[SATLUG] APC UPS and monitoring software

[FIRESTORM_v1]

there's an application for Linux called apcupsd.

It works and I have used it to monitor and control two different USB
styled UPSes.  It's an open source application suite and it uses
USB-HID software in order to communicate with the devices.

FIRESTORM_v1



On 16 Aug 2005 18:59:40 -0500, Chuck <chuck at tetlow.net> wrote:
> Yep,
> 
> Was cruising around APC's website earlier trying to find anything about
> the Linux software supplied with their units.  Saw that exact thing in a
> little box -- UPGRADE TO VERSION 7.  Clicking on it brought up an
> explanation about how the Sun Java Software in the version 6 was set to
> expire.  But there was NOTHING about what would happen if you didn't
> upgrade.
> 
> Yeaaaa... another Micro$oft type move.  I agree with that poster below
> -- I'd be really pissed if they knew about it and didn't send out word
> to at least their support list.
> 
> 
> Chuck
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, 2005-08-16 at 18:40, Don Wright wrote:
> 
>    This just in on the NT BugTraq list. Seems APC is getting a lot
>    of publicity about this. Glad I'm on Tripp-Lite.  --Don
> 
>    -----Original Message-----
>    From: Windows NTBugtraq Mailing List
>    [mailto:NTBUGTRAQ at LISTSERV.NTBUGTRAQ.COM] On Behalf Of Michael
>    Banjac
>    Sent: Friday, August 12, 2005 2:02 AM
>    To: NTBUGTRAQ at LISTSERV.NTBUGTRAQ.COM
>    Subject: APC Powerchute software - expired Java Runtime
>    certificate has
>    detrimental effect on Win2k / Win2k3 and SBS Servers
> 
> 
>    This week, we were baffled by a significant number of our managed
>    client servers falling like dominos, each one exhibiting the same
>    symptoms. Essentially, the consoles were dead or dead
>    slow....couldn't open control panel or network properties,
>    explorer was crashing (no desktop), IE was non responsive.
>    Restart the server and the exact same symptoms reappear.
>    Accessing the admin console across the network via RDP made
>    no difference.  At first sight, we were reasonably confident that
>    the Server had been hijacked or hit by a virus.
> 
>    Antivirus/antispam applications on each affected server were
>    completely up to date and had detected nothing. We wasted hours
>    scanning drives and searching for the problem through virus and
>    adware forums. It was only by chance that one of our engineers
>    noticed that there was a service that was still "starting".  Once
>    we eventually managed to change the service to manual startup and
>    reboot the server, it was as happy as a lamb again.
> 
>    Researching this further, we discovered that the services in
>    question belonged to APC PowerChute Business Edition, in
>    particular version 6.x. We now know that this version contains a
>    Time Bomb (of sorts) that manages to cripple the server it's
>    installed on.  The problem is apparently related to a Sun Java
>    Runtime Environment certificate contained within the software
>    which was set to expire on the 27th July 2005.  Even though this
>    date had passed with no effect for many, once their servers were
>    next restarted, the problem appeared.  We could see that the
>    processes themselves were loaded into memory but the services
>    were still showing as "starting".
> 
>    Once convinced that disabling the services would resolve the
>    issue, we approached our remaining clients and performed the fix
>    as a precautionary measure.
> 
>    There is a posting on the APC site which describes this problem
>    in some detail although they fall short of admitting that it
>    affects servers as badly as actually does.  They mention that the
>    software must be upgraded to version 7 to avoid future problems.
> 
>    http://nam-en.apc.com/cgi-bin/nam_e...hp?p_faqid=7202
>    <http://nam-en.apc.com/cgi-bin/nam_e...hp?p_faqid=7202>
> 
>    After the hours we wasted, I was livid that APC knew of this and
>    didn't report it to their Distribution chain in the form of an
>    alert so that it could be addressed prior to becoming a major
>    issue.  In the end, all that was required is a simple software
>    upgrade to avoid this fracas.
> 
>    Hopefully, this post will help some of you intercept and avoid
>    this mind numbing, time wasting exercise.
> 
>    Regards,
> 
>    Mike Banjac
>    Genesis Business Machines
>    Adelaide, South Australia
> 
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