PowerChute Business Edition e-mail notifications being sent too frequently!

[BlueToast_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 11/22/2015

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Greetings!

I recently setup e-mail notifications on the PowerChute Business Edition installation we have on our Windows server, and then performed a UPS battery calibration for our Smart-UPS 1500 through the PowerChute Business Edition software.

Through this battery calibration that only took 20 minutes to perform, I have received 32 e-mail messages on "servername : Insufficient Runtime Available on Agent servername". That is 1.8 e-mail messages per minute (or every 33 seconds)! This is way too frequent!!

Is there a way to have PowerChute Business Edition reduce the frequency and number of e-mail messages it sends?

Thanks!

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Bill on APC forums on 11/23/2015

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Hi,

1. What version of the PowerChute Agent is installed?
2. What is the Model Smart-UPS? e.g. SMT1500, SMX1500, SUA1500
3. Is the PowerChute Server and Console installed and if so what versions?
4. If the PowerChute Server is installed did you configure e-mail settings in both the PowerChute web Agent and in the Server configuration?
5. What is the system OS the Agent is running on?

NOTE: If you configure e-mail setting in both the Server and Agent web interface you will receive multiple e-mails. 

[BlueToast_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 11/25/2015

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1. PowerChute Business Edition Agent v9.1 Build 614

Question: Agent is the web-based interface whereas the Console is the Win32 GUI, correct?

In the Console when I right-click on the UPS device and select Properties from the context menu, it opens up my browser to https://servername.domainname.com:6547/console?consoleId=hashchecksumhere_randomtexthere unlike older versions of PowerChute where a window would pop-up within the Console's GUI.

2. UPS Model: Smart-UPS 1500
UPS SKU: SMT1500RM2U
Firmware Revision: UPS 06.5 / MCU 11.0 (18 - 6)

3. Yes, both are installed on the same machine. All three -- Server, Agent, and Console -- are installed on the same machine.

PowerChute Business Edition Server v9.1 Build 614

PowerChute Business Edition Console v9.1 Build 614

4. In the Console with the UPS device selected, under Tools --> Change Configuration Profile the Enable E-mail/Paging settings are enabled and configured.

I have gone, just now, to disable it by unchecking that option and hitting Apply. Then I right-clicked on the UPS device in the Status list, selected the Reapply Configuration Profile from the context menu, and chose the most affirmative buttons to proceed with reapplying the configuration profile.

I again right-clicked on the UPS device in the Status list and selected theProperties option from the context menu to have it bring up the web-interface. In the web-interface I went to PowerChute --> E-mail Settings, and confirm here that fields are filled in for e-mail settings (such as SMTP Server, From E-mail Address, and E-mail Recipients).

Before submitting this reply to this thread I decided to run another battery run-time calibration to see what difference has been made.

Not once did I receive an e-mail notification.

Then I went back to Console --> Tools --> Change Configuration Profile --> checkmarked "Enable E-mail/Paging" --> Apply --> reapplied configuration profile to UPS device --> went back to web-interface and triggered another battery calibration.

E-mails started flowing in again.

5. Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard (with latest Windows Updates)

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Bill on APC forums on 12/1/2015

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Hi,

I checked engineering logs and test and could not find any record of this behavior so I attempted to recreate your issue and have been unsuccessful. I tested PCBE 9.1 Agent, Server, Console on Windows 2008 Standard. I then tested with Agent 9.1 and Server, Console 9.2 and then 9.2 Agent, Server, Console but in none of the tests did I received the e-mails. 

The cause of the error is the runtime remaining reported by the UPS is less than the At runtime limit vale set in PowerChute. What is the value you have set for the At runtime limit and what is the available runtime on the UPS? You will find the At runtime limit value under Shutdown, Shutdown Settings.  

[BlueToast_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 12/2/2015

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When power fails, begin a shutdown procedure:

At runtime limit 120 Seconds

[BillP · Accepted solution]

This reply was originally posted by Bill on APC forums on 12/2/2015

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Hi,

That is strange. When you have time uninstall PCBE 9.1 and install PCBE 9.2 Here's a link to the download. 

http://www.apc.com/shop/us/en/categories/power/uninterruptible-power-supply-ups-/ups-management/powe...

PowerChute should only send an e-mail for an event if the UPS reports it and in this case the UPS is reporting the battery life has fallen below 120 seconds. Updating the software most likely will not make a difference but it is worth getting the latest version installed to be sure.  

[dhessy]

I don't see a solution was ever posted.  I apologize if I just missed it.

We have a new unit and when we tested it, I received an email every SECOND.  I know my memory is going but I can remember what happened a second ago.   lol

How do I fix this?