[SATLUG] APC UPS and monitoring software

[Chuck]

COOL!!!   That's exactly what I needed to know.

I'll look it up this evening.  I like the idea that its Open Source. 
And the fact that it supports a USB port means I don't have to wait on a
USB-to-Serial adapter from APC to set the software up.

Thanks Matt.



Chuck



On Tue, 2005-08-16 at 20:39, FIRESTORM_v1 wrote:

    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
    > 
    >    _______________________________________________
    >    SATLUG mailing list
    >    SATLUG at satlug.org
    > 
    > http://alamo.satlug.org/mailman/listinfo/satlug
    > 
    > 
    > _______________________________________________
    > SATLUG mailing list
    > SATLUG at satlug.org
    > http://alamo.satlug.org/mailman/listinfo/satlug
    >
    _______________________________________________
    SATLUG mailing list
    SATLUG at satlug.org

http://alamo.satlug.org/mailman/listinfo/satlug