Topic: UPS software

[John Crisp]

Hope I have the coorect forum. Apologies if not.

I have a APCC UPS and thought, being smart  I'd chuck the APCC software on to monitor said power supply.

Having downloaded the RH 7.1 rpm and installed without any (apparent) problems, except one. The linux version of their software requires X to run. No command prompt version available for linux.

Double

Any thoughts on a 'lightweight' X system install I could use, or an alternative method of running the binary and preferably remotely ? e.g VNCserver (though I guess it needs an X install first).

All thoughts for one slightly embarrassed user gratefully received.

B. Rgds
JC

[David Helmuth]

Just a thought.. But can't you edit the configuration file by hand w/pico etc....

Not as nice as using a GUI, but then again you probably won't do it that often.

Also,

check out:

http://www.e-smith.org/docs/howto/contrib/UPSHOWTO.txt

it is for something called powstatd, but I think it will work with an APC UPS.

[John Crisp]

Many thanks for your reply

I can do that, but I would have liked to be able to have monitored and tested it remotely. I don't want to have to go to the console everytime I want to do something.

It's very annoying on the part of APCC that they do this. I suppose they assume that every server runs a memory hogging GUI..............



B.Rgds

JC

[Michael Doerner]

John,

there is a very nice UPS software called "apcupsd" freely available on the net which I found not difficult to integrate with E-smith/SME server.

It does not need X. Instead you can monitor through a web browser.

Have a search for it.

Regards,
Michael Doerner

[Jeff Fox]

If you can install the application on the e-smith box then you don't need X to run it.
You can use a different machine running an X server to view the X based app running on the e-smith box.
You'll need to telnet (or ssh) to the e-smith box and then export  the display to the machine with the X Server. You might also have to give the other X desktop permissions to run the X app. I think the command for this is 'xhost'.

It's been awhile since I've done this kind of thing so I don't remember the fine details, but I know it's possible and not too hard. I've used an X sever on a Windoze box to access X apps on a Linux box that did not have XFree86 installed.

There are free & shareware X servers available for Windows.
Do a Google search for 'windows X server" and you'll find some.

[Jeff Martin]

There have been discussions on the developers list about apcupsd.  Check the archive at http://www.mail-archive.com/devinfo%40lists.e-smith.org/

[Filippo Carletti]

Look here:
http://myezserver.com/docs/mitel/apcupsd-howto.html

[John Crisp]

Many thanks for all your kind replies. It's given me much food for thought. I'll go have a look see.

B. Rgds

John

[John Crisp]

OK, for your information, I have managed to get the whole thing running. There are two methods of remote access to the APCC UPS daemon.

1.
If you install the daemon for local access only - ie in the Config you say No to TCP/IP networking, you will need to do the following :

Get hold of something like Winaxe X server for windows - demo runs for 30 mins which is enough for checking.

I then installed just enough of XFree 3.x to get an Xterm running

Configure the whole thing and you can then run the UPS Xmanager happily on a Win workstation.

2.
I haven't completed this part for one reason as below - however I'm sure there is someone braver than me :

Install Powerchute UPS daemon on server. When you configure it, say yes to TCP/IP. It will get you to create a pwrchute account.

Get and install Powerchute for windows.

Tricky bit which I haven't done : when you run PS for Windows, it asks you for a password. According to APCC, the daemon looks for the password in etc/passwd However, I think that e-smith uses shadow passwords which it keeps in /etc/shadow (or similar). The APCC readme tells you to copy the pwrchute line with the encrypted password from the shadow file to the passwd file. However, it's example was not very clear and I was loath to try it in case I screwed up.

I think that it will work quite happily if you can login - I could see it had found the daemon, just couldn't log in.

I'd be delighted to here from anyone who has any experience on the password front and could help - Option 2 is an easier solution I'm sure.
If anyone wants any further info or help then please contact me accordingly.


B. Rgds

JC