and another one bites the dust!

Anonymous user · ‎2021-06-29

I came to APC from Tripplite about 15 years ago for no other reason then APC was fast becomming the Insudtry Standard. Here I sit 15 years later:

1) For years now APC has had this huge issue with their SMART-UPS backups and USB interfaces where the server "loses communication" to the UPS. It makes the UPS about as functional as a screen door on a submarine. No true acknowledgement and no true fix. They will send you a USB to Serial adapter and tell you to run it serial. Not acceptable. According to APC the problem is so sporadic it isn't worth mentioning. I must be the unluckiest dude in the world unless their definition of sporadic is 95% of all SMART-UPS's.

2) You use to get PowerChute 5-node with every UPS. Now they expected you to purchase it for $99 and give you a half baked java agent for free. Yippie! TrippLite still ships first rate software with theirs for free.

3) Now with the latest line of UPSs (STM) the old PowerChute won't work and and at this point, free agent or purchased software, you have to mix and match based on the model of the UPS.

4) Support (either chat or voice) goes directly to deepest darkest India where no one knows how to speak English or even knows what a UPS is but boy can they read those scripted responses!

Nice going APC. I know all these things were done to increase that ever loving "Bottom Line". Guess what? That bottom line is about to get a wee bit smaller. I'm going back to TrippLite. Nice going Schneider...

Anonymous user · ‎2021-06-29

I could only recently start using an Express Card with a RS232 (DB9) slot from my laptop without a RS232 slot, while connecting to a SURT 2000XL having a RS232 slot and not havng an USB, as adviced to me by "I picKed a winna " once. So far everything worked smoothly, without any problems. I hope this can help you too. Inverters or cables causes problems, but a PCI card with a DB9 slot is the best and painless way I think!

See Answer In Context

Anonymous user · ‎2021-06-29

I recently (less than 5 days ago) called APC support and started a ticket and the agent was in the Philippines; not India.

My main beef with APC is the terribly scattered documentation. There's no reason why a new $1k rack mount Smart UPS X w/ NMC should ship with cd's and documentation from 2008!

Anonymous user · ‎2021-06-29

Thanks. It sound like APC might finally be comming around but I still have to question:

"Without going into the technical details, communication is interrupted only when certain conditions are met. If many of your systems are deployed in the same manner, it is possible that you would see this more than others"

What certain conditions? Deployed in the same manner? That is about as nebulous a response as I have ever seen. It still sounds like APC doesn't have a firm grip on the situation. Can you be a little more specfic? I would think if APC new the certain conditions that it would be easier to alter the conditions as opposed to having to order and implement Serial to USB communications.

I am very leary of reselling any more APC Smart-UPSs until I can be guarenteed the problem does not exist with the STM line. Does it?

Anonymous user · ‎2021-06-29

I can't help but feel APC isn't quite being on the level about this "Lost Communications" problem with the Smart-UPS 750. I have tried the APC Serial to USB converter. Doesn't seem to help. Two days ago I even put an actual APC Serial Cable (not converter) on a server and updated it to the latest and greatest PowerChote 9.0. Today it Lost Communications. Any comments?

Anonymous user · ‎2021-06-29

I could only recently start using an Express Card with a RS232 (DB9) slot from my laptop without a RS232 slot, while connecting to a SURT 2000XL having a RS232 slot and not havng an USB, as adviced to me by "I picKed a winna " once. So far everything worked smoothly, without any problems. I hope this can help you too. Inverters or cables causes problems, but a PCI card with a DB9 slot is the best and painless way I think!