My Symmetra UPS Clients (Windows server 2008) unexpected shutdown

[kwayu_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 9/26/2014

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I have a APC Symmetra LX 16kVA. I installed PowerChute on Widnows server 2008 clients and configured PCNS in case of Overheating of Server room (40C) or upon low power. I noted that the shutdown was taking place even when the temperature was reached. Confused, I un-installed powerchute software from the windows clients and even disconnected the UPS from the LAN.

Still the servers keep shutting down, at unexpected times. I have also noted that some few workstations in the LAN are also shutting down upon booting, though I still do not know whether that is connected to UPS!

What will be the cause of the shutdown, colleagues?

Thanks

Andrew

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 9/26/2014

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Hello,

The most helpful thing for us will be the Network Management Card (in the UPS)'s logs - event.txt, data.txt, config.ini. Instructions are here on how to download it and please just help point out the timestamps when you saw issues, if possible ->How can I download Event, Data, Configuration, and Debug files from my Network Management Card? | FA...

Also, PowerChute Network Shutdown software contains a log of it's own. We'd want that too along with the pcnsconfig.ini file from the PowerChute installations where you saw this issue so we have an overview of the events and any configuration. Some of this may be a moot point though now if the logs have been deleted and the configuration is different after uninstalling.

One thing that comes to mind is we'd want to see what triggered the shutdown if possible and then if the UPS is not allowed to complete it's reboot process, it could still be trying to send the shutdown command. It can be rebooted to stop this but that is just a uneducated guess.

Hope that helps get you started.

[kwayu_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 9/29/2014

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Config.ini text

Edit by Angela N: To make this more manageable to read, I took the text from the logs and put them back in .txt files to attach to each post to avoid scrolling. (attachments can be added if you use the "advanced editor" on your reply.)

I am deleting the other two replies and just attaching all the files here.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 9/29/2014

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Do you have any logs from the PCNS clients?

OK, so let's start here:

[Symmetra]

VoutReporting=Auto

FreqVoltOverload=Go to Bypass

AlarmRedundancyUnder=Never

AlarmLoadOver=Never

AlarmRuntimeUnder=5

ReturnBatteryCapacity=0

LowBatteryDuration=12

ShutdownDelay=120

ReturnDelay=0

SleepTime=000

UPSName=UPS_IDEN

UPSPosition=RACK

ExternalBatteryCabinet=0000

BatteryDate=09/00/14

SimpleSignalShutdown=enabled

SelfTestSchedule=Every 14 days

You have it set to alarm you if the runtime is under 5 minutes. If I look in the event log, I see a lot of things going on. I see this telling me you're hitting this low runtime threshold (several times) that you've set: UPS: A runtime alarm threshold violation exists.    0x0227. It is possible that PowerChute Network Shutdown is reacting to this but I'd have to see that log/configuration to be sure.

How much is your total runtime? How old are the batteries? You also have the LowBatteryDuration set to 12 so that ultimately, when 12 minutes of runtime are remaining, your UPS will have a "low battery" which every PowerChute Network Shutdown client is forced to shutdown at that mark. Do you know why this is set a bit high? It likely wouldn't be a problem if you had hours and hours of runtime. But if the batteries are older, then maybe this is something that based on the frequency of input power problems/on battery events, is showing itself now.

Thus, total runtime, age of batteries, intended configuration, and comments on my comments are what I'd say we need to discuss next.