read access will allow InfraStruXure Manager to receive traps from a
Switched Rack PDU, but Write access is required while you use the interface of the
Rack PDU to set InfraStruXure Manager as a trap receiver.

For detailed information on enhancing and managing the security of your

system, see the Security Handbook, available on the Switched Rack PDU
Utility CD or from the APC Web site, www.apc.com.

Option Description

access Enable SNMPv1 Access: Enables SNMP version 1 as a method of communication

with this device.

68
 Option Description

access You can configure up to four access control entries to specify which NMSs have
control access to this device. The opening page for access control, by default, assigns one
entry to each of the four available SNMPv1 communities, but you can edit these
settings to apply more than one entry to any community to grant access by several
specific IP addresses, host names, or IP address masks. To edit the access control
settings for a community, click its community name.
• If you leave the default access control entry unchanged for a community, that
community has access to this device from any location on the network.
• If you configure multiple access control entries for one community name, the limit of
four entries requires that one or more of the other communities must have no access
control entry. If no access control entry is listed for a community, that community has
no access to this device.
USER’S GUIDE

Community Name: The name that a Network Management System (NMS) must use
to access the community. The maximum length is 15 ASCII characters, and the
default community names for the four communities are "public," "private," "public2,"
and "private2."
Switched Rack PDU

NMS IP/Host Name: The IP address, IP address mask, or host name that controls
access by NMSs. A host name or a specific IP address (such as 149.225.12.1) allows
access only by the NMS at that location. IP addresses that contain 255 restrict access
as follows:
• 149.225.12.255: Access only by a NMS on the 149.225.12 segment.
• 149.225.255.255: Access only by a NMS on the 149.225 segment.
• 149.255.255.255: Access only by a NMS on the 149 segment.
• 0.0.0.0 (the default setting) which can also be expressed as 255.255.255.255:
Access by any NMS on any segment.
Access Type: The actions a NMS can perform through the community.
• Read: GETS only, at any time.
• Write: GETS at any time, and SETS when no user is logged onto the Web interface
or Control Console.
• Write+: GETS and SETS at any time.
• Disabled: No GETS or SETS at any time.

69
 SNMPv3 (Administration>Network>SNMPv3>options)

For SNMP GETs, SETs, and trap receivers, SNMPv3 uses a system of user profiles to
identify users. An SNMPv3 user must have a user profile assigned in the MIB software
program to perform GETs and SETs, browse the MIB, and receive traps.

To use SNMPv3, you must have a MIB program that supports SNMPv3.

The Switched Rack PDU supports only MD5 authentication and DES
encryption.

Option Description
USER’S GUIDE

access SNMPv3 Access: Enables SNMPv3 as a method of communication with this device.
user By default, lists the settings of four user profiles, configured with the user names "apc
profiles snmp profile1" through "apc snmp profile 4," and no authentication and no privacy (no
encryption of data). To edit the following settings for a user profile, click a user name
Switched Rack PDU

in the list.
User Name: The identifier of the user profile. SNMP version 3 maps GETs, SETs, and
traps to a user profile by matching the user name of the profile to the user name in the
data packet being transmitted. A user name can have up to 32 ASCII characters.
Authentication Passphrase: A phrase of 15 to 32 ASCII characters that verifies that
the NMS communicating with this device through SNMPv3 is the NMS it claims to be,
that the message has not been changed during transmission, and that the message
was communicated in a timely manner, indicating that it was not delayed and that it
was not copied and sent again later at an inappropriate time.
Privacy Passphrase: A phrase of 15 to 32 ASCII characters that ensures the privacy
of the data (by means of encryption) that a NMS is sending to this device or receiving
from this device through SNMP v3.
Authentication Protocol: The APC implementation of SNMPv3 supports MD5
authentication. Authentication will not occur unless MD5 is selected here.
Privacy Protocol: The APC implementation of SNMPv3 supports DES as the
protocol for encrypting and decrypting data. Privacy of transmitted data requires that
DES is selected here.
Note: You cannot select the privacy protocol if no authentication protocol is selected.

70
 Option Description

access You can configure up to four access control entries to specify which NMSs have
control access to this device. The opening page for access control, by default, assigns one
entry to each of the four user profiles, but you can edit these settings to apply more
than one entry to any user profile to grant access by several specific IP addresses,
host names, or IP address masks.
• If you leave the default access control entry unchanged for a user profile, all NMSs
that use that profile have access to this device.
• If you configure multiple access entries for one user profile, the limit of four entries
requires that one or more of the other user profiles must have no access control
entry. If no access control entry is listed for a user profile, no NMS that uses that
profile has any access to this device.
To edit the access control settings for a user profile, click its user name.
USER’S GUIDE

Access: Mark the "Enable" checkbox to activate the access control specified by the
parameters in this access control entry.
User Name: Select from the drop-down list the user profile to which this access
Switched Rack PDU

control entry will apply. The choices available are the four user names that you
configure through the "user profiles" option on the left navigation menu.
NMS IP/Host Name: The IP address, IP address mask, or host name that controls
access by the NMS. A host name or a specific IP address (such as 149.225.12.1)
allows access only by the NMS at that location. An IP address mask that contain 255
restricts access as follows:
• 149.225.12.255: Access only by an NMS on the 149.225.12 segment.
• 149.225.255.255: Access only by an NMS on the 149.225 segment.
• 149.255.255.255: Access only by an NMS on the 149 segment.
• 0.0.0.0 (the default setting) which can also be expressed as 255.255.255.255:
Access by any NMS on any segment.

FTP Server (Administration>Network>FTP Server)

The FTP Server settings enable (by default) or disable access to the FTP server and
specify the TCP/IP port (21 by default) that the FTP server uses to communicate with
the Rack PDU. The FTP server uses both the specified port and the port one number
lower than the specified port.

71
 You can change the Port setting to the number of any unused port from 5001 to 32768
for added security. Users must then use a colon (:) to specify the non-default port
number. For example, for port 5001 and IP address 152.214.12.114, the command
would be ftp 152.214.12.114:5001.

FTP transfers files without encryption. For higher security, disable the FTP
server, and transfer files with SCP. Selecting and configuring SSH enables
SCP automatically.

At any time that you want a Switched Rack PDU to be accessible for
management by InfraStruXure Manager, FTP Server must be enabled.
For detailed information on enhancing and managing the security of your
system, see the Security Handbook, available on the Switched Rack PDU
USER’S GUIDE

Utility CD or from the APC Web site, www.apc.com.

Switched Rack PDU

72
 Administration: Notification and Logging
Event Actions (Administration>Notification>Event Actions>options)
Types of notification
You can configure event actions to occur in response to an event or group of events.
These actions notify users of the event in any of several ways:
• Active, automatic notification. The specified users or monitoring devices are
contacted directly.
– E-mail notification
USER’S GUIDE

– SNMPv1 and SNMPv3 traps

– Syslog notification
• Indirect notification in the event log. If no direct notification is configured, users must
Switched Rack PDU

check the log to determine which events have occurred.

For another method of indirect notification, see SNMP for SNMPv1 and
SNMPv3 setup and configuration. SNMPv1 enables a NMS to perform
informational queries. Configuring the most restrictive SNMP access type,
READ, enables informational queries without the risk of allowing remote
configuration changes. SNMPv3 uses a system of user profiles to
communicate with a MIB software program to perform GETs, SETs, and
receive traps.

You can also log system performance data to use for device monitoring.
See Data log (Logs>Data>options) for information on how to configure and
use this data logging option.

73
 Configuring event actions
Notification Parameters. For events that have an associated clearing event, you can
also set the following parameters as you configure events individually or by group, as
described in the next two sections. To access the parameters, click the receiver or
recipient name.

Parameter Description

Delay x time If the event persists for the specified time, notification is sent. If the condition
before sending clears before the time expires, no notification is sent.
Repeat at an The notification is sent at the specified interval (e.g., every 2 minutes).
interval of x time
USER’S GUIDE

Up to x times During an active event, the notification repeats for this number of times.
Until condition The notification is sent repeatedly until the condition clears or is resolved.
clears
Switched Rack PDU

Configuring by event. To define event actions for an individual event:

1. Select the Administration tab, Notification on the top menu bar, and by event
under Event Actions on the left navigation menu.
2. In the list of events, review the marked columns to see whether the action you
want is already configured. (By default, logging is configured for all events.)
3. To view or change the current configuration, such as recipients to be notified by
e-mail or paging, or Network Management Systems (NMSs) to be notified by
SNMP traps, click on the event name.

If no Syslog server is configured, items related to Syslog configuration are not

displayed.

74
 When viewing details of an event’s configuration, you can change the
configuration, enable or disable event logging or Syslog, or disable notification
for specific e-mail recipients, trap receivers, or paging recipients, but you
cannot add or remove recipients or receivers. To add or remove recipients or
receivers, see the following:
• Identifying Syslog Servers (Logs>Syslog>servers)
• E-mail recipients (Administration>Notification>E-mail>recipients)
• Indirect Notification Through Logs or Queries
• Trap Receivers (Administration>Notification>SNMP Traps>trap receivers)

Configuring by group. To configure a group of events simultaneously:

1. Select the Administration tab, Notification on the top menu bar, and by
USER’S GUIDE

group under Event Actions on the left navigation menu.

2. Choose how to group events for configuration:
Switched Rack PDU

–Choose Grouped by severity, and then select all events of one or more severity
levels. You cannot change the severity of an event.
–Choose Grouped by category, and then select all events in one or more
pre-defined categories.
3. Click Next>> to move from page to page to do the following:
a. Select event actions for the group of events.
•To choose any action except Logging (the default), you must first have at least
one relevant recipient or receiver configured.
•If you choose Logging and have configured a Syslog server, select Event Log
or Syslog (or both) on the next page.
b. Select whether to leave the newly configured event action enabled for this group
of events or to disable the action.

75
 Active, Automatic, Direct Notification
E-mail notification
Overview of setup. Use the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to send e-mail to
up to four recipients when an event occurs.

To use the e-mail feature, you must define the following settings:
• The IP addresses of the primary and, optionally, the secondary Domain Name
System (DNS) servers.

See DNS (Administration>Network>DNS>options).

USER’S GUIDE

• The IP address or DNS name for SMTP Server and From Address.
.
Switched Rack PDU

See SMTP (Administration>Notification>E-mail>server).

• The e-mail addresses for a maximum of four recipients.

See E-mail recipients (Administration>Notification>E-mail>recipients).

You can use the To Address setting of the recipients option to send
e-mail to a text-based pager.

76
 SMTP (Administration>Notification>E-mail>server).

Setting Description

Local The IP address or DNS name of the local SMTP server.

SMTP
NOTE: This definition is required only when SMTP Server is set to Local. See E-mail
Server
recipients (Administration>Notification>E-mail>recipients).
From The contents of the From field in e-mail messages sent by the Rack PDU:
Address • In the format user@ [IP_address] (if an IP address is specified as Local SMTP
Server).
• In the format user@domain (if a DNS is configured and the DNS name is specified
as Local SMTP Server) in the e-mail messages.
NOTE: The local SMTP server may require that you use a valid user account on the
USER’S GUIDE

server for this setting. See the server’s documentation.

Switched Rack PDU

77
 E-mail recipients (Administration>Notification>E-mail>recipients). Identify up to four
e-mail recipients.

Setting Description

To Address The user and domain names of the recipient. To use e-mail for paging, use the
e-mail address for the recipient’s pager gateway account (for example,
[email protected]). The pager gateway will generate the page.
To bypass the DNS lookup of the mail server’s IP address, use the IP address in
brackets instead of the e-mail domain name, e.g., use jsmith@[xxx.xxx.x.xxx]
instead of [email protected]. This is useful when DNS lookups are not working
correctly.
NOTE: The recipient’s pager must be able to use text-based messaging.
USER’S GUIDE

SMTP Select one of the following methods for routing e-mail:

Server • Local: Through the Rack PDU’s SMTP server. This setting (recommended)
ensures that the e-mail is sent before the Rack PDU’s 20-second time-out, and, if
necessary, is retried several times. Also do one of the following:
Switched Rack PDU

• Enable forwarding at the Rack PDU’s SMTP server so that it can route e-mail to
external SMTP servers. Typically, SMTP servers are not configured to forward
e-mail. Check with the administrator of your SMTP server before changing its
configuration to allow forwarding.
• Set up a special e-mail account for the Rack PDU to forward e-mail to an
external mail account.
• Recipient: Directly to the recipient’s SMTP server. With this setting, the Rack
PDU tries to send the e-mail only once. On a busy remote SMTP server, the
time-out may prevent some e-mail from being sent.
When the recipient uses the Rack PDU’s SMTP server, this setting has no effect.
E-mail Enables (by default) or disables sending e-mail to the recipient.
Generation

E-mail test (Administration>Notification>E-mail>test). Send a test message to a

configured recipient.

78
 SNMP traps
Trap Receivers (Administration>Notification>SNMP Traps>trap
receivers). This option lists, by NMS IP/Host Name, up to the maximum number (six)
of trap receivers allowed.
• To open the page for configuring a new trap receiver, click Add Trap Receiver.
• To modify or delete a trap receiver, first click its IP address or host name to access its
settings. (If you delete a trap receiver, all notification settings configured under Event
Actions for the deleted trap receiver are set to their default values.)
• To specify the trap type for a trap receiver, select either the SNMPv1 or SNMPv3
radio button. For a NMS to receive both types of traps, you must configure two trap
receivers for that NMS, one for each trap type.
USER’S GUIDE

Item Definition

Trap Generation Enable (the default) or disable trap generation for this trap receiver.
Switched Rack PDU

NMS IP/Host The IP address or host name of this trap receiver. The default, 0.0.0.0,
Name leaves the trap receiver undefined.

SNMPv1 option.
Community Name The name ("public" by default) used as an identifier when SNMPv1 traps
are sent to this trap receiver.
Authenticate When this option is enabled (the default), the NMS identified by the NMS
Traps IP/Host Name setting will receive authentication traps (traps generated by
invalid attempts to log on to this device). To disable that ability, unmark the
checkbox.

SNMPv3 option. Select the identifier of the user profile for this trap receiver. (To view
the settings of the user profiles identified by the user names selectable here, choose
Network on the top menu bar and user profiles under SNMPv3 on the left navigation
menu.)

See SNMPv3 (Administration>Network>SNMPv3>options) for

information on creating user profiles and selecting authentication
and encryption methods.
79
 SNMP Trap Test (Administration>Notification>SNMP Traps>test)
Last Test Result. The result of the most recent SNMP trap test. A successful SNMP
trap test verifies only that a trap was sent; it does not verify that the trap was received
by the selected trap receiver. A trap test succeeds if of the following are true:
• The SNMP version (SNMPv1 or SNMPv3) configured for the selected trap receiver is
enabled on this device.
• The trap receiver is enabled.

If a host name is selected for the To address, that host name can be mapped to a valid
IP address.

To. Select the IP address or host name to which a test SNMP trap will be sent. If no
USER’S GUIDE

trap receiver was ever configured, a link to the Trap Receiver configuration page is
displayed. (If a trap receiver was deleted, or was reset to its default values by this or
any other management application, the default values for its trap type are listed.)
Switched Rack PDU

80
 Syslog (Logs>Syslog>options)
The Rack PDU can send messages to up to four Syslog servers when an event occurs.
The Syslog servers record events that occur at network devices in a log that provides a
centralized record of events.

This user’s guide does not describe Syslog or its configuration values in
detail. For more information about Syslog, see RFC3164.

Identifying Syslog Servers (Logs>Syslog>servers).

Setting Definition

Syslog Uses IP addresses or host names to identify from one to four servers to receive
USER’S GUIDE

Server Syslog messages sent by the Rack PDU.

Port The user datagram protocol (UDP) port that the Rack PDU will use to send Syslog
messages. The default is 514, the UDP port assigned to Syslog.
Switched Rack PDU

Syslog Settings (Logs>Syslog>settings).

Setting Definition

Message Enables (by default) or disables the Syslog feature.

Generation
Facility Selects the facility code assigned to the Rack PDU’s Syslog messages (User, by
Code default).
NOTE: User best defines the Syslog messages sent by the Rack PDU. Do not
change this selection unless advised to do so by the Syslog network or system
administrator.

81
 Setting Definition

Severity Maps each severity level of Rack PDU events to available Syslog priorities. You
Mapping should not need to change the mappings.
The following definitions are from RFC3164:
• Emergency: The system is unusable
• Alert: Action must be taken immediately
• Critical: Critical conditions
• Error: Error conditions
• Warning: Warning conditions
• Notice: Normal but significant conditions
• Informational: Informational messages
• Debug: Debug-level messages
Following are the default settings for the Local Priority settings:
USER’S GUIDE

• Severe is mapped to Critical.

• Warning is mapped to Warning.
• Informational is mapped to Info.
Switched Rack PDU

NOTE: To disable Syslog messages, see Configuring event actions.

Syslog Test and Format Example (Logs>Syslog>test). Send a test message to

the Syslog servers configured through the servers option.
1. Select a severity to assign to the test message.
2. Define the test message, according to the required message fields.
– The priority (PRI): The Syslog priority assigned to the message’s event, and the
facility code of messages sent by the Rack PDU.
– The Header: A time stamp and the IP address of the Rack PDU.
– The message (MSG) part:
• The TAG field, followed by a colon and space, identifies the event type.
• The CONTENT field is the event text, followed (optionally) by a space and the
event code.
For example, APC: Test Syslog is valid.

82
 Indirect Notification Through Logs or Queries
Event log (Logs>Events>options)
Displaying and using the event log (Logs>Events>log). View or delete the event
log. The log displays events recorded since it was last deleted, in reverse chronological
order. By default, all events are logged:
• You can view the event log as a page of the Web interface (the default view) or, to
see more of the listed events without scrolling, click Launch Log in New Window
from that page to display a full-screen view of the log.
You can also use FTP or SCP to view the event log. See How to use FTP
or SCP to retrieve log files.
USER’S GUIDE

• To delete all events recorded in the log, click Clear Event Log on the Web page that
displays the log. Deleted events cannot be retrieved.
Switched Rack PDU

To disable the logging of events based on their assigned severity level or their
event category see Configuring by group.

For lists of all configurable events and their current configuration, select the
Administration tab, Notification on the top menu bar, and by event under Event
Actions on the left navigation menu.

See Configuring by event.

Reverse Lookup (Logs>Events>reverse lookup). Reverse lookup is disabled by

default. Enable this feature unless you have no DNS server configured or have poor
network performance because of heavy network traffic.

83
 With reverse lookup enabled, when a network-related event occurs, both the IP
address and the domain name for the networked device associated with the event are
logged in the event log. If no domain name entry exists for the device, only its IP
address is logged with the event. Since domain names generally change less
frequently than IP addresses, enabling reverse lookup can improve the ability to
identify addresses of networked devices that are causing events.

Data log (Logs>Data>options)

Displaying and using the data log (Logs>Data>log). View a log of measurements
of the present load, including the minimum and maximum load current for each phase.
Switched Rack PDU units for Blade servers will also display minimum and maximum
load current for each outlet. Each entry is listed by the date and time the data was
USER’S GUIDE

recorded.
• You can view the data log as a page of the Web interface (the default view) or, to see
more of the data without scrolling, click Launch Log in New Window from that page
Switched Rack PDU

to display a full-screen view of the log.

In your browser's options, JavaScript must be enabled for you to use the
Launch Log in New Window button.

Alternatively, you can use FTP or SCP to view the data log. See How to use
FTP or SCP to retrieve log files.

• To delete all data recorded in the log, click Clear Data Log on the Web page that
displays the log. Deleted data cannot be retrieved.

Setting the data collection interval (Logs>Data>interval). Define, in the Log

Interval setting, how frequently data is sampled and stored in the data log, and view
the calculation of how many days of data the log can store, based on the interval you
selected. When the log is full, the older entries are deleted. To avoid automatic deletion
of older data, enable and configure data log rotation, described in the next section.

84
 Configuring data log rotation (Logs>Data>rotation). Set up a password-protected
data log repository on a specified FTP server. Enabling rotation causes the contents of
the data log to be appended to the file you specify by name and location. Updates to
this file occur at the upload interval you specify.

Parameter Description

Data Log Rotation Enable or disable (the default) data log rotation.
FTP Server Address The location of the FTP server where the data repository file is stored.
User Name The user name required to retrieve data from the repository file.
Password The password required to retrieve data from the repository file.
File Path The path to the repository file.
USER’S GUIDE

File Name The name of the repository file (an ASCII text file).
Automatically The number of hours between uploads of data to the file.
Upload Every
Switched Rack PDU

Maximum Retries The maximum number of times the upload will be attempted after initial
failure.
Failure Wait Time How long in minutes before an attempt to upload data times out.

How to use FTP or SCP to retrieve log files

An Administrator or Device User can use FTP or SCP to retrieve a tab-delineated event
log file (event.txt) or data log file (data.txt) and import it into a spreadsheet.
• The file reports all events or data recorded since the log was last deleted or (for the
data log) truncated because it reached maximum size.
• The file includes information that the event log or data log does not display.
– The version of the file format (first field)
– The date and time the file was retrieved
– The Name, Contact, and Location values and IP address of the Rack PDU
– The unique Event Code for each recorded event (event.txt file only)

85
 The Rack PDU uses a four-digit year for log entries. You may need to
select a four-digit date format in your spreadsheet application to display
all four digits.
If you are using the encryption-based security protocols for your system, use SCP to
retrieve the log file.

If you are using unencrypted authentication methods for the security of your system,
use FTP to retrieve the log file.

See the Security Handbook, available on the Switched Rack PDU Utility CD
and on the APC Web site (www.apc.com) for information on available
protocols and methods for setting up the type of security you need.
USER’S GUIDE

To use SCP to retrieve the files. To use SCP to retrieve the event.txt file, use the
following command:
Switched Rack PDU

scp username@hostname_or_ip_address:event.txt ./event.txt

To use SCP to retrieve the data.txt file, use the following command:
scp username@hostname_or_ip_address:data.txt ./data.txt

To use FTP to retrieve the files. To use FTP to retrieve the event.txt or data.txt file:
1. At a command prompt, type ftp and the Rack PDU’s IP address, and press
ENTER.
If the Port setting for the FTP Server option (set through the Network menu of the
Administration tab) has been changed from its default (21), you must use the
non-default value in the FTP command. For Windows FTP clients, use the following
command, including spaces. (For some FTP clients, you must use a colon instead
of a space between the IP address and the port number.)
ftp>open ip_address port_number
To set a non-default port value to enhance security for the FTP Server,
see Firmware file transfer methods. You can specify any port from 5001
to 32768.

86
 2. Use the case-sensitive User Name and Password for Administrator or Device
User to log on. For Administrator, apc is the default for User Name and
Password. For the Device User, the defaults are device for User Name and
apc for Password.
3. Use the get command to transmit the text of a log to your local drive.
ftp>get event.txt
or
ftp>get data.txt
4. You can use the del command to clear the contents of either log.
ftp>del event.txt
or
USER’S GUIDE

ftp>del data.txt
You will not be asked to confirm the deletion.
–If you clear the data log, the event log records a deleted-log event.
Switched Rack PDU

–If you clear the event log, a new event.txt file records the event.
5. Type quit at the ftp> prompt to exit from FTP.

Queries (SNMP GETs)

See SNMP for a description of SNMP access types that enable a NMS to
perform informational queries. Configuring the most restrictive SNMP access
type, READ, enables informational queries without allowing remote
configuration changes.

87
 Administration: General Options
Identification (Administration>General>Identification)
Define values for Name (the device name), Location (the physical location), and
Contact (the person responsible for the device) used by the Rack PDU’s SNMP agent.
These settings are the values used for the MIB-II sysName, sysContact, and
sysLocation Object Identifiers (OIDs).

For more information about MIB-II OIDs, see the PowerNet® SNMP
Management Information Base (MIB) Reference Guide, available on the
USER’S GUIDE

Switched Rack PDU Utility CD and the APC Web site, www.apc.com.

Set the Date and Time

Switched Rack PDU

Method (Administration>General>Date & Time>mode)

Set the time and date used by the Rack PDU. You can change the current settings
manually or through a Network Time Protocol (NTP) Server:
• Manual Mode: Do one of the following:
– Enter the date and time for the Rack PDU.
– Mark the checkbox Apply Local Computer Time to match the date and time
settings of the computer you are using.
• Synchronize with NTP Server: Have an NTP Server define the date and time for the
Rack PDU.

Setting Definition

Primary NTP Server Enter the IP address or domain name of the primary NTP server.
Secondary NTP Server Enter the IP address or domain name of the secondary NTP server,
when a secondary server is available.

88
 Setting Definition

Time Zone Select a time zone. The number of hours preceding each time zone
in the list is the offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC),
formerly Greenwich Mean Time.
Update Interval Define how often, in hours, the Rack PDU accesses the NTP
Server for an update. Minimum: 1; Maximum: 8760 (1 year).
Update Using NTP Now Initiate an immediate update of date and time by the NTP Server.

Daylight saving (Administration>General>Date & Time>daylight saving)

Enable traditional United States Daylight Saving Time (DST) or enable and configure a
customized daylight saving time to match how Daylight Saving Time is implemented in
USER’S GUIDE

your local area. DST is disabled by default.

When customizing Daylight Saving Time (DST):

Switched Rack PDU

• If the local DST always starts or ends on the fourth occurrence of a specific weekday
of a month (e.g, the fourth Sunday), choose Fourth/Last. If a fifth Sunday occurs in
that month in a subsequent year, the time setting still changes on the fourth Sunday.
• If the local DST always starts or ends on the last occurrence of a specific weekday of
a month, whether it is the fourth or the fifth occurrence, choose Fifth/Last.

Format (Administration>General>Date & Time>date format)

Select the numerical format in which to display all dates in this user interface. In the
selections, each letter m (for month), d (for day), and y (for year) represents one digit.
Single-digit days and months are displayed with a leading zero.

89
 Use an .ini File (Administration>General>User Config File)
Use the settings from one Rack PDU to configure another. Retrieve the config.ini file
from the configured Rack PDU, customize that file (e.g., to change the IP address), and
upload the customized file to the new Rack PDU. The file name can be up to 64
characters, and must have the.ini suffix.

Status Reports the progress of the upload. The upload succeeds even if the file contains
errors, but a system event reports the errors in the event log.
Upload Browse to the customized file and upload it so that the current Rack PDU can use it to
set its own configuration.

To retrieve and customize the file of a configured Rack PDU, see Retrieving
USER’S GUIDE

and Exporting the .ini File.

Instead of uploading the file to one Rack PDU, you can export the file to multiple Rack
Switched Rack PDU

PDUs by using an FTP or SCP script or a batch file and the APC .ini file utility, available
on the Switched Rack PDU Utility CD and the APC Web site www.apc.com/tools/
download.

Temperature Units (Administration>General>Unit Preference)

Select the temperature scale (Fahrenheit or Celsius) in which to display all temperature
measurements in this user interface.

90
 Reset the Interface (Administration>General>Reset/Reboot)
Action Definition

Reboot Restarts the interface of the Rack PDU.

Management
Interface
Reset All1 Checkmark Include TCP/IP to reset all configuration values; unmark Include
TCP/IP to reset all values except TCP/IP.
Reset Only1 TCP/IP settings: Set TCP/IP Configuration to DHCP & BOOTP, its default
setting, requiring that the Rack PDU receive its TCP/IP settings from a DHCP or
BOOTP server. See TCP/IP settings (Administration>Network>TCP/IP).
USER’S GUIDE

Event configuration: Reset all changes to event configuration, by event and by

group, to their default settings.
1. Resetting may take up to a minute. The Rack PDU name and output voltage settings will not be
reset.
Switched Rack PDU

Configure Links (Administration>General>Quick Links)

Select the Administration tab, General on the top menu bar, and Quick Links on the
left navigation menu to view and change the URL links displayed at the bottom left of
each page of the interface.

By default, these links access the following Web pages:

• Link 1: The home page of the APC Web site.
• Link 2: A page where you can use samples of APC Web-enabled products.
• Link 3: The home page of the APC Remote Monitoring Service.

To reconfigure any of the following, click the link name in the Display column:
• Display: The short link name displayed on each interface page.
• Name: A name that fully identifies the target or purpose of the link.
• Address: Any URL—for example, the URL of another device or server.

91
 About the Rack PDU (Administration>General>About)
The hardware information is especially useful to APC Customer Support to
troubleshoot problems with the Rack PDU. The serial number and MAC address are
also available on the Rack PDU itself.

Firmware information for the Application Module and APC OS (AOS) indicates the
name, the firmware version, and the date and time each firmware module was created.
This information is also useful in troubleshooting and enables you to determine if
updated firmware is available at the APC Web site.

Management Uptime is the length of time the interface has been running continuously.
USER’S GUIDE
Switched Rack PDU

92
 APC Device IP Configuration Wizard
Capabilities, Requirements, and Installation
How to use the Wizard to configure TCP/IP settings
The APC Device IP Configuration Wizard configures the IP address, subnet mask, and
default gateway of one or more Network Management Cards or APC network-enabled
devices (devices containing an embedded Network Management Card). You can use
the Wizard in either of the following ways:
• Remotely over your TCP/IP network to discover and configure unconfigured Network
USER’S GUIDE

Management Cards or devices on the same network segment as the computer

running the Wizard.
• Through a direct connection from a serial port of your computer to a Network
Switched Rack PDU

Management Card or device to configure or reconfigure it.

System requirements
The Wizard runs on Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows 2003, and Windows XP
operating systems.

Installation
To install the Wizard from the APC Switched Rack PDU Utility CD:
1. If autorun is enabled, the user interface of the CD starts when you insert the
CD. Otherwise, open the file contents.htm on the CD.
2. Click Device IP Configuration Wizard and follow the instructions.

To install the Wizard from a downloaded executable file:

1. Go to www.apc/tools/download.
2. Download the Device IP Configuration Wizard.
3. Run the executable file in the folder to which you downloaded it.
93
 Use the Wizard

Most software firewalls must be temporarily disabled for the Wizard to

discover unconfigured Rack PDUs.

Launch the Wizard

The installation creates a shortcut link in the Start menu to launch the Wizard.

Configure the basic TCP/IP settings remotely

Prepare to configure the settings. Before you run the Wizard:
USER’S GUIDE

1. Contact your network administrator to obtain valid TCP/IP settings.

2. If you are configuring multiple unconfigured Network Management Cards or
network-enabled devices, obtain the MAC address of each one to identify it
Switched Rack PDU

when the Wizard discovers it. (The Wizard displays the MAC address on the
screen on which you then enter the TCP/IP settings.)
–For a Network Management Card that you install, the MAC address is on a label
on the bottom of the card.
–For a network-enabled device (with an embedded Network Management Card),
the MAC address is on a label on the device.
You can also obtain the MAC address from the Quality Assurance slip that came
with the Network Management Card or device.

Run the Wizard to perform the configuration. To discover and configure

unconfigured Network Management Cards or network-enabled devices over the
network:
1. From the Start menu, launch the Wizard. The Wizard detects the first Network
Management Card or network-enabled device that is not configured.
2. Select Remotely (over the network), and click Next >.
3. Enter the system IP, subnet mask, and default gateway for the Network
Management Card or device identified by the MAC address. Click Next >.
94
 on the Transmit Current Settings Remotely screen, if you checkmark Start a
Web browser when finished, the default Web browser connects to the Network
Management Card or device after the Wizard transmits the settings.
4. Click Finish to transmit the settings. If the IP address you entered is in use on
the network, the Wizard prompts you to enter an IP address that is not in use.
Enter a correct IP address, and click Finish.
5. If the Wizard finds another unconfigured Network Management Card or device,
it displays the screen to enter TCP/IP settings. Repeat this procedure
beginning at step 3, or to skip the Network Management Card or device whose
MAC address is currently displayed, click Cancel.
Configure or reconfigure the TCP/IP settings locally
USER’S GUIDE

1. Contact your network administrator to obtain valid TCP/IP settings.

2. Connect the serial configuration cable (which came with the Network
Management Card or device) from an available communications port on your
Switched Rack PDU

computer to the serial port of the card or device. Make sure no other application
is using the computer port.
3. From the Start menu, launch the Wizard application.
4. If the Network Management Card or network-enabled device is not configured,
wait for the Wizard to detect it. Otherwise, click Next>.
5. Select Locally (through the serial port), and click Next >.
6. Enter the system IP, subnet mask, and default gateway for the Network
Management Card or device, and click Next >.
7. On the Transmit Current Settings Remotely screen, if you checkmark Start a
Web browser when finished, the default Web browser connects to the
Network Management Card or device after the Wizard transmits the settings.
8. Click Finish to transmit the TCP/IP settings. If the IP address you entered is in
use on the network, the Wizard prompts you to enter an IP address that is not in
use. Enter a correct IP address, and click Finish.
9. If you selected Start a Web browser when finished in step 7, you can now
configure other parameters through the Web interface of the card or device.
95
 How to Export Configuration Settings
Retrieving and Exporting the .ini File
Summary of the procedure
As an Administrator, you can retrieve a dynamically generated .ini file of a Switched
Rack PDU’s current configuration and export that file to another Switched Rack PDU or
to multiple Switched Rack PDUs.
1. Configure a Switched Rack PDU to have the settings you want to export.
USER’S GUIDE

2. Retrieve the .ini file from that Rack PDU.

3. Customize the .ini file (to change at least the TCP/IP settings) and make a copy
to export.
Switched Rack PDU

4. Use any of the file transfer protocols supported by the Switched Rack PDU to
transfer the copied file to one or more additional Rack PDUs. (To transfer the
file to multiple Rack PDUs simultaneously, write an FTP or SCP script that
repeats the steps for transferring the file to a single Rack PDU.)
5. Each receiving Switched Rack PDU stores the file temporarily in its flash
memory, uses it to reconfigure its own Rack PDU settings, and then deletes the
file.

96
 Contents of the .ini file
The config.ini file that you retrieve from a Switched Rack PDU contains the following:
• Section headings, which are category names enclosed in brackets ([ ]), and under
each section heading, keywords, which are labels describing specific Rack PDU
settings.
Only section headings and keywords supported for the specific
device associated with the Rack PDU from which you retrieve the
file are included.
• Each keyword is followed by an equals sign and the current value for that
parameter’s setting, either the default value (if the value has not been specifically
configured) or the configured value.
USER’S GUIDE

– The Override keyword, with its default value, prevents one or more keywords
and their device-specific values from being exported. In the [NetworkTCP/IP]
section, the default value for Override (the MAC address of the Rack PDU)
Switched Rack PDU

blocks the exporting of the values for the keywords SystemIP, SubnetMask,
DefaultGateway, and BootMode.
– You must edit the section [SystemDate/Time] if you want to set the system date
and time of a receiving Rack PDU or cause that Rack PDU to use a NTP Server to
set its date and time.
See Method (Administration>General>Date & Time>mode)
for configuration guidelines for date and time settings.

97
 Detailed procedures
Use the following procedures to retrieve the settings of one Switched Rack PDU and
export them to one or more other Switched Rack PDUs.

Retrieving. To set up and retrieve an .ini file to export:

1. Configure a Rack PDU with the settings you want to export.
To avoid errors, configure the Rack PDU by using its Web
interface or control console whenever possible. Directly editing
the .ini file risks introducing errors.
2. Use FTP to retrieve the file config.ini from the Rack PDU you configured:
a. Open a connection to the Rack PDU, using its IP Address. For example:
USER’S GUIDE

ftp> open 158.165.2.132

b. Log on, using the Administrator user name and password configured for the
Rack PDU.
Switched Rack PDU

c. Retrieve the config.ini file containing the Rack PDU’s current settings:
ftp> get config.ini
The file is written to the folder from which you launched FTP.
To create batch files and use an APC utility to retrieve configuration
settings from multiple Rack PDUs and export them to other Rack
PDUs, see Release Notes: ini File Utility, version 1.0 on the APC
Switched Rack PDU Utility CD.

98
 Customizing. You must customize the file to change at least the TCP/IP settings
before you export it.
1. Use a text editor to customize the file.
– Section headings, keywords, and pre-defined values are not case-sensitive, but
string values that you define are case-sensitive.
– Use adjacent quotation marks to indicate no value. For example, LinkURL1=""
indicates that the URL is intentionally undefined.
– To define values, opening and closing quotation marks are optional, except to
enclose values that contain leading or trailing spaces or values which are already
enclosed in quotation marks. (Leading or trailing spaces not within the opening and
closing quotation marks are ignored.)
USER’S GUIDE

– To export a specific system date and time or any scheduled events, you must
configure the values directly in the .ini file.
• To export a specific system time, export only the configured [SystemDate/
Switched Rack PDU

Time] section as a separate .ini file. (The time necessary to export a large file
would cause the configured time to be significantly inaccurate.)
• For greater accuracy, if the Switched Rack PDUs receiving the file can access a
Network Time Protocol (NTP) Server, set the value for the NTPEnable keyword
as follows:
NTPEnable=enabled
– Add comments about changes that you made. The first printable character of a
comment line must be a semicolon (;).
2. Copy the customized file to another file name in the same folder:
– The copy, which you will export to other Rack PDUs, can have any file name up
to 64 characters and must have the .ini file suffix.
– Retain the original customized file for future use. The file that you retain is the
only record of your comments. They are removed automatically from the file that
you export.

99
 Exporting the file to a single Rack PDU. To export the .ini file to another Switched
Rack PDU, use any of the file transfer protocols supported by Switched Rack PDUs
(including FTP, FTP Client, SCP, and TFTP). The following example uses FTP:
1. From the folder containing the customized .ini file and its copy, use FTP to log
in to the Rack PDU to which you are exporting the .ini file. For example:
ftp> open 158.165.4.135
2. Export the copy of the customized .ini file. The receiving Rack PDU accepts any
file name that has the .ini suffix, is no more than 64 characters in length, and is
exported to its root directory.
ftp> put filename.ini

Exporting the file to multiple Rack PDUs. To export the .ini file to multiple Switched
USER’S GUIDE

Rack PDUs:
• Use FTP or SCP, but write a script that incorporates and repeats the steps used for
exporting the file to a single Management Card.
Switched Rack PDU

• Use a batch processing file and the APC .ini file utility.

To create the batch file and use the utility, see Release Notes: ini
File Utility, version 1.0 on the APC Switched Rack PDU Utility CD.

The Upload Event and Error Messages

The event and its error messages
The following system event occurs when the receiving Switched Rack PDU completes
using the .ini file to update its settings.

Configuration file upload complete, with number valid values

This event has no default severity level.

If a keyword, section name, or value is invalid, the event text is extended to include
notification of the following errors.

100
 The export to and the subsequent upload by the receiving Rack PDU
succeeds even if there are errors.

Event text Description

Configuration file warning: Invalid A line with an invalid keyword or value is ignored.
keyword on line number.
Configuration file warning: Invalid
value on line number.
Configuration file warning: Invalid If a section name is invalid, all keyword/value pairs
section on line number. in that section are ignored.
USER’S GUIDE

Configuration file warning: A keyword entered at the beginning of the file (i.e.,
Keyword found outside of a before any section headings) is ignored.
section on line number.
Switched Rack PDU

Configuration file warning: If the file is too large, the Rack PDU stores and
Configuration file exceeds processes what it can, but ignores what it cannot.
maximum size. Reduce the size of the file, or divide it into two files,
and try uploading again.

Messages in config.ini
A feature might not be supported for the device from which you retrieve the
configuration settings or might not be supported for the device to which you export the
configuration settings. In this case, the user configuration file contains, under the
section name for that feature, a message stating that the feature is not supported. No
keywords and values are listed, and that feature will not be configured on any device to
which you export the user configuration file.

Errors generated by overridden values

The Override keyword and its value will generate error messages in the event log
when it blocks the exporting of values.

101
 See Contents of the .ini file for information about which values are
overridden.

The overridden values are device-specific and not appropriate to export to other Rack
PDUs. Therefore, you can ignore these error messages. To prevent these error
messages from occurring, you can delete the lines that contain the Override keyword
and the lines that contain the values that they override. Do not delete or change the line
containing the section heading.

Using the APC Device IP Configuration Wizard

On Windows operating systems, instead of using the preceding procedure for exporting
USER’S GUIDE

.ini files, you can choose to update the basic TCP/IP settings of Rack PDUs by using
the APC Device IP Configuration Wizard.
Switched Rack PDU

See APC Device IP Configuration Wizard for a detailed description of

how to discover and configure unconfigured Switched Rack PDUs
remotely over your TCP/IP network or configure or reconfigure a
Switched Rack PDU through a direct connection from the serial port
of your computer to the Switched Rack PDU.

102
 File Transfers
Introduction
Overview
The Switched Rack PDU automatically recognizes binary firmware files. Each of these
files contains a header and one or more Cyclical Redundancy Checks (CRCs) to
ensure that the data contained in the file is not corrupted before or during the transfer
operation.
USER’S GUIDE

To transfer a firmware file to a Rack PDU, see Upgrading

Firmware: Methods and Tools.

To verify a file transfer, see Verifying Upgrades and Updates.

Switched Rack PDU

Upgrading Firmware: Methods and Tools

Benefits of upgrading firmware
Upgrading the firmware on the Switched Rack PDU has the following benefits:
• New firmware has the latest bug fixes and performance improvements.
• New features become available for immediate use.
• Keeping the firmware versions consistent across your network ensures that all
Switched Rack PDUs support the same features in the same manner.

Firmware files (Switched Rack PDU)

A firmware version consists of two modules: An APC Operating System (AOS) module
and an application module.

103
 The APC Operating System (AOS) and application module files used with the Switched
Rack PDU share the same basic format:
apc_hw0x_type_version.bin
• apc: Indicates that this is an APC file.
• hw0x: Identifies the version of the Switched Rack PDU that will run this binary file.
• type: Identifies whether the file is for the APC Operating System (AOS) or the
application module (APP) for the Switched Rack PDU.
• version: The version number of the application file. For example, a code of 331
would indicate version 3.3.1.
• bin: Indicates that this is a binary file.
USER’S GUIDE

Obtain the latest firmware version

Automated upgrade tool for Microsoft Windows systems. An automated
self-extracting executable tool combines the firmware modules that you need to
Switched Rack PDU

automate your upgrades on any supported Windows operating system.

• You can obtain an updated version of the tool at no cost from the support section of
the APC Web site www.apc.com/tools/download. At this Web page, find the latest
firmware release for your APC product (in this case, your Rack PDU) and download
the automated tool, not the individual firmware modules.

Each upgrade tool is specific to an APC product type. If you use a version of the tool
from the APC Web site, make sure that you use the upgrade tool that corresponds with
your APC product type.

104
 Manual upgrades, primarily for Linux systems. If all computers on your network
are running Linux, you must upgrade the firmware of your Rack PDUs manually, i.e., by
using the separate APC firmware modules (AOS module and application module).

If you have a networked computer running a supported Microsoft

Windows operating system on your network, you can use the tool
described in Automated upgrade tool for Microsoft Windows systems
to upgrade the firmware of a Switched Rack PDU automatically over
the network. This tool automates the entire upgrade process.

You can obtain the individual firmware modules you need for a manual firmware
upgrade from the support section of the APC Web site, www.apc.com/tools/
USER’S GUIDE

download.
Switched Rack PDU

105
 Firmware file transfer methods
To upgrade the firmware of a Switched Rack PDU:
• From a networked computer running a Microsoft Windows operating system, you can
use the automated firmware upgrade tool downloaded from the APC Web site.
• From a networked computer on any supported operating system, you can use FTP or
SCP to transfer the individual AOS and application firmware modules.
• For a Switched Rack PDU that is not on your network, you can use XMODEM
through a serial connection to transfer the individual AOS and application firmware
modules from your computer to the Switched Rack PDU.
When you transfer individual firmware modules and do not use the
automated firmware upgrade tool to upgrade the firmware for a
USER’S GUIDE

Rack PDU, you must transfer the APC Operating System (AOS)
module to the Rack PDU before you transfer the application
module.
Switched Rack PDU

For more information about the firmware modules, see Firmware

files (Switched Rack PDU).

106
 Use FTP or SCP to upgrade one Rack PDU
Instructions for using FTP. For you to be able to use FTP to upgrade a single
Switched Rack PDU over the network:
• The Switched Rack PDU must be connected to the network.
• The FTP server must be enabled at the Switched Rack PDU.
• The Switched Rack PDU must have its TCP/IP settings (System IP, Subnet Mask,
and Default Gateway addresses) configured.

To use FTP to upgrade the Rack PDU:

1. Open an MS-DOS command prompt window on a computer that is connected
USER’S GUIDE

to the network. Go to the directory that contains the firmware upgrade files, and
list the files. For the directory C:\apc, the commands would be those shown in
bold:
Switched Rack PDU

C:\>cd\apc
C:\apc>dir
Files listed for a Switched Rack PDU, for example, might be the following:
– apc_hw02_aos_XXX.bin
– apc_hw02_app_XXX.bin
2. Open an FTP client session:
C:\apc>ftp
3. Type open and the Switched Rack PDU’s IP address, and press ENTER. If the
Port setting for FTP Server in the Network menu has changed from its default
of 21, you must use the non-default value in the FTP command.
a. For some FTP clients, use a colon to add the port number to the end of the IP
address.
b. For Windows FTP clients, separate the port number from the IP address by a
space. For example, if the Rack PDU’s FTP Server Port setting has been
changed from its default of 21, such as to 21000, you would use the following
command for a Windows FTP client transferring a file to a Rack PDU with an IP

107
 address of 150.250.6.10.
ftp> open 150.250.6.10 21000
4. Log on using the Administrator user name and password. (apc is the default for
both.)
5. Upgrade the AOS. For example:
ftp> bin
ftp> put apc_hw02_aos_XXX.bin
6. When FTP confirms the transfer, type Quit to close the session.
7. Wait 20 seconds, and then repeat step 2 through step 6, but in step 5, use the
application module file name instead of the AOS module.

Instructions for using SCP. To use Secure CoPy (SCP) to upgrade the firmware for
USER’S GUIDE

one Rack PDU:

1. Identify and locate the firmware modules described in the preceding
instructions for FTP.
Switched Rack PDU

2. Use an SCP command line to transfer the AOS firmware module to the Rack
PDU. The following example assumes a Rack PDU IP address of
158.205.6.185, and an AOS module of apc_hw02_aos_XXX.bin.)
scp apc_hw02_aos_XXX.bin [email protected]:apc_hw02_aos_XXX.bin
3. Use a similar SCP command line, with the name of the application module
instead of the AOS module, to transfer the application module to the Rack PDU.

How to upgrade multiple Rack PDUs

Export configuration settings. You can create batch files and use an APC utility to
retrieve configuration settings from multiple Rack PDUs and export them to other Rack
PDUs.

See Release Notes: ini File Utility, version 1.0 on the APC Switched
Rack PDU Utility CD.

108
 Use FTP or SCP to upgrade multiple Rack PDUs. To upgrade multiple Switched
Rack PDUs using an FTP client or using SCP, write a script which automatically
performs the procedure. For FTP, use the steps in Use FTP or SCP to upgrade one
Rack PDU.

Use XMODEM to upgrade one Rack PDU

To use XMODEM to upgrade the firmware for a single Switched Rack PDU that is not
on the network:
1. Obtain the individual firmware modules (the AOS module and the application
module) from the support section of the APC Web site www.apc.com/tools/
USER’S GUIDE

download.
2. Select a serial port at the local computer and disable any service that uses the
port.
Switched Rack PDU

3. Connect the advanced signaling cable that came with the Rack PDU to the
selected port and to the serial port at the Rack PDU.
4. Run a terminal program such as HyperTerminal, and configure the selected port
for 9600 bps, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, no flow control, and save the
changes.
5. Press ENTER to display the User Name prompt.
6. Enter your Administrator user name and password (apc by default for both).
7. From the Control Console menu, select System, then Tools, then File
Transfer, then XMODEM; and type Yes at the prompt to continue.
8. Select a baud rate, change the terminal program’s baud rate to match your
selection, and press ENTER. A higher baud rate causes faster upgrades.
9. From the terminal program’s menu, select the binary AOS file to transfer using
XMODEM-CRC. After the XMODEM transfer is complete, set the baud rate to
9600. The Rack PDU automatically restarts.
10. Repeat step 4 through step 9 to install the application module. In step 9,

109
 substitute the application module file name for the AOS module file name.
For information about the format used for application modules,
see Firmware files (Switched Rack PDU).

Note: Upgrading the firmware will not interfere with the

operation of the outlets. The Rack PDU will restart when the
download is complete.

Verifying Upgrades and Updates

USER’S GUIDE

Verify the success or failure of the transfer

To verify whether a firmware upgrade succeeded, use the Network menu in the control
console and select the FTP Server option to view Last Transfer Result, or use an
Switched Rack PDU

SNMP GET to the mfiletransferStatusLastTransferResult OID.

Last Transfer Result codes

Code Description

Successful The file transfer was successful.

Result not available There are no recorded file transfers.
Failure unknown The last file transfer failed for an unknown reason.
Server inaccessible The TFTP or FTP server could not be found on the network.
Server access denied The TFTP or FTP server denied access.
File not found The TFTP or FTP server could not locate the requested file.
File type unknown The file was downloaded but the contents were not
recognized.
File corrupt The file was downloaded but at least one Cyclical
Redundancy Check (CRC) failed.

110
 Verify the version numbers of installed firmware
Use the Web interface to verify the versions of the upgraded firmware modules by
selecting the Administration tab, General on the top menu bar, and About on the left
navigation menu, or use an SNMP Get to the MIB II sysDescr OID.
USER’S GUIDE
Switched Rack PDU

111
 Product Information
Two-Year Factory Warranty
This warranty applies only to the products you purchase for your use in accordance
with this manual.

Terms of warranty
APC warrants its products to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a
USER’S GUIDE

period of two years from the date of purchase. APC will repair or replace defective
products covered by this warranty. This warranty does not apply to equipment that has
been damaged by accident, negligence or misapplication or has been altered or
Switched Rack PDU

modified in any way. Repair or replacement of a defective product or part thereof does
not extend the original warranty period. Any parts furnished under this warranty may be
new or factory-remanufactured.

Non-transferable warranty
This warranty extends only to the original purchaser who must have properly registered
the product. The product may be registered at the APC Web site, www.apc.com.

112
 Exclusions
APC shall not be liable under the warranty if its testing and examination disclose that
the alleged defect in the product does not exist or was caused by end user’s or any
third person’s misuse, negligence, improper installation or testing. Further, APC shall
not be liable under the warranty for unauthorized attempts to repair or modify wrong or
inadequate electrical voltage or connection, inappropriate on-site operation conditions,
corrosive atmosphere, repair, installation, exposure to the elements, Acts of God, fire,
theft, or installation contrary to APC recommendations or specifications or in any event
if the APC serial number has been altered, defaced, or removed, or any other cause
beyond the range of the intended use.

THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, BY OPERATION OF LAW

USER’S GUIDE

OR OTHERWISE, OF PRODUCTS SOLD, SERVICED OR FURNISHED UNDER

THIS AGREEMENT OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH. APC DISCLAIMS ALL
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, SATISFACTION AND FITNESS
Switched Rack PDU

FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. APC EXPRESS WARRANTIES WILL NOT BE

ENLARGED, DIMINISHED, OR AFFECTED BY AND NO OBLIGATION OR
LIABILITY WILL ARISE OUT OF, APC RENDERING OF TECHNICAL OR OTHER
ADVICE OR SERVICE IN CONNECTION WITH THE PRODUCTS. THE FOREGOING
WARRANTIES AND REMEDIES ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER
WARRANTIES AND REMEDIES. THE WARRANTIES SET FORTH ABOVE
CONSTITUTE APC’S SOLE LIABILITY AND PURCHASER’S EXCLUSIVE REMEDY
FOR ANY BREACH OF SUCH WARRANTIES. APC WARRANTIES EXTEND ONLY
TO PURCHASER AND ARE NOT EXTENDED TO ANY THIRD PARTIES.

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 IN NO EVENT SHALL APC, ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, AFFILIATES OR
EMPLOYEES BE LIABLE FOR ANY FORM OF INDIRECT, SPECIAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF THE USE,
SERVICE OR INSTALLATION, OF THE PRODUCTS, WHETHER SUCH DAMAGES
ARISE IN CONTRACT OR TORT, IRRESPECTIVE OF FAULT, NEGLIGENCE OR
STRICT LIABILITY OR WHETHER APC HAS BEEN ADVISED IN ADVANCE OF
THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SPECIFICALLY, APC IS NOT LIABLE
FOR ANY COSTS, SUCH AS LOST PROFITS OR REVENUE, LOSS OF
EQUIPMENT, LOSS OF USE OF EQUIPMENT, LOSS OF SOFTWARE, LOSS OF
DATA, COSTS OF SUBSTITUENTS, CLAIMS BY THIRD PARTIES, OR
OTHERWISE.

NO SALESMAN, EMPLOYEE OR AGENT OF APC IS AUTHORIZED TO ADD TO

USER’S GUIDE

OR VARY THE TERMS OF THIS WARRANTY. WARRANTY TERMS MAY BE

MODIFIED, IF AT ALL, ONLY IN WRITING SIGNED BY AN APC OFFICER AND
LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
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Warranty claims
Customers with warranty claims issues may access the APC customer support network
through the Support page of the APC Web site, www.apc.com/support. Select your
country from the country selection pull-down menu at the top of the Web page. Select
the Support tab to obtain contact information for customer support in your region.

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 Index
A config.ini file, contents 97
Configuring
About options RADIUS authentication 53
for information about the Management Contact identification (whom
Card 92 to contact) 88
About System 31 Control console
Access configuring access 66
enabling or disabling methods of access Device Manager menu 20
to the control console 66 navigating menus 19
to the Web interface 64 refreshing menus 19
Administration Customizing user configuration files 99
USER’S GUIDE

General menu 88
Network menu 57
Notification menu 73 D
Security menu 52
Data log
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Apply Local Computer Time 88 displaying and using 84

Authenticating users through importing into spreadsheet 85
RADIUS 52 Log Interval setting 84
Authentication Traps setting 79 rotation (archiving) 85
Automatic log-off for inactivity 55 using FTP or SCP to retrieve 85
Date & Time settings 88
B Date format, configuring 89
Daylight saving time 89
BOOTP Device IP Configuration Wizard
BOOTP server providing TCP/IP installation and system
settings 57 requirements 93
Status LED indicating BOOTP using the wizard
requests 11 for local configuration. 95
Browsers for remote configuration 94
supported Web browsers 23 Device Manager menu, control console
20
C DHCP
APC cookie 59
Certificates, how to create, view, or re- DHCP server providing TCP/IP
move 65 settings 57
Community Name response options 59
for trap receivers 79
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 Status LED indicating DHCP errors from overridden values during
requests 11 .ini file transfer 101
Disable Event log
e-mail to a recipient 78 using FTP del command 87
encryption algorithms for SSH 66 using FTP or SCP to retrieve 85
reverse lookup 83 event.txt file
SSL cipher suites 64 contents 85
Telnet 66 importing into spreadsheet 85
DNS
defining host and domain names 62
query types 63
F
specifying DNS servers by IP Facility Code (Syslog setting) 81
address 62 Firmware
benefits of upgrading 103
E
USER’S GUIDE

file transfer methods 106

FTP or SCP 107
E-mail XMODEM 109
configuring notification parameters 76 files for Network Management
configuring recipients 78 Card 103
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test message 78 obtaining the latest version 104

using for paging 78 upgrading 103
Enable verifying upgrades and updates 110
e-mail forwarding to external SMTP Firmware versions displayed on
servers 78 main screen 17
e-mail to a recipient 78 Follower outlet groups 33
encryption algorithms for SSH 66 From Address (SMTP setting) 77
reverse lookup 83 FTP
SSL cipher suites 64 server settings 71
Telnet 66 using to retrieve event or data log 85
versions of SSH 66
Error messages
for firmware file transfer 110 G
from overridden values during General menu, Administration tab 88
.ini file transfer 101 Global outlet groups 33
Ethernet port speed 61 creating 38
Event actions 73 verifying setup and configuration 42
configuring by event 74 Global outlets 33
configuring by group 75
Event Log
accessing 19

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 H Logging on
control console 14
Help Web interface 22
About System option (Web interface) Login date and time
31 control console 17
on control console 19
Host keys
adding or replacing 67
M
status 67 Main screen
Host name of trap receivers 79 displaying identification 17
firmware values displayed 17
I login date and time 17
status 18
Identification (Name, Location, and Con- Up Time 17
USER’S GUIDE

tact) User access identification 17

in Web interface 88 Menus
Identification fields on main screen 17 Data 28
Inactivity timeout 55 Device Manager 20
Events 28
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ini files, See User configuration files

Initiator outlet groups 33 General 88
Help 29
Logs 73
K Network 28, 57
Notification 73
keywords
Security 52
user configuration file 97
System 29
top menu bar 25
L Message Generation (Syslog
setting) 81
Life support policy 114
Link (as an outlet setting) 45
Links, configuration 91 N
Local outlet groups 33 Network menu 57
creating 38
Network Time Protocol (NTP) 88
Local SMTP Server NMS IP/Host Name for trap
defining by IP address or DNS name 77
receivers 79
recommended option for routing
e-mail 78 Notification menu 73
Local Users, setting user access 52
Location (system value) 88

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 O Power Off Delay 45
Power On Delay 45
Outlet events Primary NTP Server 88
described 44
Outlet groups
creating local groups 38
Q
deleting 39 Quick Links, configuration 91
editing 39
enabling 37
follower 33 R
global 33 RADIUS
initiator 33 configuration 53
local 33 server configuration 54
purpose and benefits 34 Reboot
36
USER’S GUIDE

rules for configuring

outlets 44
system requirements 35 preventing automated reboot for
typical configurations 40 inactivity 13
Outlet Name 45 Reboot Duration 45
Outlet settings
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Reboot Management Interface 91

configuring 45
Recent Events
controlling outlets 43
Device Events on home page 27
Outlets
Recipient SMTP server 78
global 33
Remote Monitoring Service 91
Override keyword, in user configuration
Remote Users
file 97
authentication 53
setting user access 52
P Reset All 91
Reset Only 91
Paging
by using e-mail 78 Reverse lookup 83
Passwords
default for each type of account 22 S
defining for each account type 52
Port speed, configuring for Ethernet 61 Scheduling outlet events 47
Ports SCP
FTP server 72 for high-security file transfer 72
HTTP and HTTPS 64 using to retrieve event or data log 85
RADIUS server 54 Secondary NTP Server 88
Telnet and SSH 66

118
 Section headings, user configuration RADIUS server path 54
file 97 Syslog 82
Severity Mapping (Syslog setting) 82 trap receiver 80
SMTP server Time setting 88
selecting for e-mail recipients 78 Time Zone, for synchronizing with NTP
settings 77 server 89
SNMP Timeout setting for RADIUS 54
authentication traps 79 To Address, e-mail recipients 78
disabling SNMP for high-security sys- Traps
tems 68 trap receivers 79
SSH
encryption algorithms 66
host keys 67
U
SSL Up Time
USER’S GUIDE

cipher suites 64 control console main screen 17

configuring cipher suites 64 in Web interface 92
how to create, view, or remove certifi- Update Interval, Date & Time
cates 65 setting 89
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Status Update Using NTP Now, Date & Time

on control console main screen 18 setting 89
Synchronize with NTP Server, Upgrading firmware
(Date & Time) 88 without using a utility 103
Syslog 81 URL address formats 23
identifying the Syslog server 81 User access identification, control con-
mapping event severity to Syslog priori- sole interface 17
ties 82
User configuration files
settings 81
contents 97
test 82
customizing 99
System information, obtaining 31 exporting system time separately 99
System Name 88 overriding device-specific values 97
System requirements, outlet groups 35 retrieving and exporting 96
system event and error messages 100
T using the APC utility to retrieve
and transfer the files 98, 108
TCP/IP configuration 57 User Name
Temperature units (Fahrenheit or Cel- default for each type of account 22
sius) 90 User names
Test defining for each account type. 52
DNS query 63 maximum number of characters for RA-
e-mail recipient settings 78 DIUS 53
119
 W
Web interface
configuring access 64
logging on 22
URL address formats 23
USER’S GUIDE
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120
 APC Worldwide
APC Worldwide
Customer
Customer
Support
Support
Customer support for this or any other APC product is available at no charge in any of
the following ways:
• Visit the APC Web site to access documents in the APC Knowledge Base and to
submit customer support requests.
– www.apc.com (Corporate Headquarters)
Connect to localized APC Web sites for specific countries, each of which
provides customer support information.
– www.apc.com/support/
Global support searching APC Knowledge Base and using e-support.
• Contact the APC Customer Support Center by telephone or e-mail.
USER’S GUIDE

– Local, country-specific centers: go to www.apc.com/support/contact for

contact information.
For information on how to obtain local customer support, contact the APC
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representative or other distributors from whom you purchased your APC product.

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 Copyright
Entire contents copyright 2008 American Power Conversion Corporation.
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is
prohibited. APC, the APC logo, InfraStruXure, and PowerNet are
trademarks of American Power Conversion Corporation. All other
trademarks, product names, and corporate names are the property of their
respective owners and are used for informational purposes only.
USER’S GUIDE

990-1368F-001 10/2008
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