Smartconnect connectivity

[Finlay]

Having recently bought a number of SMC1000IC & SMT2200RMI2UC devices, and registering through the Smartconnect portal, we were initially very impressed with the remote monitoring capabilities.  

Unfortunately this was not to last.  First the warranty lapsed on some of devices which appears to be next to impossible to rectify.

Next thing was that some devices randomly report that they require a battery replacement but this clears after a power outage.

By far the most frustrating issue is that some devices will stop communicating and alert as being offline, even though they are clearly online and operational - rendering the solution useless!

Anyone else experiencing similar issues?  I have just about given up on this solution.

[Teken]

The reliance on the so called *Connected Cloud* simply put, is a failure. Nobody remotely serious would place their internal power systems on the Internet. 🙄 There are simply too many failure points in this scenario to even count. Regardless, I would review all the logs to determine the time and frequency of the so called offline events. Validate these events with system / firewall logs to narrow down if this is simply IDS. IPS, rule sets causing the same.

Use any of a dozen network monitoring tools to capture what is going in and out of the UPS. At the most basic level (Ping) and monitor the behavior of the SmartConnect interface. If you see obvious drops or increased ping times narrow down why. If SNMP traps are available and monitored by a NMS review this system.

If your company hosts their own DNS validate all is fine. If you don't have a DNS Server on premises as a quick test I would change the DNS used by the UPS to any of the trusted services like 9.9.9.9, 1.1.1.1, 4.2.2.2, 208.67.222.222. Your company should have network monitors that can track and record uptime / connectivity to the APC Smart Connect website.

Doing so will also narrow down if the failure is on their end . . . 👉

As it relates to that I would submit a formal request to see the Smart Connect uptime history. Doing so may very well show or explain some of the off line messages where do to their service being under maintenance / down. 

Lastly, it goes without saying that everything that connects to the UPS must be validated as sound too. It could be a bad cable, dying switch port, ISP issues etc.