In order to get full benefit out of a UPS it needs to communicate with the outside world. Eaton UPSs have intelligent digital control with comprehensive fault detection and self test capability built into the internal microprocessor system of the device.
Warnings given by our ABM Technology are not of very great value if the message never reaches service department. IT system administrators need to be informed if power supply is compromised, facility managers have to be notified if temperature rises in the UPS or battery room and service has to be alarmed if there is a component failure in the system. Having the ability to control power systems remotely or automatically opens up new opportunities and can bring huge savings in work effort, energy usage and response time. Controllable power distribution can be used to reboot equipment or turn it off when it is not needed.
Eaton software and connectivity solutions scale from homes to most mission-critical data centres and from largest factories to unmanned remote observation stations. They link to network, IT, facility, automation and building management systems delivering information to e-mail, mobile devices and Web among others. In the optimum case sophisticated analysis in the power devices themselves or software such as Intelligent Power Manager can prevent the risk of downtime. Even in the case where risk is present, a fast delivery of an alarm increases the likelihood that it can be dealt with before there are any consequences to the operation of the powered system. Even in case where power loss can’t be avoided, software can help by automatically shutting down systems in a controlled and predefined manner, preventing data corruption on storage devices and databases. Eaton’s offices and representatives have experts who can help in designing and installing these solutions.
Options to Manage and Monitor Your UPS
Connect UPS Web / SNMP card is a complete UPS monitoring, control and shutdown solution in a networked IT environment. In case of alert the Web/SNMP card can notify users and administrators through e-mail and SNMP traps. In case of a prolonged power failure the protected computer systems can be shut down in a graceful manner with NetWatch and LanSafe software. The unique three-port switching hub on the X-Slot model provides additional network connections.
Environmental Monitoring Probe (EMP) adds temperature, humidity and two contact closure monitoring capability to ConnectUPS Web/SNMP cards. It is especially well suited for monitoring rack temperature and door status. Operating system shutdown can be triggered if user defined thresholds are exceeded or contact closure status changes.
Relay / AS400 cards are an easy connection to IBM AS/400 series computers as well as industrial and building management systems.
X-Slot ModBus card connects the UPS to industrial and building management systems using ModBus RTU protocol.
View UPS-X remote display is an LCD panel that lets users view the status of the UPS from as far as 100 m. ViewUPS-X has also four status LEDs and an alarm sound. The display is bundled with a dedicated X-Slot card that also powers the display through the communication cable. In addition to the remote display connection the card has also a SELV isolated relay port for connection to monitoring systems and AS/400 computers.
The most reliable and convenient way of expanding UPS communications is to use hot-swappable slot cards. This eliminates the hassle of wiring external devices and the adaptors are powered directly from the UPS.
Software Suite
NetWatch is a shutdown agent for the ConnectUPS Web/SNMP card. It is a very compact piece of software, but still features powerful configuration options for shutdown actions, timings and user notification. NetWatch is available for Windows, Novell, MacOS X and most Unix platforms including Linux.
LanSafe® is a network shutdown software product that currently supports up to 20 operating systems. It ensures controlled sequential shutdown of the whole network across platforms in case of a prolonged power failure. LanSafe allows the shutdown of up to 64 computers protected by a single UPS.
Intelligent Power Manager (IPM) software brings managing a wide range of power and environmental devices under control through a single, web-based interface. This versatile software solution is compatible with network-enabled devices, including Eaton UPSs, non-Eaton UPSs, environmental senors and ePDUs.
Because no network or data center is identical, Intelligent Power Manager has the flexibility to sort units using customized views, centralized alarms and event logs. As a result, it can define an up-to-the-minute, global view of the state of power and environmental conditions across your enterprise that is accessible from any web browser on a network computer.
Eaton offers a full line of shutdown and monitoring software products to enhance the protection provided by its UPSs. The Software Suite, conveniently packed on one CD-Rom, follows every UPS free of charge.
Read More: Uninterruptible Power Systems
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