Sync Control Question

[bobbyc_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 4/22/2015

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I have been reading the NMC manual and some threads in the forum on sync control.  We don't use the PowerChute software at all. I have a few questions.

With sync control configured, all UPS devices in the group are active? Or is one active and one passive?

If I manually power off one UPS in the sync group, the other UPS will continue working? 

Thanks in advance!

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 4/22/2015

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Hello,

Sync control just uses multicasting over the network to allow control commands issued from one management card/UPS to then be carried out on other devices in the sync control group without having to log into each to do it.

I am not sure what you mean about one being active and passive? I haven't personally used it too much but my understanding is that you configure the group settings in all of the management cards and then you can issue a supported control command (on, off, reboot, etc) from any management card in the group and when you do so, that management card sends a communication with the multicast address in it which all other devices see and know that it is assigned to them as well.

Sync control just allows you to sync control commands. If you remove one from the group via removal or configuration or turning them off, there would be no impact to the group functionality or status of other units in the group.

[bobbyc_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 4/22/2015

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Thanks, Angela.

I guess there was some confusion on my part which was clarified by your response.  For some reason, I thought sync control was related to matching of waveforms on the UPS devices. 

[BillP · Accepted solution]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 4/22/2015

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Ohh, nope it is not related to that. It is geared towards users with dual power supply equipment and when they want to reboot it, they could issue the command to one UPS and the other would follow so you have a few minutes not having to log into the other unit to do the command and also to have it done at the same time and not a few minutes later.

I don't think we have any functionality to do that, at least on smaller single phase type UPSs. Maybe they do in the three phase world for like parallel systems.