UPS information

[Leon Shen]

Hi Experts,

I have been sucessfully migrated the data from D350 to rp2470. Now I need rackmounting the rp2470 to the HP rack. Currently UPS model Power Trust A2996A is connected to D350 server. I have few questions about config and test UPS.

1) The port to be used is /dev/tty1p1 ?
2) Do I config the UPS from SAM or need install some UPS software for HPUX11i? any step ?
3) After I need edit /etc/inittab and remove the # in front of ups: respawn:rtprio 0 /usr/lbin/ups_mond -f /etc/ups_conf
and also need comment following
#ttp1:2:respawn:/usr/sbin/getty -h tty0p1 9600

same to edit /etc/ups_conf to do the following setting

shutdown_delay_mins: 1
shutdown_timeout_mins:5
upstty:/dev/tty0p1
upstty:/dev/tty002:MSG_ONLY

4) then I bring the system and install UPS hardware and bring up the server. how to check the UPS was successful installed ?

5) How to test the UPS ? just unplug the power cable ?

best regards
Leon

[Ralf Seefeldt]

Hello Leon,

I hope, I can help you a little - even without knowing this specific UPS

to 1) The port depends on the serial port you use.
/dev/tty1p1 is the 2nd serial port and /dev/tty0p1 is the first

to 2) May be, you can use SAM. But, each UPS comes with its own software. So either, you get increased functionality with this SW or you need it even for basic functionality. I think, you definitely will use it.
I do not know, whether you may configer your UPS with SAM after you have installed this software. You can for sure configure it without SAM with a more or less comfortable interface.

to 3) you need this getty prozess for the comunication between your UPS-software and the serial port. Please activate it.
Please make sure, that the port used here is the same as in your 1st question.
The software, you mention here (/usr/lbin/ups_mond -f /etc/ups_conf) will be the software, we talked about in question 2)

The meaning of your parameters is important to:
shutdown_delay_mins: 1
shutdown_timeout_mins:5
upstty:/dev/tty0p1
upstty:/dev/tty002:MSG_ONLY
please contact the manual. the variables may define:
- time between powerfail and start of shutdown
- time between shutdown is called and it starts shuting down (see man shutdown)
- the serial interface to use
- whatever options the software is going to support.

to 4) The SW-installation shoult tell you that it was installed with / without success.
The SW was installed successfully, when the tests succeed.

to 5) At last, start the server, unplug the cpo from power and you should get some messages on the server. Test, that the server shuts down. You may adjust the timesettings according to your battery capacity and the time, the server needs for shutdown.
Please do a 2nd test, where you switch on the power before the UPS-software calls the shutdown process. The server than must not shut down.

Best Regards

Ralf

[Leon Shen]

Hi Ralf:

May I ask does the UPS software come in the HPUX11i OS or in one of the software CD(june 2004).

Best Regards
Leon

[Stephen Keane]

One test you might want to consider is unplugging the serial cable connecting the UPS to the server. The last time I checked, the server doesn't notice. So if someone accidentally does this (trips over the cable or removes it thinking it belongs to something else) and the power goes off, your server will crash. HP regarded this as an unlikely scenario and advised screwing the bolts in tighly to prevent the cable from being removed. Of course if you have a faulty cable ...

[Stephen Keane]

Another useful test is to

a) remove the power cable from the UPS
b) wait for system to completely shutdown
c) replace power cable in UPS
d) wait for system to full start up
e) remove the power cable from the UPS

This tests if there is enough battery capacity in the UPS if the power fails whilst the system is trying to reboot. There isn't enough time between (c) and (e) for the mains power to recharge the UPS battery. It depends upon how long you have set the delay between the UPS signalling a power failure and the system shutting down.

Make the gap too short and a brief power fluctuation will bring your system down, make it too long and the UPS battery won't be able to cope.

Also consider what you have hanging off the UPS. CPU, disks - essential, Tape drive ? Console ? MUX ? Depends on your requirements.

[Ralf Seefeldt]

Hello Lenon,

Sorry for the late reply. I was in holiday.

The UPS-software comes with the UPS. Unfortunatdly, some producers only deliver WINDOWS-SW by default. The UNIX-SW may be
- dependant on the UNIX used (HPUX, LINUX, ...)
- dependant on the version of the UNIX
- only available for extra costs.

Best Regards

Ralf