[opensuse] Question on Uninteruptable Power Supplies
I have been looking at UPS to support some of my SuSE computers and am interested in one from CyberPower. I wrote them asking if theirs would run under SuSE Linux and got the following (somewhat unintelligible geek speak) and wonder if someone on this group can translate it for me.. ;-) Does anyone here use this UPS ( CyberPower Systems CP1350AVRLCD UPS) under SuSE? Copy of my email to CyberPower and their response - We have no drivers or software for Linux but the USB port is a power class hid port so if the version of Linux supports Power Class HID USB devices then the ups will be recognized as batteries within the OS power manager and can be controlled. Thank You, Joel Gerlach Technical Support Cyber Power Systems (USA), Inc. 877-297-6937 x7917 -----Original Message----- From: Marc Chamberlin [mailto:marcc@jprise.com] Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 11:58 AM To: tech Subject: Support Request I am interested in the CyberPower Systems CP1350AVRLCD UPS and wonder what you can tell me about using it under Linux systems. Is there drivers available for it, and if so can you supply me with information on them? In particular I am running computers with SuSE Linux. Thanks... Marc Chamberlin -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Marc Chamberlin wrote:
I have been looking at UPS to support some of my SuSE computers and am interested in one from CyberPower. I wrote them asking if theirs would run under SuSE Linux and got the following (somewhat unintelligible geek speak) and wonder if someone on this group can translate it for me.. ;-) Does anyone here use this UPS ( CyberPower Systems CP1350AVRLCD UPS) under SuSE?
Copy of my email to CyberPower and their response -
We have no drivers or software for Linux but the USB port is a power class hid port so if the version of Linux supports Power Class HID USB devices then the ups will be recognized as batteries within the OS power manager and can be controlled. Thank You, Joel Gerlach Technical Support Cyber Power Systems (USA), Inc. 877-297-6937 x7917
He's saying that Linux will see the UPS as it would batteries in a laptop. Fred -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Marc Chamberlin wrote:
I have been looking at UPS to support some of my SuSE computers and am interested in one from CyberPower. I wrote them asking if theirs would run under SuSE Linux and got the following (somewhat unintelligible geek speak) and wonder if someone on this group can translate it for me.. ;-) Does anyone here use this UPS ( CyberPower Systems CP1350AVRLCD UPS) under SuSE?
I use APC, because the explicitly support Linux, even providing the Linux version of their powerchute program on their website.
Copy of my email to CyberPower and their response -
We have no drivers or software for Linux but the USB port is a power class hid port so if the version of Linux supports Power Class HID USB devices then the ups will be recognized as batteries within the OS power manager and can be controlled.
Thank You, Joel Gerlach Technical Support Cyber Power Systems (USA), Inc. 877-297-6937 x7917
What a putz. Just enough information to...make you wish you had the information you actually need. Worthless :-( What is NECESSARY is what the UPS send out on the serial line to indicate that line power has been lost.
-----Original Message----- From: Marc Chamberlin [mailto:marcc@jprise.com] Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 11:58 AM To: tech Subject: Support Request
I am interested in the CyberPower Systems CP1350AVRLCD UPS and wonder what you can tell me about using it under Linux systems. Is there drivers available for it, and if so can you supply me with information on them? In particular I am running computers with SuSE Linux.
Thanks... Marc Chamberlin
-- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The Tuesday 2008-01-22 at 22:04 -0500, Aaron Kulkis wrote: ...
What a putz.
Just enough information to...make you wish you had the information you actually need. Worthless :-(
What is NECESSARY is what the UPS send out on the serial line to indicate that line power has been lost.
And then you'll find that many PCs do not have a serial port. The usb method is the way of things to be, and besides, can give you more info, like current AC voltage, state of the battery, remaining on battery time (so that the driver decides when to power off safely)... Just a single line to tell you that you are running on batteries is insufficient nowdays. - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.4-svn0 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFHlxBJtTMYHG2NR9URAhh2AJ0W8aCU9Na4gDnBDaO/x4HF0UhFJQCdG3OW U0DLTSryMeZ6G0+BLCy4LL8= =CeNy -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Carlos E. R. wrote:
The Tuesday 2008-01-22 at 22:04 -0500, Aaron Kulkis wrote:
...
What a putz.
Just enough information to...make you wish you had the information you actually need. Worthless :-(
What is NECESSARY is what the UPS send out on the serial line to indicate that line power has been lost.
And then you'll find that many PCs do not have a serial port.
The usb method is the way of things to be, and besides, can give you more info, like current AC voltage, state of the battery, remaining on battery time (so that the driver decides when to power off safely)...
Just a single line to tell you that you are running on batteries is insufficient nowdays.
Agreed, I use the temperature of the ups to monitor the the environment in the server room (^-^) -- Sandy List replies only please! Please address PMs to: news-reply2 (@) japantest (.) homelinux (.) com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The Wednesday 2008-01-23 at 11:14 +0100, Sandy Drobic wrote:
Carlos E. R. wrote:
...
The usb method is the way of things to be, and besides, can give you more info, like current AC voltage, state of the battery, remaining on battery time (so that the driver decides when to power off safely)...
Just a single line to tell you that you are running on batteries is insufficient nowdays.
Agreed, I use the temperature of the ups to monitor the the environment in the server room (^-^)
Wow! X'-) - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.4-svn0 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFHlxaZtTMYHG2NR9URAnsoAJwI4WkrEisTK5MQSmoKfMkodNtAIQCeKvHY fZ5pXTGXYf1rAcBjHS4s8iE= =m9ft -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Carlos E. R. wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1
The Tuesday 2008-01-22 at 22:04 -0500, Aaron Kulkis wrote:
...
What a putz.
Just enough information to...make you wish you had the information you actually need. Worthless :-(
What is NECESSARY is what the UPS send out on the serial line to indicate that line power has been lost.
And then you'll find that many PCs do not have a serial port.
Universal SERIAL Bus. I never realised that it doesn't count as a serial line. If it's connected by USB, then the manufacturer can damn well describe the data that passes across it when it talks to a windows machine. It's not like we're talking about some super-secret communications protocol which, if publicly revealed, would give significant aid to competing companies.
The usb method is the way of things to be, and besides, can give you more info, like current AC voltage, state of the battery, remaining on battery time (so that the driver decides when to power off safely)...
Only if the manafucturer describes the format of the communications protocol
Just a single line to tell you that you are running on batteries is insufficient nowdays.
I wasn't talking about using an RS-232 line...I'm talking about describing the data that the damn thing puts onto the USB line. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The Wednesday 2008-01-23 at 09:07 -0500, Aaron Kulkis wrote:
What a putz.
Just enough information to...make you wish you had the information you actually need. Worthless :-(
What is NECESSARY is what the UPS send out on the serial line to indicate that line power has been lost.
And then you'll find that many PCs do not have a serial port.
Universal SERIAL Bus.
I never realised that it doesn't count as a serial line.
Oh, common, Aaron! You have been long enough in this game and are old enough to know that when one says "serial line" without specifying the type, one refers to the rs232 type of serial line - unless you are a usb or firewire o sATA developer or similar. And you have known me long enough to at least guess that I know perfectly well that the usb is a serial bus.
If it's connected by USB, then the manufacturer can damn well describe the data that passes across it when it talks to a windows machine.
Calm down! The manufacturer mentioned a standard, named "Power Class HID USB". Usb devices follow a standard by which the operating system can identify a device and attach a diver automatically. For instance, a usb memory stick of (almost?) any maker is identified as 08h, Mass Interface, and directly usable in linux without installing anything more. Now, does linux understand this class? Does the manufacturer follow that standard closely enough? I have no idea. The OP could perhaps ask the guys that design the ups software in linux (not the manufacturer), or maybe they have a support list or whatever. - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.4-svn0 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFHmGSStTMYHG2NR9URAgj+AJ0ZoibyLGktj5sD3/8Nj0zDKZoJdgCfWO9V 2C82TIsA5qD1bnL+WUau2hc= =HKN+ -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Thanks everyone for all your input, seems I stirred up a lot of tangential thoughts... Not sure I have gotten an answer yet to my question on whether this Cyberpower CP1350AVRLCD UPS will work ok under Linux and safely shutdown SuSE computers should the power get cut off, sounds like it is a maybe? Marc Chamberlin... -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Marc Chamberlin wrote:
Thanks everyone for all your input, seems I stirred up a lot of tangential thoughts... Not sure I have gotten an answer yet to my question on whether this Cyberpower CP1350AVRLCD UPS will work ok under Linux and safely shutdown SuSE computers should the power get cut off, sounds like it is a maybe?
The real question seems "What is it worth to me to get a known working solution instead of a maybe". If the vendor can't say and the list doesn't know the answer you can either do a community service and post your result later or you fall back to a known working solution. If you want to risk it, I would suggest you make the vendor agree to take back the ups if it doesn't work. I also suggest you have this agreement in written form on a confirmation fax or explicitely on the order form. -- Sandy List replies only please! Please address PMs to: news-reply2 (@) japantest (.) homelinux (.) com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The Thursday 2008-01-24 at 10:36 -0800, Marc Chamberlin wrote:
Thanks everyone for all your input, seems I stirred up a lot of tangential thoughts... Not sure I have gotten an answer yet to my question on whether this Cyberpower CP1350AVRLCD UPS will work ok under Linux and safely shutdown SuSE computers should the power get cut off, sounds like it is a maybe?
Maybe :-) But maybe the ups rpm has a list of what models are supported. They will have a web site with more info, I suppose. I'd certainly would have a look in there :-) - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.4-svn0 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFHmPkutTMYHG2NR9URAkoBAJ9JpsfiM6j7ouY2r2+9Ufvt1kQTOACfbfY7 rAUu/+CGko+Xab1Wh971zD8= =mvef -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Aaron Kulkis schreef:
Marc Chamberlin wrote:
I have been looking at UPS to support some of my SuSE computers and am interested in one from CyberPower. I wrote them asking if theirs would run under SuSE Linux and got the following (somewhat unintelligible geek speak) and wonder if someone on this group can translate it for me.. ;-) Does anyone here use this UPS ( CyberPower Systems CP1350AVRLCD UPS) under SuSE?
I use APC, because the explicitly support Linux, even providing the Linux version of their powerchute program on their website.
... Right now I'm considering a new UPS. I used MGE (a sponsor of NUT), but they seem to be taken over by APC. My question : do you protect more than one server with one UPS ? Does Powerchute provide information to the servers not directly communicating with the UPS ? What I mean is, when the UPS is exhausted, does the "master" server sends messages so the "slave" servers also go down cleanly (not just power off) ? "Master" meaning the server that listens to the UPS's status, "slaves" just get power from the UPS. Can Windows be part of this setup ? I looked on their web-site but I didn't find these answers, maybe I overlooked ? -- Met vriendelijke groeten, Koenraad Lelong R&D Manager ACE electronics n.v. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Koenraad Lelong wrote:
Aaron Kulkis schreef:
I use APC, because the explicitly support Linux, even providing the Linux version of their powerchute program on their website.
... Right now I'm considering a new UPS. I used MGE (a sponsor of NUT), but they seem to be taken over by APC. My question : do you protect more than one server with one UPS ? Does Powerchute provide information to the servers not directly communicating with the UPS ? What I mean is, when the UPS is exhausted, does the "master" server sends messages so the "slave" servers also go down cleanly (not just power off) ? "Master" meaning the server that listens to the UPS's status, "slaves" just get power from the UPS. Can Windows be part of this setup ? I looked on their web-site but I didn't find these answers, maybe I overlooked ?
I can't speak about powerchute but I do have several APC UPS including one protecting several servers. They all get notified because I use the open-source program apcupsd that is part of the suse release. "It runs on Linux, Tru64, Mac OS/X, Win32, Solaris as well as other OSes". Cheers, Dave -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Koenraad Lelong wrote:
Aaron Kulkis schreef:
Marc Chamberlin wrote:
I have been looking at UPS to support some of my SuSE computers and am interested in one from CyberPower. I wrote them asking if theirs would run under SuSE Linux and got the following (somewhat unintelligible geek speak) and wonder if someone on this group can translate it for me.. ;-) Does anyone here use this UPS ( CyberPower Systems CP1350AVRLCD UPS) under SuSE?
I use APC, because the explicitly support Linux, even providing the Linux version of their powerchute program on their website.
... Right now I'm considering a new UPS. I used MGE (a sponsor of NUT), but they seem to be taken over by APC. My question : do you protect more than one server with one UPS ? Does Powerchute provide information to the servers not directly communicating with the UPS ? What I mean is, when the UPS is exhausted, does the "master" server sends messages so the "slave" servers also go down cleanly (not just power off) ? "Master" meaning the server that listens to the UPS's status, "slaves" just get power from the UPS. Can Windows be part of this setup ? I looked on their web-site but I didn't find these answers, maybe I overlooked ?
The opensource alternative is apcupsd (apcupsd.org). It works flawlessly and offers many features, among them all of your requirements. At home I use a small APC smart-ups that is monitored via usb on a linux box. This directly connected server is the master and provides all clients with the status information of the ups. Among the clients are my Windows XP workstation and my IPCop firewall. A quick check via http (it's a perl script) is always possible to monitor load, temperature, run time and battery capacity. In our company the ups is a bit bigger and includes a snmp card, so all servers can query the ups directly and decide depending on their local configuration if they should shut down or not. -- Sandy List replies only please! Please address PMs to: news-reply2 (@) japantest (.) homelinux (.) com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Sandy Drobic wrote:
In our company the ups is a bit bigger and includes a snmp card, so all servers can query the ups directly and decide depending on their local configuration if they should shut down or not.
I'd second everything Sandy said and add that it's not essential to have an snmp card for multiple servers. apcupsd also has its own method of distributing status to daemons on other machines. Use whichever is most suitable for you. Cheers, Dave -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Dave Howorth schreef:
Sandy Drobic wrote:
In our company the ups is a bit bigger and includes a snmp card, so all servers can query the ups directly and decide depending on their local configuration if they should shut down or not.
I'd second everything Sandy said and add that it's not essential to have an snmp card for multiple servers. apcupsd also has its own method of distributing status to daemons on other machines. Use whichever is most suitable for you.
Cheers, Dave
Thank you both for this information. -- Met vriendelijke groeten, Koenraad Lelong R&D Manager ACE electronics n.v. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Koenraad Lelong wrote:
Aaron Kulkis schreef:
Marc Chamberlin wrote:
I have been looking at UPS to support some of my SuSE computers and am interested in one from CyberPower. I wrote them asking if theirs would run under SuSE Linux and got the following (somewhat unintelligible geek speak) and wonder if someone on this group can translate it for me.. ;-) Does anyone here use this UPS ( CyberPower Systems CP1350AVRLCD UPS) under SuSE?
I use APC, because the explicitly support Linux, even providing the Linux version of their powerchute program on their website.
... Right now I'm considering a new UPS. I used MGE (a sponsor of NUT), but they seem to be taken over by APC. My question : do you protect more than one server with one UPS?
That depends on your circumstances. What's the capacity of your UPS What's the power draw of your servers? How long does it take a server to shut down? In light of the power draw, how much of the UPS battery will you use up if you shut down immediately when a power outage is connected? How much spare time is left over -- so that you can set the program to WAIT for, hopefully, at least 60 seconds before starting an automatic shutdown.
Does Powerchute provide information to the servers not directly communicating with the UPS ? What I mean is, when the UPS is exhausted, does the "master" server sends messages so the "slave" servers also go down cleanly (not just power off)?
I'm not sure..it's been 3+ years since I played with it. And since I've beeen on a laptop for the last year and a half... I haven't even thought about it. I'm going to be rebuilding the tower soon...but not right now (I have other priorities at the moment).
"Master" meaning the server that listens to the UPS's status, "slaves" just get power from the UPS. Can Windows be part of this setup ?
If not, you can just create a shell script that shuts down the slave machines if powerchute starts to shut down the master.
I looked on their web-site but I didn't find these answers, maybe I overlooked?
Download the ...I think it's a tarball(?) and then read the README. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
participants (7)
-
Aaron Kulkis -
Carlos E. R. -
Dave Howorth -
Fred A. Miller -
Koenraad Lelong -
Marc Chamberlin -
Sandy Drobic