Problems with AP8959 PDU - 'IPv4 address could not start'

[Anonymous user]

Hi

We have a brand new APC PDU model 8959, with what we believe is the latest firmware (5.1.9/5.1.6). We have configured it using the Device IP Configuration Utility to our internal LAN. We did have a few issues requiring us to enter the devices MAC address into our ARP cache to be able to see the PDU, but after doing this we were able to set the PDU up successfully.

Today the PDU is no longer on the network, the IP Configuration utility no longer detects it via IP or MAC, and the PDU's status shows 'IPv4 address could not start'. We have tried resetting the PDU multiple times. The only 'configuration' that was changed overnight was plugging some devices into the outlets (physically, no changes were made to the PDU's configuration).

Has anyone got any idea what could be wrong, or is the PDU faulty?

Thanks!

[BillP]

I need to see the event log and configuration file somehow - where are you seeing the IPv4 address could not start (like in what interface)? I am wondering what status the PDU is in so we can figure out how to get the logs - sounds like its not accessible over the network at all since the IPv4 network service cannot start.

[BillP]

Can you find any solutions , this problem is on my system. May I try static IP way in AP8959? 

Thx for helping.

[BillP]

Here are all the different ways you can configure an IP address on a Rack PDU of this type, including how to do a static/manual IP address -> http://www.apc.com/support/index?page=content&country=ITB〈=en&locale=en_US&id=FA156064 

[BillP]

Hello Angela,

I'm experimenting the same problem trying to configure a static IP address on my AP8959 PDUs.

I used an ethernet connection and the arp + ping method to set the IP with success on 3 PDUs yesterday.

I then successfully accessed the PDU web interface on my computer.

So All worked well yesterday.

This morning (and there was no power off during the night), two of my three PDUs were unreachable on the network.

If I use the front panel interface to display the Network configuration interface, I get the message "IPv4 Address Could Not Start" in place of the IPv4 address I set yesterday.

I tried to reconfigure them using the arp + pin method without success. The MAC@ seems to be unreachable.

I tried to power them off/on and it did not fix the problem.

I tried with the APC Configuration Wizard without success too.

Is there a way to reset the device configuration WITHOUT the specific serial cable (witch is not furnished) ?

[BillP]

I'd be interested in the TCP/IP settings you assigned it and also the output of the tcpip command but I do understand you don't have the serial cable and cannot access it serially. Also the status of the LEDs on the Ethernet Jack and phase/bank indicator (or a picture of the PDU display) - meaning if they are solid or flashing slowly or rapidly and what color they are.

But, for what you asked, on the AP8XXX series devices, you can "format" which will wipe ALL configuration settings but does not upgrade or downgrade firmware. If you are okay to lose the configuration, you can do this by using a paperclip or similar sized device and pressing AND holding down the pinhole reset button on the Rack PDU display. If you are doing this correctly, the status LED on the RJ-45 Ethernet Jack (the LED with the checkmark or X next to it) will "pulse" green and then "pulse" amber/orange when you can release. It will continue the process after you let go of wiping everything and then it will reboot from where it will then be at a default configuration.

If you do get in to the PDU after doing this or trying ARP and it works briefly, we'd want to see the CLI output of the about command to verify the PDU MAC address is correct and not all 0's or F's. You can also check this in the web under About->Network menu. This is also something you can get via SNMP if you use that which I can share the OID if you do use that method.

This, meaning a problem with the MAC address, is something I see once in a while but I'd be shocked if you had two PDUs with the same issue. It could be something else such as an inadvertent typo in the TCP/IP settings or something else we are not seeing at this time.

[BillP]

Hi angela,
thank you for this quick return 🙂

I don't know were it came from but my problem is solved. I will answer your questions anyway for others who will read this thread later 🙂

The TCP/IP settings command I've done was the following:
> arp -s 10.15.2.101 00-c0-b7-89-b0-6d
> ping 10.15.2.101 -l 113
After that I was able to access the PDU webservice at URL 10.15.2.101 and proceed to the complete configuration (mask, gateway, etc). I was also able to open a telnet session and tested successfully the CLI interface using olOn and olOff commands. The "Network" view of the PDU displayed message "IPv4 Address 10.15.2.101" as expected.

When the problem occurs:
 - the "Network" view of the PDU displays message "IPv4 Address Could Not Start".
 - the OK/Warning/Overload status LED is solid green
 - the ethernet connector left LED is orange and flashing rapidly
 - the ethernet connector right LED is green  and flashing slowly
 - the connection configuration wizard doesn't detect the MAC address on the network
 
Your answer on the reset helped me solve the problem. I had tried the pinhole reset button off course but I did not held it down long enough (I think) to completely clean the configuration. Waiting for the ethernet LED to return to orange is the solution.

After a successful reset I managed to reaffect an IP address and drive my PDU with a telnet session. I hope the PDU will stay in this state.

THANKS AGAIN 🙂
JiCé

PS: I think we will buy this damned specific serial cable to be able to upgrade the firmware.
 

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi JiCé,

Thanks for your feedback and glad you got it fixed.

For what you described on the ethernet jack when the problem happens, the right LED if you are looking at the jack, is the status LED and the most important. When it flashes green slowly this means it has invalid IP settings so that aligns with the message that the address couldn't start. I would've then, like I mentioned, checked the tcpip settings that you had applied, make sure they took and no typos, verified the MAC was valid and programmed properly, and also checked the event log through eventlog command, assuming you could still log in via one method.

Hope it is all set for now and was a one-off issue but if it continues to, we'll definitely need to look more closely.

Lastly, you don't need the serial cable to upgrade the firmware if you have network access. On the AP8XXX series models too, you can also upgrade the firmware via theUSB connection on the display. Refer to the NMC2 instructions here for all available methods on your type of device -> http://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/FA156047

The serial cable is good to have handy but not so much for firmware upgrades, though it can be done through there - just slower than other methods