APC AP9607 User Manual

Interface
Expander

AP9607

®

Thank You!

Thank you for selecting the UPS Interface Expander (AP9607). It has been designed for
many years of reliable, maintenance-free service in combination with your American
Power Conversion (APC) uninterruptible power supply (UPS). APC is dedicated to the
development of high-performance electrical power conversion and control products. We
hope that you will find this product a valuable, convenient addition to your computing
system.

Please read this manual! It provides important safety, installation, and operating instruc-
tions that will help you get the most from your Interface Expander.

Save this manual! It includes instructions for obtaining warranty service.

Radio frequency interference

WARNING: Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equip­ment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used
in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communica­tions. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television recep­tion, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Shielded communications cables must be used with this
unit to ensure compliance with the Class B FCC limits.

This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Overview 1

Features of the Interface Expander 2

Hardware and software requirements 3

Choosing cables 4

Safety warning 4

Product Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Interface Expander panel 5

Basic monitoring ports 5

Configuration DIP switches 5

Status LED 6

Key Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Simple versus smart signaling 7

Master server versus Interface Expander servers 8

Configuring PowerChute

Low Battery signal 10

Scheduled shutdowns 10

Setup overview 11

plus

for simple signaling 9

Multiple SmartSlot Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Introduction 12

Priority of SmartSlot devices 12

If your UPS has one SmartSlot accessory slot 13

Installation in the APC Triple Chassis 13

Installation in the Symmetra PowerArray 14

Daisy chains 14

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Warning 15

Reminder 15

Installation procedure 15

i

Contents

Connecting to Protected Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Configuring the Interface Expander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

continued

Connection procedure 17

Connecting the Interface Expander 18

Shutdown modes 19

DIP switches 19

Confirmed shutdown mode 20

plus

PowerChute
shutdown mode 20

Behavior of Confirmed mode 21

Confirmed shutdown mode and the Advanced port 21

Until Low Battery shutdown mode 22

Timer shutdown mode 22

Testing the Interface Expander 23

Limited warranty 24

Obtaining service 24

Warranty limitations 25

support for Confirmed

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

If you have problems with your Interface Expander 26

Troubleshooting 26

If problems persist 28

Life-Support Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

General policy 29

Examples of life-support devices 29

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Basic port pin assignments 30

Basic port pin assignments 31

Product specifications 32

ii

Introduction

Overview

The UPS Interface Expander
Power Conversion (

APC

vides two additional computer interface ports for your

UPS

equipped with a SmartSlot accessory slot. It allows the

UPS

to work in conjunction with your power management

(AP9607)

is an American

) SmartSlot™ accessory that pro-

APC

software to provide safe system shutdown in extended
power outages for up to three network servers or other
devices.

Since the computer interface port of the

UPS

remains avail­able while using the Interface Expander, it is possible to
provide advanced

UPS

and power management functions to

all protected devices. You can provide power management

APC

with
such as the

PowerChute©

APC

Web/

for network connectivity and the Call-

AP9608

) remote management device.

The Interface Expander draws power from the
monitors the

UPS

and reports power conditions (e.g., On

plus

software and

SNMP

Management Card (

UPS

UPS

accessories

©

II

AP9208,

(

UPS

AP9606

. It

)

Battery, Low Battery, On Line) to all attached devices.

Continued on next page

1

Introduction

continued

Features of

the Interface

Expander

The Interface Expander:

• Mounts in all
accessory slot.

• Works well in a heterogeneous network. Servers run­ning different operating systems can monitor the

UPS

same

• Supports advanced or simple signaling on the
advanced port of the

• Can delay shutdown of the
shut down gracefully.

• Allows you to restart hung servers.

• Has operating modes that cause the
after confirmation from all protected devices or after
an interval set by the user. See “Configuring the
Interface Expander” on page 19.

• Does not depend on the operation of the network to
protect connected devices. As a hard-wired acces­sory, the Interface Expander reliably conveys impor­tant status messages during poor power conditions.

APC

devices equipped with a SmartSlot

simultaneously.

UPS

.

UPS

until all servers have

UPS

to shut down

Continued on next page

2

Introduction

continued

Hardware and

software

requirements

The Interface Expander requires:

APC

•An

device equipped with a SmartSlot accessory
slot. SmartSlot devices include—but are not limited
to—the

•An
–Smart-

–Matrix-

– Symmetra

APC

•

APC UPS

APC UPS

UPS
AP600, AP900, AP1250, AP2000, SUVS420,
SUVS650, SUVS1000, SUVS1400, SU620

less than x

s in the next item.

of one the following models:

®

, except models

™

UPS

, except models with serial numbers

9412

.

™

PowerArray™.

AP250, AP400,

PowerChute software (simple signaling) or
PowerChute plus (advanced or simple signaling) soft­ware. See “Simple versus smart signaling: Table 3”
on page 7.

• A serial cable (for each connected device) that moni­tors shutdown signals. See “Choosing cables: Table
1” on page 4.

Continued on next page

.

3

Introduction

continued

Choosing

cables:

Table 1

Safety warning

This table lists the cables for use with the systems supported
by the Interface Expander. When ordering a cable, provide
the Part Number.

IF you want to

connect the Interface

Expander to a(n)…

Windows or NetWare
server

UNIX

server

IBM AS/400

Macintosh Apple­Share server

15-ft extension cable UPS Interface Extension
50-ft extension cable Isolated Extension Cable

Table 1: Choosing cables

THEN order…

UPS LAN

UNIX

Cable

AS/400
9404

PowerChute for Macintosh
(software and cable)

Manager Cable

Basic Signaling

Cable Model

9402/

Part

Number

940-0020

AP9823

940-0006

AP9001

AP9815

AP9825

The Interface Expander is to be used only in conjunction
with an

APC UPS

. Use only

APC UPS

monitoring cables.
Do not connect a computer to any Interface Expander port
using a “straight-through” wired extending cable. Connec­tions using a

UPS

or cable made by any other manufacturer
may cause damage or improper operation of the the Inter­face Expander unit, the

UPS

, or the computer.

Do not operate the Interface Expander where the ambient
temperature or humidity is outside the limits listed in “Prod­uct specifications: Table 7” on page 32.

4

Product Description

Interface

Expander panel:

Figure 1

Basic

monitoring

ports

Configuration

DIP switches

The following figure shows the front panel of the Interface
Expander. The panel contains:

• 2 Basic monitoring ports

• 4 Configuration DIP switches

• a status LED

Figure 1:Interface Expander panel

The two computer interface ports on the Interface Expander
are called

Basic

ports because they supply simple UPS sig­naling for On Battery and Low Battery conditions in the
UPS. For further information see “Simple versus smart sig­naling: Table 3,” on page 7.

The Interface Expander Configuration DIP switches control
the shutdown operation of the unit. See “Configuring the
Interface Expander” on page 19.

Continued on next page

5

Product Description

p

p

y

y

y

y

g

y

g

y

p

continued

Status LED:

Table 2

The Interface Expander status

LED

provides important
information concerning operation of the unit. Refer to the
table below for a description of the conditions indicated by

LED

the

.

Status Description

On Normal o

Ex

ander is on and communicating

with the

Mostl

on, with a single

blink off

Mostl

on, with two

blinks off

Flashin
Mostly off, with a single

flash on
Blinkin

continuousl

continuousl

slowly and

The Interface Expander is signaling a
UPS On Battery condition to the con­nected servers.

The Interface Expander is signaling
On Batter
tions to the connected servers, and will
eventuall

Shutdown of the UPS is imminent.

UPS

outputs are off—

mode.
The Interface Expander failed its self-

test.

eration. The Interface

UPS

.

and Low Battery condi-

shut down the

UPS

UPS

is in Sleep

.

Off The Interface Ex

or is not able to communicate with the

UPS

Table 2: Status LED

.

ander is powered off

6

Key Concepts

g

g

grap

g

g

g

pp

y

g

g

y

g

pag

Simple versus

smart signaling:

Table 3

The communication between an APC UPS and a connected
server can be of two types: simple signaling or smart signal­ing. This table provides information that distinguishes the
two types.

Communication Types

Item

Simple Signaling Smart Signaling

UPS mon­itorin
features

Software
used

Port type Basic Advanced or Basic
UPS

models
su

orted

–On Battery signal
–Low Battery signal

PowerChute
(or PowerChute
confi
signaling)

–Back-UPS
–Smart-UPS

–Matrix-UPS
–S

ured for simple

†

PowerArray

mmetra

plus

–On Battery signal
–Low Battery signal
–Continuous advanced

monitorin
PowerChute

PowerChute
confi

ured for smart sig-

nalin

–Smart-UPS,
–Matrix-UPS, and
–S

mmetra

hs

plus

PowerArray

visible in

plus

Communi­cation
cables

Table 3: Simple versus smart signaling

Cables in the interface
kit associated with each
OS. See “Choosin
cables: Table 1” on

4.

Cable supplied with
PowerChute

e

plus

† See “Hardware and software requirements,” on page 3

for a listin
si

naling with the Interface Expander.

of APC UPSs that do not support simple

Continued on next page

7

Key Concepts

continued

Master server

versus Interface

Expander

servers

A “master” server is a server connected to the (Advanced)
computer interface port of the UPS. This server uses
PowerChute plus, configured for smart signaling, to moni­tor and control the UPS. Although the Advanced port on the
UPS can provide simple signaling, we strongly recommend
using it for smart signaling with the advanced capabilities of
PowerChute plus.

Servers connected to the Basic ports of the Interface
Expander use simple signaling with PowerChute or
PowerChute plus to provide UPS shutdown capabilities and
advanced notification features. If you are running
PowerChute plus on these servers, you must configure it for
simple signaling. See “Configuring PowerChute plus for
simple signaling” on page 9.

Continued on next page

8

Key Concepts

continued

Configuring

PowerChute

for simple

signaling

To use PowerChute plus on a server connected to the Inter-

plus

face Expander, configure PowerChute plus for simple
signaling. Use either

one

of these procedures.

1 (Re)install PowerChute plus. When the installation

program prompts for the UPS Type, select “Back­UPS” and continue with the installation, including

a reboot of the system.
2 Run PowerChute plus and connect to the UPS.
3 Verify that the status line on the PowerChute plus

screen shows “On Line.” Proceed with Step 4

below.

OR

1 With PowerChute plus running, select

cation Parameters

from the

Configuration

menu.
2Click

Simple Signalling

. Click OK.
3 Close PowerChute plus.
4 If the UPS had previously been connected using

smart signaling:
a Unplug the UPS.
b Turn off the UPS output by pressing the Off

button for at least 5 seconds.

c Change communication cables, using the sim-

ple signaling cable from the interface kit. (See
“Choosing cables: Table 1” on page 4.)

5 Restart PowerChute plus and attach the server to

the UPS.

6 Verify that the status of the UPS on the

PowerChute plus screen shows “On Line.”

Communi-

Continued on next page

9