User's Reference Guide for PowerAlert UPS Management Software Version 10.2 for Windows

Transcription

1 User's Reference Guide for PowerAlert UPS Management Software Version 10.2 for Windows 1111 W. 35th Street Chicago, IL USA (773)

2 Table of Contents A QUICK GUIDE TO POWERALERT 3 WINDOWS INSTALLATION 4 Preparation 4 Smart Connection/ Contact Closure Connection 4 Installing Software 4 POWERALERT SERVER 5 Administrative Mode/ Monitor Only Mode 5 Starting and Stopping 5 POWERALERT SETUP 5 Figure 1: PowerAlert Setup Screen 5 UPS 5 Server Options 5 Attached Devices 6 Contacts 6 6 SNMP 6 Paging 6 Users 6 Network Alert Log 6 Port Manager 7 Setup Wizard 7 POWERALERT CLIENT 8 Figure 2: PowerAlert Client Screen 8 Status Bar 8 Pull Down Menus 9 File: Exit 9 Display: Summary 9 Display: Variables 9 Display: Events 9 Display: Alarms 10 Display: Attached Devices 10 Display: Contacts 10 Display: Options 10 System: Select System 10 System: Configure System List 10 System: Setup 11 System: Log In 11 System: Log Out 11 View: Graphs 11 View: Logs 12 View: Event Calendar 12 View: Shutdown Clients 12 POWERALERT CLIENT (Continued) Control: Execute Command 12 Control: Schedule Command 12 Events: Event Manager 13 Events: Event Summary 14 Help: PowerAlert Help 14 Help: About PowerAlert 14 POWERALERT STATUS 15 Status Icon 15 Status Menu 15 Figure 3: PowerAlert Status Window 16 Status Window 16 POWERALERT REMOTE SHUTDOWN SERVICE 17 Figure 4: RSS Status Screen 17 Display Areas 17 Controls 17 RSS Setup 18 Controls 18 POWERALERT ENTERPRISE 19 Components 19 Enterprise Client 20 Menu Options 20 Main View Screen 21 Tree View 21 Icon View 22 UPS Detail Information 22 UPS Action Menu 22 UPS Inventory Reports 23 Network Alert Log 23 Area Setup 24 2

3 A Quick Guide to PowerAlert 1) Install PowerAlert (Page 4) Insert your PowerAlert CD into your drive or click on downloaded installer. 2) Check your connected UPS with PowerAlert Status (Page 15) Check icon in menu bar. Click on icon for PowerAlert Status menu with more options. 3) Manage your UPS with PowerAlert Client (Page 8) Launch using PowerAlert Status menu. 4) Change your PowerAlert Configuration with PowerAlert Setup (Page 5) Launch using PowerAlert Status menu. 3

4 Windows Installation For PCs running Microsoft Windows 95/98/2000/NT. Requires 16 megabytes of hard disk space. Preparation Before software installation, the UPS system(s) that will be used with PowerAlert should be properly located and connected to both AC power and to a computer communications port according to the UPS Owner's Manual. Smart Connection/Contact Closure Connection Different UPS systems feature different types of communications ports: smart (including LAN 4.1 and higher and USB port connections), contact closure (including LAN 2.1 or 2.2 ports) or both. Connections to smart ports allow greater UPS control than do connections to contact closure ports. Refer to your UPS Owner's Manual to learn what communications ports it offers and to determine how to connect the UPS to your computer. Installing Software Quit all open programs and applications running on your computer. If you received a PowerAlert CD with your UPS, insert it into your computer's CD-ROM drive. Many systems will autolaunch PowerAlert Setup (the installation program) when the CD is inserted. If your system does not, use Windows Explorer or Program Manager to open your CD's directory, then double-click on the "Setup" icon to run the software installation program. If you downloaded PowerAlert from the Internet, navigate to the directory where you saved the downloaded files, open the downloaded file folder and double-click on the "Setup" icon to run the software installation program. After you choose which language you wish PowerAlert Setup to use during the installation process, you will be taken to the main menu where you can browse through instructions, readme files, answers to frequently asked questions and more. You may read these now or after you have completed software installation. Choose "Install Software" from the main menu. PowerAlert Setup will prompt you for information such as where in the computer's directory to install PowerAlert. After PowerAlert Setup has installed all selected components, the Setup Wizard will guide you through the process of configuring your system to work with PowerAlert. First you must choose a language and date format for PowerAlert. Then you will select whether PowerAlert will use TCP/IP communications (most networks do) and whether PowerAlert will run in Administrative or Monitor Only mode (Administrative is best for most installations; see page 5 under server options for details). Next the Wizard will ask for your UPS brand, your UPS model and which of your computer's communications ports is connected to the UPS. Double-check your answers to these questions, as an error here may prevent your UPS and computer from communicating properly. The Setup Wizard will also ask you which PowerAlert features (such as security and /pager/snmp notification options) you want to install on this system. You may add or remove these features later by rerunning the Setup Wizard (see page 7). Restart your machine after installing PowerAlert. 4

5 PowerAlert Server PowerAlert Server manages communications between computers and directly connected UPS systems. It can receive information from and issue commands to one or more UPS systems via USB connections or a serial port/db9 port connection. PowerAlert Server runs unobtrusively in computer memory, carrying out its functions automatically. Users can interface with any server on their network using PowerAlert Client (see page 8). Administrative Mode/Monitor Only Mode PowerAlert Server can operate in Administrative Mode (which allows PowerAlert to send commands to its connected UPS) or in Monitor Only mode (which does not). In nearly all cases, PowerAlert should use Administrative mode. However, if two or more computers are communicating with a single UPS, only one of these computers should be in Administrative mode; the others should be in Monitor Only mode to prevent them from sending contradictory commands. The server's mode may be changed with PowerAlert Setup (see below). Starting and Stopping Once PowerAlert is installed, PowerAlert Server starts whenever the computer is booted up. Users may stop or restart the Server using PowerAlert Status (see below). PowerAlert Setup PowerAlert Setup is used to specify how the PowerAlert Server communicates with its UPS and with the outside world. Using PowerAlert Setup, users can change the preferences they set for their server at installation by adding, removing or altering server functions. Figure 1: PowerAlert Setup Screen The screen at right shows a PowerAlert Setup screen with all PowerAlert options installed. Depending on which PowerAlert options were installed, some of the Option Tabs may not be displayed. Click on "Run Setup Wizard..." to install missing options (see Setup Wizard, page 7). Click on any Option Tab to change the settings for related PowerAlert functions, as explained below. UPS Clicking on this Option Tab allows the user to configure the server to communicate with its connected UPS. UPS Manufacturer should be set first, then UPS Model. The user may then specify the Communications Port (Com 1-4 or USB) used to communicate with the UPS. Most users will not need to change the default Baud Rate of 2400 baud or default Polling Rate of every two seconds, but advanced users may change these settings for special applications. Server Options Clicking on this Option Tab allows the user to change the server's preferences. The pull-down menus are used to set what language and what date format the server uses, whether or not it uses TCP/IP and whether it runs in Administrative mode or in Monitor Only mode. Users may also turn on data logging, set how often the server polls the UPS for data, set how often the server archives logged data and event logs and, if Network Alert Logging is active, choose a Network Alert Log Server for the UPS by entering a name or by running a search. 5

6 Attached Devices Clicking on this Option Tab allows the user to describe the UPS's outlet configuration and to assign names to its outlets for identification purposes. When PowerAlert is installed, it puts together a "map" of the connected UPS's outlet configuration, as displayed on the right side of this screen. In rare cases, the configuration shown may not match the UPS exactly; in such cases, the user may add or subtract rows and columns from the configuration to approximate the UPS's outlets. The UPS's outlets are numbered and listed on the left side of the screen. This list shows which outlets are controllable (can be individually switched on and off by PowerAlert) and which are battery protected against power failures. In the "Name" field of this list, the user may enter a description of the load attached to each outlet. For example, the first might be named "Computer," the second "Monitor" and so on. These names serve as a useful reference when operating the UPS remotely. Note that the outlet configuration and names assigned from this screen have no effect on the operation of the UPS. They are only for the user's reference when using PowerAlert. Contacts Clicking on this Option Tab allows the user to enter the names, telephone numbers, mobile phone or beeper numbers and addresses for up to two people such as IS personnel or service people who can be contacted for help with this computer and/or its attached. Note that this information is NOT used by PowerAlert to send or paging notifications. It is only for the user's reference. * This Option Tab appears if the PowerAlert Server has the Notification option installed. From this screen, the user may specify what mail server PowerAlert will use to send notifications, to what address the notifications will be sent and what return address PowerAlert will give in the it sends. To choose when the server will send Notifications, use PowerAlert Client's Event Manager (page 13). SNMP* This Option Tab appears if the PowerAlert server has the SNMP Notification option installed. On this screen, the user can designate up to four different destinations, communities and port numbers that will receive SNMP alerts sent by the server. To choose when the server will send SNMP Notifications, use PowerAlert Client's Event Manager (page 13). Paging* This Option Tab appears if the PowerAlert Server has the Pager Notification option installed. On this screen, the user can select up to two page recipients from a pull-down menu and add, delete or change the recipients in the menu. The user may also configure PowerAlert to work with the computer's modem that is used to send pages, set the modem com port, baud speed, data and stop bits, parity and initialization string. To choose when the server will send Pager Notifications, use PowerAlert Client's Event Manager (page 13). Users* This Option Tab appears if the PowerAlert Server has the Users and Passwords security option installed. Clicking on it displays a list of all the authorized users who may change server settings and issue UPS commands using PowerAlert Client. New users may be added to the list and selected users may be deleted or their passwords changed. Network Alert Log* This Option Tab appears if this computer has been configured as a Network Alert Log Server. Most users will not need to change the default settings on this screen. Advanced users may choose a port number for Network Alert Log communications or designate a new file name for the Alert Log. * If this Option Tab does not appear on the screen, the PowerAlert option it controls is not installed. Run the Setup Wizard to install the missing option if needed. 6

7 Port Manager* This Option Tab appears if the PowerAlert server and client are using TCP/IP to communicate with each other. Most users will not need to change the default settings on this screen. When the PowerAlert Port Manager is turned on, advanced users may specify a port number for the server and client to use for communications. * If this Option Tab does not appear on the screen, the PowerAlert option it controls is not installed. Run the Setup Wizard to install the missing option if needed. Setup Wizard The Setup Wizard guides the user through the process of configuring the PowerAlert Server. It prompts users to specify what language and date format the server will use; whether the server will use TCP/IP; whether the server should run in Administrative or Monitor Only mode; whether a UPS will be connected directly to this computer; whether this computer will be used as a Network Log server; whether the server should be configured for , paging and/or SNMP notification; and whether the server should keep a list of Users and passwords for security. If a UPS is connected directly to this computer, the Wizard asks for the port number for the connection and baud rate of the port (usually 2400). Finally, the Wizard asks for contact information for , paging and SNMP notification options, if these options were selected. After changing Server settings with Setup Wizard, you must restart the server (either by rebooting your computer or by using the server Stop and Start options in the PowerAlert Status menu) before the changes will take effect. 7

8 PowerAlert Client PowerAlert Client is a user interface that communicates with PowerAlert Server and translates the data that the server receives from its connected UPS into an easy-to-read graphic format. A computer running PowerAlert Client can communicate over a network with any computer running PowerAlert Server. PowerAlert Client can therefore be used to monitor and manage all the UPS systems on a network from a single location. PowerAlert Client gives users tools for monitoring, logging, charting and analyzing UPS status. PowerAlert Client can also issue UPS commands and is used to configure PowerAlert Server to automatically respond to power events (such as blackouts) by notifying users, saving open files and safely shutting down equipment. The features and options available in PowerAlert Client vary depending on whether the computer and UPS are communicating over a smart connection or a contact closure connection. (See page 4 for more information.) Figure 2: PowerAlert Client Screen Smart Connection Pull-down menu bar Contact Closure Display area Status Bar Status bar The icons in this area show PowerAlert conditions and UPS status at a glance. Holding the mouse cursor over one of these icons calls up a brief explanation of the icon's meaning. Lock Icon: If this icon shows an open lock, the user can make changes to PowerAlert settings. If PowerAlert was installed without the security option, the lock is always open. If PowerAlert was installed with the security option, the lock is open only if the user is properly logged in. If the user is not logged in, the lock will be shown closed, and the user may view UPS status information only, not make any changes to PowerAlert settings or issue UPS commands. Clicking on the locked icon will take the user to the System: Log In screen. Lightbulb Icon: If this icon shows a glowing lightbulb, the UPS is receiving AC power. If this icon shows a dark lightbulb, the UPS is supplying battery power. Battery Icon:This icon shows a full, green battery when the UPS's battery is more than halfway charged. If the battery has less than half its full charge, this icon will show a yellow, half-empty battery. If the battery's charge is nearly exhausted, this icon will show a red, empty battery. Holding the mouse over this icon will display the exact percentage of battery charge remaining. Server Connection Lost Icon: If this icon appears, PowerAlert Client is unable to communicate with its PowerAlert Server. Perhaps there are network problems, or perhaps the server has been stopped by the user. When its server is out, PowerAlert Client will issue a warning, then open the System: Select System screen. UPS Communication Lost Icon: If this icon appears, PowerAlert Server is unable to communicate properly with the UPS. Perhaps the cable that connects the UPS to the computer is disconnected, or perhaps the user chose the wrong UPS model during setup. Alarm Clock Icon: This icon appears in the status bar if any alarms have gone off since the last time the user looked at the alarms screen. Clicking on this icon will open the Display: Alarms screen. Warning Icon: This icon appears along with any important information being broadcast by the server. For example, if PowerAlert is going to shut down the computer and/or UPS due to a power event, this icon appears in the status bar along with a countdown displaying time remaining until the shutdown. 8

9 Pull-Down Menus The following menu options are opened from the Pull-Down Menu Bar near the top of the PowerAlert Client. Note that users can also switch between display screens by clicking on the tabs that appear at the top of all Display screens. File: Exit Select this menu option to quit the PowerAlert Client user interface program. Other active PowerAlert components installed on this computer, such as the PowerAlert Server and PowerAlert Status, will remain active. Display: Summary On the Summary Display screen, PowerAlert Client shows either the Circuit Display (if the UPS and computer share a contact closure connection) or the Threshold and Meter Displays (smart connection). These easy-to-read graphical displays provide an intuitive understanding of your UPS system's status. Circuit Display: This display shows how power is flowing between your wall outlet, UPS and computer. When your UPS is receiving utility power, this display shows AC entering through the wall outlet, then being passed on to the computer and to the UPS battery charger, which stores it in the UPS battery. When the UPS is providing power from battery backup, this display shows power being drawn from the battery and inverted, then passed on to the computer. Threshold Displays: The left side of the Summary Display features seven cells that display variable information about the UPS. A small box in each cell will change color to warn the user if the variable displayed in the cell reaches a critical state. For example, if temperature were to exceed its threshold value, the box will turn a cautionary yellow or a critical red. The cells initially display generally useful variables such as UPS Model, Battery Age and so on, but users may select what variables are displayed and set threshold values for each variable. To select what information is displayed in a cell, left-click on it, then select the variable you want displayed from the resulting pop-up menu. You may then click on the cell again and select "Thresholds" from the resulting pop-up menu to specify the critical values for that variable. Note that some variables, such as UPS Model, have no Threshold options. Meter Displays: The right side of the Summary Display features several meters that show information from the UPS in graphical format. PowerAlert can display three vertical meters, four horizontal meters or four analog (circular) meters. Select which kind of meters you prefer by clicking on the appropriate Meter Type button appearing in the lower left corner of the Summary Display. The meters are color-coded to distinguish normal operating ranges from critical conditions. Green zones indicate the normal operating range of a variable. Red areas, or danger zones, indicate critical and/or dangerous ranges. Yellow ranges delineate warning zones between normal and critical conditions. The blue value bar points to the UPS's current condition within the meter's range. To select what information is displayed on a meter, left-click on it, then select the variable you want displayed from the resulting pop-up menu. You may then left-click on the meter again to specify its range or to set the threshold values that define the warning zones, danger zones and normal operating ranges for that meter. Display: Variables The Variables Display screen shows all the information available about the UPS's status in a condensed table format. If any of the variables in the table are currently outside their normal operating range (as defined by the Threshold and Meter Displays on the Summary Display screen), colored squares will pop up next to those variables: red for variables in danger zones, yellow for variables in warning zones. Display: Events The Events Display screen lists the UPS conditions that are considered important enough that a significant change in one of their values is considered an event. The left-hand column shows important UPS current conditions such as "UPS on Utility Power" and "UPS Battery Above Half Power." The second column shows what event category a change in the corresponding condition would be. If an event is in progress, a square appears in the first column by the appropriate UPS condition, colored according to the event category: a red square for Power Events (changes in power conditions) and Critical Events (UPS changed from a normal to a critical state), a black square for Information Events (UPS communicating important information) and a blue square for Threshold Events (a variable crossed a threshold value defined on the Summary Display screen). 9

10 Display: Alarms The Alarms Display screen displays a record of all the alarms due to events that have occurred since the PowerAlert Client began communicating with the current server. Alarms issued by a server while the client is not running or is communicating with another server are logged by the server in its log file and in the network log file if one exists, but are not displayed here. Alarms are listed in a table in chronological order, starting with the most recent alarm on the top line. Each line lists the date and time of the alarm (according to the system clock), a brief description of the event that triggered the alarm and the category of the triggering event. A square also appears on each line, colored by alarm type: a red square for the beginning of Power Events (power conditions changed) and Critical Events (UPS entered critical state), a green square for the end of Power Events and Critical Events, a black square for Information Events (UPS communicated important information) and a blue square for Threshold Events (a variable crossed a threshold value defined on the Summary Display screen). By default, the list of alarms includes Threshold Events; by unchecking the box in the bottom left corner, these user-defined alarms may be excluded from the list. Click on the Clear All Alarms box in the bottom right corner of the screen to erase the list from this screen. Display: Attached Devices The Attached Devices Display screen lists the Remote Reboot Outlets on the connected UPS, if any. The list shows several outlet attributes: Status (on or off), ID (how the outlet is numbered on the UPS), Name (a user-defined description of the outlet's use, e.g. "Scanner," "Laser Printer," etc.), Controllable (yes or no) and Battery Protected (yes or no). From this screen, the user can select a receptacle by clicking on its name in the list, then turn it on, turn it off or recycle it (which turns it off, then on again to reboot connected equipment) using the buttons at the bottom of the screen. Display: Contacts The Contacts Display screen shows the name, telephone and/or pager number and address of one or two people who work with or maintain the computer on which the server is running and the UPS is connected. This information is for the convenience of client users only and is not used by PowerAlert to issue automatic notifications. Contact information must be defined using PowerAlert Setup (see page 5). Display: Options Selecting this menu option allows the user to specify how PowerAlert Client displays information as text, including in what language the client communicates and in what format it shows dates and times. System: Select System Selecting this menu option allows users to switch PowerAlert Client from communicating with one PowerAlert server to another. Users may choose from a pull-down menu of known servers, or they may click on the System List button to open the System: Configure System List screen to search for other servers. System: Configure System List Selecting this menu option displays a list of all the PowerAlert Servers the client is connected to and aware of. Users may delete list entries, add known servers to the list by port number or use Autodiscover to find all the servers on a given subnet. Clicking on the Autodiscover button opens the Autodiscover screen. From this screen, users may specify a subnet to search for servers by entering the name of a known server, in which case that server's subnet is searched, or by entering an IP address, in which case that address's subnet is searched. For example, if the user enters the IP address , all servers in the subnet will be found. After Autodiscover displays the servers found, users may select any or all of the found servers and click on the Add button to place them on the Configure System List. 10

11 System: Setup To achieve the full potential of PowerAlert software, several features must be configured to work with your system. The System: Setup menus allow you to configure these features. Configuring these features is optional; PowerAlert will work without them, although these features will be unavailable until their settings are configured. Use this menu to configure PowerAlert to send in response to events. For "Mail Server," enter the name of your SMTP server. For "To Address," enter the address of the account you wish to receive the the PowerAlert server sends. (You can have PowerAlert send mail to more than one address by setting up a list in an program and having PowerAlert send messages to that list; see your program's instructions for details.) You have the option of designating an address to receive replies to messages that PowerAlert sends; you may enter this address under "From Address." Logging: Use this menu to configure when and how PowerAlert records information about UPS operation and power conditions. If the Data Logging Enabled box at the top is checked, then while the PowerAlert server is running, it will keep a continuous record of the data it receives from its connected UPS. (Note that what data the server receives depends on the UPS model and the connection method.) Users may specify the Logging Interval (the time between log entries: up to 1 hour) and how often the server archives data logs (whether the server saves the old Data Log and begins a new one on a daily, weekly or monthly basis). Paging: Use this menu to configure PowerAlert to send pages to up to two recipients in response to events. Select the recipient(s) from the drop-menu of recipients. To edit the recipients, select "Edit Recipient Information" from the Paging menu. You may select an existing recipient to edit, add a new recipient or delete an existing recipient. For each recipient you must enter an identifying name, a pager number and PIN and delay times that tell the PowerAlert server how long to wait after dialing the pager number before dialing the PIN number, as well as how long to wait after dialing the PIN number before sending the numeric message. SNMP: Use this menu to designate up to four destinations for SNMP Traps sent in response to events. You may enter the destinations' names ("public" by default), specify communities within those destinations (if desired) and designate the destinations' port numbers (162 by default). System: Log In If this PowerAlert server was installed with the security option on, users must log in through this Menu Option before they may make any changes to the PowerAlert Server settings. While not logged in, users may view UPS status information only, not change settings or issue UPS commands. Logging in requires that the user enter a user name and password. System: Log Out If PowerAlert was installed with the security option on then for maximum security users should log out through this Menu Option when they are through making changes to PowerAlert settings and issuing UPS commands. View: Graphs This menu option allows users to view accumulated UPS status information as graphs. When this option is selected, PowerAlert retrieves and analyzes logged data then displays a screen on which data can be plotted over time. To create a graph, first click on the Reset button at the top of the screen to clear unnecessary data lines, if any. Then use the pulldown menu in the upper left hand corner of the screen to select the desired variable to be graphed. Click the Add button to display the selected data to the chart. Select and add additional variables to the chart if desired. Finally, enter the beginning and ending dates for the graph's time axis (x axis) in the lower left hand corner of the screen, then click on the Apply button to generate a new graph. Note that graphs can be generated only for time periods during which the chosen PowerAlert server was active and logging data. Clicking on the Statistics button in the upper right hand corner of the screen displays information about every data line on the graph, including their minimum, maximum and mean values and the number of data points they contain. Clicking on the Scale button opens a screen from which users can select automatic or manual scaling for the x and y dimensions of the graph. Graphs and Statistics can be printed by clicking on the Print button. 11

12 View: Logs This menu option allows the user to examine the records PowerAlert keeps on UPS operations. Data Log: Lists all the UPS operating data recorded by PowerAlert during the time period specified by the user at the bottom of the screen. This list includes records of all the data that can be shown on the Summary Display screen, including input voltage, output load, battery capacity and more. Event Log: Lists the events that occurred during the time period that the user specifies at the bottom of the screen. The listing shows the time, date and category of each event, along with a description of the event. The user may filter the list to show only certain event categories by clicking on the boxes below the list and clicking the "Apply" button. Network Alert Log: This menu option is available only if a Network Alert Log Server is active on the user's network. Like the Event Log, it lists events that occurred in a time period specified by the user at the bottom of the screen by date and time. However, it can list the events for every PowerAlert server that is set up to communicate with the Network Alert Log Server, although the user may elect to filter the list to show events from a selected PowerAlert server only. View: Event Calendar When this menu option is selected, it opens a calendar with dots marking the days on which events occurred: red dots for Critical Events, yellow dots for Power Events, blue dots for Threshold Events and black dots for Information Events. To see details about the events that occurred on a particular day, click on that date on the calendar. The time, name and category of each event on that day will appear in the box on the bottom of the screen. Use the arrow buttons to skip from month to month in the calendar. View: Shutdown Clients Selecting this menu option displays a list of the Remote Shutdown Service Clients that are attuned to this PowerAlert server. (See Remote Shutdown Service, page 18 for details). Control: Execute Command Selecting this menu option allows the user to choose a UPS command from a pull-down menu to be executed immediately. The UPS commands that can be issued from the Execute Command screen vary depending on the kind of UPS connected and the PowerAlert options installed. Control: Schedule Command Using this menu option, operating system shutdowns and UPS commands can be scheduled to be executed at a certain date and time or at set intervals. When this menu option is selected, it opens a screen showing all the currently scheduled commands as dots on a calendar: red dots for operating system shutdowns and green dots for UPS commands. To see the details of commands scheduled on a particular day, click on that date on the calendar. The command names, the times they are scheduled and how often they are scheduled to occur will appear in the box on the bottom of the screen. To schedule a new command on the calendar, first select a date by clicking on the appropriate box on the calendar, using the arrow buttons to skip from month to month. Next, click on the Add button. A dialog box with command options will pop up. Select the command you want executed from the pull-down menu. (The UPS commands that can be scheduled vary depending on the kind of UPS connected and the PowerAlert options installed.) Then choose at what time you want the command executed, and whether the command should be executed one time only (on the selected date) or daily, weekly or monthly thereafter. Scheduled commands can be removed from the calendar by selecting a date, clicking on the Delete button and selecting the command to be deleted from the resulting pop-up menu. 12

13 Events: Event Manager PowerAlert can undertake several actions (such as shutting down the operating system and/or paging the system administrator) when events occur (such as the UPS switching to battery power or going into output overload). The Event Manager is used to specify which actions are to be executed when a specific UPS event occurs. If PowerAlert was installed with the security option on, then options set in the Event Manager may be changed only if the user is logged in. If the user is not logged in, Event Manager can be opened for viewing only. The user will be able to see which actions are triggered by which events but will not be able to change them. Broadcast Alert: This event action causes a message to be broadcast to inform users that the event has occurred. For example, Event Manager could be set to send an alert when AC power fails to let users know that the UPS is operating from battery power and that shutdown may be imminent. The PowerAlert Server will continue to issue an alert as long as the event continues. To set a Broadcast Alert for an event, open the Event Manager, select the triggering event on the drop-menu and click on the Broadcasting tab. Check the box that enables Broadcasting for that event, then choose the delay between the time the event occurs and the time that the alert is first sent. Set the Broadcast Interval to determine how often the alerts are sent while the event continues. Shutdown: When an event could result in the loss of power to the PowerAlert server and/or its clients, a Shutdown Event Action can be used to close applications and turn off equipment. Event action can perform three different tasks: Operating System Shutdown: To set your PowerAlert server to save files, close open applications and shut down its operating system at a set interval after an event, open the Event Manager, select the triggering event on the drop-menu and click on the Shutdown tab. Check the box that enables Operating System Shutdown for that event, then set the Operating System Shutdown Delay to the time interval you want to pass before the shutdown process begins on the PowerAlert server. UPS Shutdown: If you have a smart connection with your UPS, you can direct your UPS to turn itself off some time after a selected Event. Open the Event Manager, select the triggering event on the drop-menu and click on the Shutdown tab. Check the box that enables UPS Shutdown for that event, then set the UPS Shutdown Delay to whatever period of time you want to pass before the UPS shuts itself down. Remote Shutdown: PowerAlert can issue commands over a network to computers running PowerAlert Remote Shutdown Service, telling them to save files, close applications and shut down their operating systems at a set interval after an Event. Open the Event Manager, select the triggering event on the drop-menu and click on the Shutdown tab. Check the box that enables Remote Shutdown for that event, then set the Remote Shutdown Message Delay to the length of time you want to elapse before Remote Shutdown commences. Note that only computers with RSS that are attuned to the server issuing the command will shut down (see Remote Shutdown Service, pg. 17, for more information). Notes on Saving Open Files: PowerAlert can save open files from common applications such as Microsoft Office, but not from all applications. To prevent older data from being overwritten and lost, the rescued files are saved in the PowerAlert folder in the directory called "Datasafe." Notes on Shutdown Delays: Delays are useful because they prevent system shutdown due to transient conditions. For example, a delay of one minute on a UPS On Battery Event Shutdown Action will prevent the system from shutting down due to momentary losses of power that last less than a minute. However, you must be sure to give your system enough time to shut down before power to your system is interrupted. For example, if your UPS has enough battery capacity to provide power to your system for up to 45 minutes after AC power is interrupted, it would be prudent to set your Operating System Shutdown Delay to no more than 35 minutes so that your system has plenty of time to shut down even if your battery is slightly drained when power is interrupted. Furthermore, you must be sure to set delays so that Remote Shutdown occurs before the PowerAlert Server's Operating System Shutdown, and that Operating System Shutdown occurs before UPS Shutdown. 13

14 Execute Command: This powerful Event Action can be used to run a program file on the PowerAlert Server a set time after a chosen event occurs and/or is cleared. Open the Event Manager, select the triggering event on the drop-menu and click on the Execute Command tab. Check the box that enables Execute Command for this event, then enter the path and file names for the programs you want to run when the event occurs and/or is cleared, as appropriate. Finally, set the Delay Before Activating Command to whatever interval you want to elapse after the event occurs/is cleared before the chosen file is executed. SNMP Traps: The PowerAlert server can send an SNMP Trap at a set time after an event occurs and/or is cleared. To set it to do so, open the Event Manager, select the triggering event on the drop-menu and click on the SNMP Trap tab. Check the box that enables SNMP Trap for this event. (To configure SNMP options, see PowerAlert Setup on pg. 5.) Paging: The PowerAlert server can send a numeric pager message at a set time after an event occurs and/or is cleared. To set it to do so, open the Event Manager, select the triggering event on the drop-menu and click on the Paging tab. Check the box that enables Paging for this event. Next, choose how soon after the event occurs and/or is cleared that the page will be sent by setting the Delay Before First Page, then choose how frequently the page will be sent by setting the Paging Interval. Finally, enter a numeric message that will be sent by pager when the event occurs and/or is cleared. (To configure modem options, see PowerAlert Setup on pg. 5.) The PowerAlert server can send an message at a set time after an event occurs and/or is cleared. To set it to do so, open the Event Manager, select the triggering event on the drop-menu and click on the tab. Check the box that enables for this event. Next, choose how soon after the event occurs and/or is cleared that the will be sent by setting the Delay Before Sending . Finally, enter the message that will be sent as when the event occurs and/or is cleared. OS Event Log: The PowerAlert Server can record Events in the system's OS Event Log. To set it to do so, open the Event Manager, select the triggering event on the drop-menu, click on the OS Event Log tab and check the box that enables OS Event Logging for this event. (To configure log options, see PowerAlert Setup on pg. 5.) Events: Event Summary Selecting this menu option opens a table that shows at a glance what actions (such as Broadcasting a warning, Shutting down the local operating system, etc.) are undertaken in response to various events. To change these settings, open the Event Manager. Help: PowerAlert Help Use this menu option to browse the content of PowerAlert help files or to search those files by keyword for help on a specific topic. Help: About PowerAlert Selecting this menu option displays useful information relevant to PowerAlert, including the software version number, contact information for Tripp Lite and specifications from the UPS connected to the PowerAlert server with which the client is communicating. 14

15 PowerAlert Status PowerAlert Status appears in the Taskbar of a Windows machine that is running the PowerAlert server. It can be used as a quick reference to the operation of the computer's connected UPS and provides easy access to PowerAlert functions. Status Icon The Status Icon shows the connected UPS's current operating conditions. Holding the mouse cursor over this icon calls up a brief description of the icon's meaning; full explanations appear below. Lightbulb Icon: If PowerAlert is represented by this icon in the taskbar, the UPS is receiving AC utility power. Battery Icon: If PowerAlert is represented by this icon in the taskbar, the UPS is tapping its DC batteries to provide AC power. Not Connected to UPS Icon: If PowerAlert is represented by this icon in the taskbar, the UPS and PowerAlert are not communicating, possibly due to a lost connection or a configuration problem. Not Connected to Server Icon: If PowerAlert is represented by this icon in the taskbar, the PowerAlert server is not running on this machine. Status Menu Clicking on the Status icon opens the Status Menu. Users may access PowerAlert's functions through the Status Menu. Depending on which PowerAlert features and components have been installed on this computer, some or all of the following Status Menu options may appear: Open Status Window: Opens the Status Window (see pg. 16). Launch PowerAlert Client: Opens PowerAlert Client (see PowerAlert Client, pg. 8). About PowerAlert: Displays important service information such as PowerAlert version number, UPS model and driver number and contact information for Tripp Lite. PowerAlert Server: Used to start the PowerAlert Server, to stop the PowerAlert Server or to open PowerAlert Setup (see PowerAlert Setup, pg. 5). Network Log Server: Used to start or stop the Network Log Server (see Network Alert Log, pg. 7). Remote Shutdown Server: Used to start or stop this machine's Remote Shutdown Service (see Remote Shutdown Service, pg. 17). Exit PowerAlert Status: Removes PowerAlert Status from the taskbar. PowerAlert Status will reappear in the taskbar when you restart your computer unless you remove it from your Windows Startup folder. 15

16 Figure 3: PowerAlert Status Window Status Window This display shows details about current UPS operation. UPS Communications: Shows if a UPS is connected to the local PowerAlert server. UPS On Battery: Shows if the connected UPS is providing AC power from its DC battery. Battery Capacity: Gives the percentage of maximum charge remaining in the UPS's battery. Time Until Server Shutdown: If the local server is scheduled to shutdown the operating system, the time remaining until the shutdown is displayed here. Server Name: Displays the name of the PowerAlert Server. Server Status: Shows whether the local server is Connected (active) or Not Connected (inactive). Minimize: Click on this button to close the Status Window without closing PowerAlert Status. Disconnect: This button appears when the local server is Connected (active). Click on it to stop the local PowerAlert server. Connect: This button appears when the local server is Disconnected (inactive). Click on it to start the local PowerAlert server. Language: Click on this button to choose from a pop-up menu what language PowerAlert uses. 16

17 PowerAlert Remote Shutdown Service PowerAlert Remote Shutdown Service (RSS) is a companion application to PowerAlert that allows a computer system that is not communicating directly with an UPS to shut down its operating system in the event of a blackout or other power event. RSS is particularly useful when the number of systems on a network that need to be safely shut down during blackouts and other power events exceeds the number of communications ports on the UPS. To use RSS, you must have a network that includes a system that is running PowerAlert server and communicates directly with an UPS. This system is called the Broadcast Server. Other systems in such a network can be made into RSS clients by installing RSS on them and attuning them to the Broadcast Server. Any of the RSS clients on a network can respond to a Remote Shutdown Message from the Broadcast Server by performing a safe shutdown of its operating system. Note: RSS Clients must use TCP/IP to communicate with their Broadcast Server. RSS Status Screen The screen at right features Display Areas showing information about the RSS client, its Broadcast Server and the UPS it is connected to. The screen also features controls that pause local shutdown, access the RSS Setup screen and deactivate the RSS client. Display Areas UPS Communications: Displays the status of communications between the Broadcast Server and its UPS as either Connected or Disconnected. Disconnected could mean that the cable is loose, the cable is faulty or the COM port is not configured properly. UPS On Battery: Displays Yes if the RSS client has received a Remote Shutdown Message from the Broadcast Server: No if it has not. If this field says Yes, the RSS client will begin a shutdown timer, provided that it is in Local Shutdown Enabled mode (see Remote Shutdown Service Setup, pg.18). Battery Capacity: This field displays the percentage of the UPS's battery capacity remaining. Time Until Server Shutdown: If the RSS client has received a Remote Shutdown Message, this field displays the time remaining before the Broadcast Server begins operating system shutdown. The display is updated every 5 seconds in HH:MM:SS format. Displays NA if a Remote Shutdown Message has not been received from the Broadcast Server. Time Until Local Shutdown: Displays time remaining until the RSS client begins operating system shutdown. Updated real-time in HH:MM:SS format. Displays NA if a Remote Shutdown Message has not been received from the Broadcast Server, and displays Disabled if the RSS client is in Monitor Only mode (see Remote Shutdown Service Setup, pg. 18). IP Server: Displays the name of the Broadcast Server to which the Remote Shutdown Client is tuned. Status: Displays the status of communications between the Remote Shutdown Client and the Broadcast Server as either Connected or Disconnected. Disconnected could mean that one of these computers has lost its network communications. Controls These buttons are used to control the operation and change the settings of the RSS server. Setup: Opens the RSS Setup Screen (see Remote Shutdown Service Setup, pg.18). Hide: Removes the RSS Display Screen from the desktop. RSS continues to run, and clicking on the battery icon in the system tray will redisplay the RSS Display Screen. Exit: Closes RSS. Note that local system shutdown will not occur if RSS is closed. About: Displays your RSS version number. Help: Calls the help file's content viewer. Pause Shutdown: If the RSS client is on a shutdown timer, clicking on this button will pause the countdown. This option should be exercised with caution: since UPS battery power is limited and the Broadcast Server may be on its own shutdown timer, pausing the countdown may result in the RSS client losing power or communications before it can be gracefully shut down. Resume Shutdown: This button appears if the RSS's shutdown timer is paused. Clicking on it will restart the countdown where it left off. 17

18 RSS Setup RSS Setup allows the user or administrator to configure a Remote Shutdown Service Client and to attune it to a specific Broadcast Server on its network. Note that an RSS client will shut itself down during blackouts and other power events only if it receives a Remote Shutdown Message from its Broadcast Server. The Broadcast Server must be separately configured to send Remote Shutdown Messages (see Events Manager in the PowerAlert Client section, pg. 13). Controls Language: Specifies the language RSS should use to display information and screen text. Server Name: Specifies the IP address or machine name of the Broadcast Server. Local Shutdown Delay: Specifies how long RSS should wait after receiving the Remote Shutdown Message before beginning its operating system shutdown. Local Shutdown Enabled: Select this button to put the RSS client in Local Shutdown Enabled mode. In this mode, RSS will begin a shutdown timer when it receives a Remote Shutdown Message from the Broadcast Server. Monitor Only: Select this button to put the RSS client in Monitor Only mode. In this mode, RSS will report the Broadcast Server's shutdown time status, but the RSS client will NOT shut down. 18

19 PowerAlert Enterprise PowerAlert Enterprise is an application that allows multiple UPSs on a network to be monitored and controlled from a central location. Enterprise has the following requirements: 1. Windows NT V4.0 or Windows 2000 required to run the Enterprise server. 2. Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows 2000 required to run the Enterprise client. 3. TCP/IP must be installed on any system with which the Enterprise server will communicate. 4. TCP/IP must be installed on the system on which the Enterprise server and client will run. Components Three components are necessary to run the PowerAlert Enterprise application: 1. PowerAlert server communicates with the UPS via either RS-232 or USB protocol. 2. Enterprise server communicates with PowerAlert server via TCP/IP protocol. 3. Enterprise client communicates with Enterprise server via TCP/IP protocol. The relationships between the components are shown in the diagram below. UPS UPS UPS UPS PowerAlert Server PowerAlert Server PowerAlert Server PowerAlert Server Enterprise Server Enterprise Client PowerAlert server and Enterprise server are NT services that can be started from either the PowerAlert Status Client application or by selecting the services option from the system control panel. 19

20 Enterprise Client The Enterprise Client is started by selecting the Enterprise Manager option from the PowerAlert start menu. This opens Enterprise's Menu and Main View Screen. Menu Options There are four menu options presented to the user. Each menu option has one or more sub-options. The entire menu hierarchy is as follows: File View Setup Help Exit Display Reports Tree Icons Inventory Network Alert Log Network Alert Log Servers Setup (if no Network Alert Log Servers configured) -or- List of Available Network Alert Log Servers Language Area Setup Network Alert Log Setup About PowerAlert Enterprise 20