Microlink protocol in Apcupsd

[Anonymous user]

I am the project lead and primary developer for the APCUPSD project, an open-source (GPLv2) monitoring tool for APC brand UPSes. ([http://www.apcupsd.org]) It is developed and supported entirely by volunteers in their spare time. Apcupsd supports USB, Smart serial, Simple signaling, and SNMP interfaces which allow it to communicate with nearly every model UPS APC has produced. Over the last 12 years, Apcupsd has become a critical tool for many IT managers.

I firmly believe Apcupsd support adds value to APC products. The fact that new users are regularly referred to Apcupsd by APC technical support reps shows that we are hitting the mark in that regard. We work hard to provide a reliable tool that reflects the dependability of APC UPSes. We react quickly to user feedback, including feature requests, and have even added features at the request of APC themselves!

Recently, a number of APC UPSes have begun using a new serial protocol, "Microlink". Users have requested support for this protocol in Apcupsd and I would like to add it. However, given the complexity of the protocol, it is unlikely that we will be able to support it without APC's assistance. I would like to request that APC aid us in our effort to suppport their full range of products by releasing Microlink specs to me for the purpose of adding Microlink support to Apcupsd. (Details and terms negotiable)

I'd like to continue Apcupsd's tradition of supporting the full range of APC models.

Thanks for your support of the Apcupsd project!
--Adam Kropelin

[BillP]

FYI, here is a message that recently went out on the apcupsd.org mailing list from Adam for those that missed it:

Last week APC publicly released documentation[1] on a new UPS control and monitoring protocol, loosely referred to as MODBUS (after the historic industrial control protocol it is based on). The new protocol operates over RS232 serial lines as well as USB connections and is intended to supplement APC's proprietary Microlink protocol. Microlink is not going away, but APC has realized that third parties require access to UPS status and control information. Rather than publicly open Microlink, they have created another protocol to operate along side it.

APC provided early access to the MODBUS documentation as well as a test UPS, and over the last several months I have implemented MODBUS on apcupsd. Now that the protocol docs are public I have been able to commit the code changes to CVS and make this announcement. For now, apcupsd supports MODBUS over RS232 serial only. It DOES NOT support MODBUS over USB.

Many existing Microlink UPSes can be upgraded to support MODBUS via a firmware update. See [2]. Certain older models are not upgradeable. APC support will be your best contact for determining if your UPS supports a MODBUS upgrade the information linked below does not make it clear.

I will work to get a formal apcupsd release out in the coming weeks. Until then, feel free to pull the code from CVS (Branch-3_14) and build it locally. I'll also try to make a test build for Windows available soon.

[1] <http://www.apc.com/whitepaper/?an=176>

[2] <How do I update the firmware of my SMT, SMX, or SMC series Smart-UPS? | FAQs | Schneider Electric US>

To clarify, outside of apcupsd, the supported UPSs can do Modbus over serial AND USB but apcupsd only supports it over serial currently. Also, the application note is a work in progress but it is available now.

[Anonymous user]

APC user here.

I was just researching for replacement and expansion of our UPS units.

Thank you for the new "Micro Link" technology.

It showed us you are completely clueless and unsupportive of our needs.

Finding an alternative took me whole 5 minutes ...
Found the "Network UPS Tools (NUT)" software, started reading the supported list and Lo and Behold:

Not only did Eaton supply them with documentation but they gave the developers Free hardware. Just so their clients would get a better supported software.

Guess who just won my heart and my organisation's money.
(spoiler: it starts with "E" and ends with "aton")

APC does not exist for us any more so don't bother contacting.

PS: The "add on card" is adding insult to injury... beautiful.

PS2: You made this "improvement" because you don't like money right. Right?

Message was edited by: SmartUPS User

[alvin_at_alvin.be_apc]

I bought an SMT2200 with the intention of using it for a rack of FreeBSD servers.
I wasn't intending on using PowerChute, but now that apcupsd can't communicate with these models anymore, there is no alternative! PowerCute does not support BSD. (I see that Solaris x64 is also unsupported?)

[Anonymous user]

I currently use half a dozen APC UPSes at home and more at the university where I work. The ability to be able to use the apcupsd monitoring software in a Unix environment (Solaris, FreeBSD, Mac OS X) is an important consideration for me in continuing to purchase APC UPSes and being able to maintain an homogeneous monitoring environment.

Anything which APC can do to ensure apcupsd's continued application across its UPS range would be very welcome.

[Anonymous user]

Hi!

We've some APC Smart UPSes installed in a mixed Windows/Linux environment and use apcupsd for managing them. Now we bought a RT 3000 XL with this unsupported protocol what is pretty unpleasant situation since we thought "Smart UPS" is "Smart UPS". Now it's to late and the RT is insulated. We would appreciate it if APC would be so kind to give the apcupsd community a chance to use these fine online UPSes, too.

With kind regards,
Wolfgang Breyha

[Anonymous user]

We run Linux & Solaris servers connected to APC UPS units. The 'apcupsd' software is the only acceptable solution for interaction and monitoring between the APC units and the servers.

If we were stuck with having to use the software solution offered by APC for non-Windows servers, I would recommend we look at other (non-APC) brand UPS units. No, I am not willing to install a Java Kit on a server just to run software to communicate to a Windows "master" monitor. No. Not at all.

[Anonymous user]

Actually it would be nice to have docs relating to and describing a lot of ups signaling issues and sequences. My company Applied vision uses a few different types. Different models for our servers workstations, and then the numerous types we buy to make our Genius Systems. Powerchute is very well tailored to our office environment, in fact it is surprising how well it fits despite its nature to be tailored to the home user. However a certain level of control is needed when running a piece of equipment that monitors millions of parts a day. The ability to create our own controlling code or use open source software is absolutely crucial.

I hope APC can recognize that their products often support dual purposes despite the intentions of code created for it. That is to say Duracell doesn't sell batteries for home use then for industry use, they instead sell a single battery suitable for both. In truth the same APC ups I bought for home use is suitable for our office and industry equipment even if Powerchute isn't the best software for all those different purposes. It isn't a slam to Powerchute just an indication that the hardware is an incredibly versatile and useful piece of equipment. The same as how interchangeable and productive a AA Battery is for smaller electronic devices.

Message was edited by: ryanshowseason2

[Anonymous user]

Have APC commented on this officially and recently?

I too have exclusively purchased APC UPS's and they are great.

We used to use Powerchute on Linux/Unix which was okay, but then it became dependent on having a Windows box to use it. This we don't have in a lot of our setups, so that ended our use of Powerchute.

Thankfully apcupsd came to the rescue. But now it sort of works and we need to get an add-in card to make it completely work (which is better than nothing). And how long will this card be available and for all new UPS models?

So come on APC, release the documents on microlink and even put some effort (manpower) and money into getting apcupsd working.

We will soon start looking elsewhere for UPS's that have supported solutions on the platforms we require. Other vendors have released documentation on their UPS comms.

So why was microlink introduced. If it was increased functionality, why was it not placed as a mode on the standard interfaces (that they could be switched to by microlink enabled software).

I sense a way of trying to force people to buy extra software, sadly I think you'll deprive yourself of more hardware revenue by doing this ( I can imagine the Powerpoint presentation now from some twonk of a salesman).

Personally I would happily buy the extra software but as you can't give me UPS software without requiring Windows somewhere (and that includes not requiring it on a desktop to configure a UPS).

So APC, any good news?

[tjcolby_apc]

I just bought two new UPSs to replace some old ones. This "microlink" bit me. I though we could just drop in the new ones. This reminds me if IBM's microchannel and OS2 venture. History does repeate it's self.
What realy frosts me, there is nothing in the sales descriptions or manual for that matter, that tells you it's not compatible. So I when trough hours of trying to make it work only to put back the old units.

Message was edited by: tjcolby

[BillP]

I would also like to add my voice to the call for APC to release the specs of the new Microlink protocol for use in third party software, especially free and open source projects.

I manage a large number of servers, workstations and desktops in a university Computer Science department, and across the board, we monitor and manage our UPS infrastructure, all of which is APC, using code from the ACPUPSD project. We have used powerchute in the past, but the decision was made to consolidate our configuration and knowledge into one application, and because we are in a widely heterogeneous environment, with Linux, *BSDs, Solaris, and Windows, the only project that really delivered what we needed was APCUPSD.

We have a fairly large number of APC UPSs, ranging from numerous RS500s on desktops to many SURT5000RMXLIs with multiple SURT192XLBPs powering racks in our data centres. It is with the latter product that we first stumbled across the new Microlink protocol, leaving us with the less-than-optimal choice of monitoring the UPS over SNMP, even when the monitoring server is powered by the UPS it's monitoring.

I would really like to return to using the serial connection, but for that APCUPSD (a product that perfectly fits our requirements in every other way) needs to be updated to support the new Microlink protocol, and to that end I would heed APC to help out the community, and make the specification available for 3rd party implementation. We don't run Java anywhere for out critical infrastructure, and I won't be installing it just for UPS monitoring.

Cheers.

Dameon.

[Anonymous user]

I too have just been bitten by the purchase of a 3000 XL which I cannot integrate into our existing UPS monitoring system.

Until Microlink protocol support is available to third parties, we will be purchasing future UPS equipment elsewhere.

Regards,

Richard

[Anonymous user]

Hi,

I am very disappointed.
It's more than a year, and still no solution for SURTD UPS.
I have several APC UPS in a mixed Linux-Windows environments, applications apcupsd is the only reasonably applicable. PowerChute is indeed nice graphic, but does not meet the requirements of simplicity and network usage.

Is progress? SURTD I bought a week ago, I got it back? Without apcupsd UPS is useless.

Havrla

[BillP]

there will be a solution for this within a month or two called the legacy communications card. it will be part number AP9620 and translate the microlink to UPSlink. it is a smart slot accessory that will contain an RS-232 serial port as well as a USB A port on it. it will be compatible with SURTD units as well as SMX and SMT units.

with the SMX and SMT units though, it will be mostly for folks who want to use apcupsd or any other third party tools since the next generation SMX and SMX Smart UPS units will support apcupsd via USB directly with the latest UPS firmware available (which may require you to upgrade your UPS by contacting tech support).

i will have an APC knowledgebase article available shortly on www.apc.com/support to reference for firmware versions and usages, etc so stay tuned!

[Anonymous user]

What is this ridiculous stuff i'm reading!! I can't believe that this still happens in 2011(2010?)!!!! Which alienated life form with a tie came up with the idea to implement a protocol that will not be supported by apcupsd?! Do you guys even have shareholders? I am absolutely flabbergasted

"there will be a solution for this within a month or two called the legacy communications card.", I know where you can stick that card....

Sorry for the rant, but this is an absolute joke!

[Anonymous user]

Unfortunate short sighted decision on APC's part. Without APCUPSD support I can't recommend purchasing any UPS w/ MicroLink to any of the 6 school districts whose networks I help manage. "Buy an additional accessory" - what hubris.

IMHO APC should help fund development of APCUPSD since it is far superior to what I've seen from their software house.

[BillP]

Amazing! Glad I found this thread before purchasing a new unit...

I've bought loads of APC kit for business and home use over the last 15 years; not sure I want to continue any more.

[Anonymous user]

I to am very annoyed at this and will be looking for a new UPS supplier. This "Micro Link" incompatability issue just bit me right square in the (explative deleted)... Just plain assinine!

[Anonymous user]

Well, it is 4 years later.

The APC hardware seems to be good - our old SmartUPSes haven't missed a beat in the ca. 6 years we use them now, so I was quite sure, we'd buy APC again.

And so we did - a testing unit, that is now on eBay for anybody willing to use it - definitly not us.

If it can't work with a lightweight native Linux solution, it has no place in a modern data center - installing a Java environment and connecting to a Windows [!!] machine is not an option, just google for "Java security" and "Java memory footprint". And we don't do "point and click" management from a GUI for every single UPS. Not in this life. Buying an addon card is not an option too, and this magic card has never materialized in a usable form.

Bye, bye, APC: Maybe in another 6 years, we might consider you again. Or not.

[Anonymous user]

Look at this thread... it started in mid 2009 and here we are in 2013 and still no solution. Yes, nearly four years later and there is still no solution. So much for customer support. You can chalk up three more lost sales this month.

[BillP]

I made the mistake of purchasing a new SMX1500RM2U that uses the proprietary protocol. I wish I hadn't done so.

[BillP]

i heard there is a solution for this type of thing coming down the pipeline this year. i wasnt told much and i know it does not help right now but i'd be on the lookout. i am also not sure what form it is coming in...

[Anonymous user]

We do industrial automation for fortune 500 companies.
The only thing that counts is uptime and monitoring.
Nothing there is running on Windows machines.

While doing a POC for a client, we "discovered" this Microlink stupidity.
For this client, there will be 75 shiny new UPSes bought and none of them will be APC.

As the economy is getting better now, more new setups are in the pipeline.
Currently APC is not even considered anymore.


Best regards,E

[Anonymous user]

APC's position, that the UPS communications protocol is proprietary, not available to third parties, and that non-APC software can only communicate with the UPS in a restricted fashion and/or with an extra-cost "legacy" add-on, is wholly unacceptable to me. The apcupsd program is critical to my needs. Although I currently have no less than five APC UPSes in my own house, I will definitely NOT be buying any more APC UPSes until this decision is reversed. There are plenty of competitors with comparable products and quality in this space.

Further, in my role as a senior systems administrator at a company in the top 20 of the Fortune 500, where we are aggressively pursuing Linux, I will be strongly recommending that we avoid APC/Schneider Electric products in our future purchase plans. This kind of vendor lock-in makes it very difficult to provide a stable platform for our business partners, and I will make sure our supply-chain management team understands this.

[Anonymous user]

Really? In 2012 a proprietary protocol to convey even the more basic info on UPS?
Without documentation at all?
I don't know exactly how many apcupsd controlled APC UPS are out there but they are definitely many of them.
And I cannot know the load without a windows box and *100MB* software?

If this is a joke it is not a funny one.

Sorry, enough is enough. I'm very disappointed.
No more APC UPS for me

[BillP]

Here is a reference to a thread I just commented on: http://forums.apc.com/message/49705#49705

I will update everyone on serial communications compatibility with SMX/SMT and apcupsd shortly for those that do not wish to purchase the AP9620 legacy communications card. I just wanted to clarify that USB today with SMX/SMT does work with apcupsd, it just may provide a little less information than the older model UPSs but does provide some status info and graceful shutdown.

[Anonymous user]

Well, that's very disappointing. I was about to buy two SMX2200RMLV2U UPSes, but I require serial command from third-party software, and I require the switchable outlets. Reading the documentation for the legacy card, merely installing the card disables the use of the switched outlets, including from the UPS's own menus!

APC, you have cost yourselves two sales.

[Anonymous user]

Dear APC/Schneider.

I've registered at this forum to express my bitter disappointment of this whole "Microlink protocol" ordeal (or should i call it a rip-off?).

We've just bought APC RT3000XL UPS to power our brand-new 2-processor KVM/QEMU-based virtualisation server. And now i'm very sorry that the new UPS was of your APC brand. It is unfortunate that i haven't found this thread or the information on apcupsd official site before:otherwise i would never buy this (or any other) APC product. Now i'm sure i've learned my lesson and i would never buy any APC product again, and i would recommend to all my clients to avoid buying APC products at all costs. Oh! And i'll tell this little story to all my sysadmin friends. And write it at my blog and Facebook page.

You see, when i recommend to my clients hardware of this price level, i expect it to "just work" and interoperate with the staple management software.

The apcupsd is a staple of Linux UPS management.

The Linux OS is a staple of server buisiness.

So, when i discovered that my client just spent $3000 for a piece of hardware that can't fulfil one of it's primary functions (i.e. communicate it's battery level), and it was i who recommended to buy the thing, i just felt framed.

I've trusted your experience, reputation and wisdom. Now it feels like a betrayal to me. That's not a good way to treat a customer.

You've just lost a loyal customer and some dozens (or hundreds?) of high-level sellings in Russia.

Now everybody understands you don't care.

Best regards,

your Angry Customer.

[Anonymous user]

Supporting 3rd party integration via the Microlink protocol will help to maintain interest in the APC product line. Please consider publishing the spec.

[BillP]

Now don't shoot the messenger but here is a reply and update from our UPS Engineering team.

We are sorry to hear about your disappointment with our product. We understand the cause of your disappointment and have been working to address your concern. As you may appreciate, it takes time and resources to implement change and it cannot happen immediately.

To address customers that want to use apcupsd (and other software solutions) to communicate with their UPS we have taken a multi-faceted approach. 

1.)  We built an inexpensive SmartSlot card (AP9620) that works with all Micro-Link UPS to allow customers who were previously using our older protocols to continue to do so. The AP9620 has been used successfully in numerous applications and has been in the market for almost 3 years.  vader AP9620 was tested and validated with SURTD3000 and apcupsd and it is likely that this will be the only supported solution for your model.

2.) We realize that a SmartSlot card is not an ideal solution and we intend that it will only be a transition to products that would natively offer a publicly available protocol. We engaged with the apcupsd development community to try to find a better long term solution.  While it took longer than anyone had hoped we have recently released a firmware update for certain Smart-UPS SMT models (UPS 09.1)  which supports an open protocol that can be used by developers (including apcupsd) to communicate with the UPS. The documentation for this protocol should be available on our web site within a few weeks. Our intent is that all future Micro-Link based Smart-UPS will also include the open protocol described above.

[Anonymous user]

we have recently released a firmware update for certain Smart-UPS SMT models (UPS 09.1)  which supports an open protocol that can be used by developers (including apcupsd) to communicate with the UPS. The documentation for this protocol should be available on our web site within a few weeks. Our intent is that all future Micro-Link based Smart-UPS will also include the open protocol described above.

Well that's great news If you really make this "free protocol" integrated in all of your new hardware by default. By the way, it should give access to the same set of features Microlink protocol does - otherwise it would still feel as a a rip-off. Engineering-wise, i still don't get it, why you need two protocols instead of just one. For me, it's just asking for technical troubles and doubles the spending of always-lacking HR. Because you know, doubling the amount of programmers generally wouldn't speedup the development twice. Often it will boggle down development. Two protocols, two times programmers, two+ times errors.

[voidstar_apc]

vader wrote:

Engineering-wise, i still don't get it, why you need two protocols instead of just one.

One of the main reasons I was given is that Microlink is designed for chip-to-chip communication and needs a dedicated amount of bandwidth. That's not really optimal for UPS-to-computer communication, so the engineers want something else. You might ask why Powerchute uses Microlink then? Because it's what was available at the time. If they redesigned Powerchute, it would use the to-be-public protocol.

[Anonymous user]

I am a computer consultant. In the past, I have recommended APC UPS's, particularly SmartUPS units, due to their strong value. However, recently we have standardized on double-conversion online UPS's as our minimum recommendation for clients' servers--in fact, two online UPS's, seeing as we also at a minimum recommend dual hot-swap power supplies!

However, we are also a strong Linux company. Many of our servers run Linux. Having small, simple, powerful text-only software for both Linux and Windows is an absolute requirement. Requiring a JRE for UPS management is unacceptable. Requiring GUI tools for managing the UPS is unacceptable. Most of our servers are headless, and even those that aren't, SSHing into the servers (Linux and Windows) is a must. For us, APC hardware with apcupsd software has been the answer for some time.

However, because of the lack of support for the new online UPS's (SmartUPS RT), we have been forced to move to a different vendor and model (Tripp Lite SmartOnline UPS's). We have purchased 6 such UPS's in the last six months (four 2200's and two 1000's). In addition, we are considering dropping our recommendation of APC devices on the low-end for non-server hardware as well. It would be eaiser to support only a single software solution for both servers and client UPS's.

We would much rather prefer to drop the Tripp Lites and stay with APC for the entire line; however, the lack of support for apcupsd absolutely makes that impossible. Right now, our only option is to migrate away from APC on both the high and the low end.

I would be happy to supply purchase details for both the APC devices we have purchased for clients in the past (easily 30 or more in the past three years), as well as the recent Tripp Lite purchases. We are a small computer consultanting company; these numbers probably are not worrysome for you. However, I want to demonstrate that maintaining secrecy around your UPS protocol does not lead to increased sales. No one will decide against buying a UPS because the UPS protocol is known. But people will decide against buying a UPS if it does not work with the software that they've been using for years.

Timothy J. Massey

[Erasmus_apc]

Hello,

APC at this time does not have any plans to distribute information about the Micro-Link language protocol to any outside parties. There have been no exceptions to this so far, even to large corporate partners such as Microsoft (yes, truly), etc.

APC does understand the benefits of third-party support, and the advantage of customers being able to make solutions that work best for their unique configuration(s). However there are also negatives that prevent us from freely giving out such information.

We have a Micro-Link to UPS Link Language converter accessory card that will be released late in 2010 that will address needs for Link Language control. As far as future plans for working with or around Micro-Link go, this is the only definite solution to be released as far as I am aware. I know this may not be received well by all parties. I will be passing the URL link and contents of this thread "along the grapevine" so that all the concerns here and elsewhere can be taken into account for future policy.

Thank you for your input and for choosing APC!

[Anonymous user]

See also here for an email summarizing a conversation I had with APC's Paul Bohan and others regarding the Microlink situation:
http://old.nabble.com/APC-Microlink-UPSes-p24120064.html

[Anonymous user]

I installed the software and does not work under win 7 64bits. Network Error message.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

don't quote me but microlink not working with apcupsd will change in the near future. for the time being, you will need to get an AP9620 accessory card for the microlink units to work with apcupsd.