"insufficient runtime remaining"

[BillP]

One of our SUA3000RMs has a very large load on it, and as such the calculated (and probably correct) runtime is 6 minutes.

I have it configured so that the shutdown schedule initiates after 2 minutes. I don't want to reduce this to 1 minute as that would be too soon based on the way power behaves here.
The shutdown schedule runs a script to shutdown a load of other stuff, which is set to take 1 minute with no delay - I can't make it less than 1 minute. The OS shutdown then begins with no delay, and is set at 3 minutes.
The total shutdown time is therefore 6 minutes.

At night, the power consumption goes up a bit, and the calculated runtime remaining fluctuates between 5 and 6 minutes. So, every time it goes to 5 minutes it spams emails saying there's insufficient runtime.

I see two ways of fixing this. Either stop it reporting this specific error (I can't work out how to do this on PCBE 7.0.5), or reduce the OS shutdown time.
There is an available value of 1.30 for the OS shutdown time, but every time I slelect it and attempt to save the config it simply reverts to 3 minutes.

Ideas? Not liking receiving 70+ spam mails every night.

Cheers

[EZ_Button_apc]

The simple answer is going to be reduce the load on the UPS. You probably should get another unit to support some of your equipment.

You can stop the alert from reporting by logging into the "agent" web interface and disabling notification for that alert. To get to the web interface open IE and go to: http://:3052

[BillP]

Hehe... reduce the load....

We've already got two SUA3000RMs in there... buuuut a lot of the load will be virtualized in the next few months, plus we're planning on hooking up a genny so as you can imagine we don't want to buy a new one.

I should have thought of look at the web interface - thanks!

[BillP]

Ok further to that, altering the reporting on the web interface doesn't seem to affect settings within PCBE console. IE: email notification was already disabled for Insufficient Runtime Available. I also disabled logging of that event earlier today, but have still received an email stating the error.

Any more ideas?

[TheNotoriousKMP_apc]

If you're already at 6 minutes of runtime remaining, and you're entire shutdown configuration is for 6 minutes, you only really have two choices based on your setup, and I'd lean towards #2 a lot more than #1:

1. Reduce the load - this is the only way you're going to increase your runtime and stop any potential at night for a load increase/runtime decrease and the "spamming" of emails.

2. Get a centralized UPS. You can hardwire out to a service panel which can feed each of the systems from the output of one larger scale UPS. They're modular and scalable, that way you don't have to buy the full capacity of the UPS now, just what you need to attain the runtime and protection you need.

[BillP]

1) The load will be reduced, but not for another month or two.

2) We're planning to get a genny to run this lot, and besides the load will be reduced anyway. No point spending more money on another UPS


Our shutdown configuration is only set to 6 minutes because (like I said in the OP) the lowest I can set the OS shutdown time to is 3 minutes, even though there is a 1.5 min option.
Some of the member servers will shut down very fast once the script runs at the start of the shutdown config, so available runtime is actually longer than 6 minutes.


What I really want here guys is quite simply a way to stop being notified of insufficient runtime, or preferably a way to set OS shutdown to 1.5 mins. Although I thank you all for your suggestions of buying new things and reducing loads, we are quite simply not in a position to do either.

[TheNotoriousKMP_apc]

Alright, got your fix for you.

If you log into the PCBE agent (http://ipaddress;:3052) that will give you customization of the events.

Click on Events
Click on Actions

Then disable email notifiaction for it. Save it, you're all set.

There's a screenshot attached.

[BillP]

Hi, thanks but someone else suggested exactly that in a previous post.

The reports are being generated by the server module of PCBE rather than the agent itself. There is no agent-side email reporting enabled, and the box you've indicated is in fact already unticked.

[BillP]

amusing.... just had a 20 sec powercut which led after 5 seconds to a low battery and insufficient runtime remaining error resulting in an immediate shutdown initiation...

Anyway after we rebooted the PDC with PCBE it allowed me to alter the OS shutdown time to 1.5 mins. Ironic really.

Nonetheless the UPS is only at 50% load so it really should last longer than 6 mins, I think we're in for a calibration sometime soon.

This is fixed for now.

[BillP]

Hi Squmph ,

At 50% load, you should probably get 10 minutes or so of runtime. If the unit has 5 minutes listed, you may want to look into a battery replacement. Do you have the serial number of the unit? With that, I can tell how old the UPS is and, if it's the original battery, how old the battery is as well.

If you require a full 6 minutes for shutdown, then if the actual runtime goes lower than that, you do have insufficient runtime. The resolution is simply get more runtime. The only way that can be done is to get more or battery batteries (depends on age of UPS and more would require an XL model UPS) or lower the load. I would not run a calibration through the software as since you are so close to the insufficient runtime mark (and occasionally hitting it) the calibration would not last leng enough to really do much good.

To run a true calibration on this unit, I would suggest disconnecting all load that you would not want to crash. Put a bunch of monitors on the UPS or something. Anything that will get the load to near what it currently is. After verifying load, make sure the communications cable is disconnected so the UPS will not turn off before it runs out of battery. Finally, unplug the UPS at full battery capacity and time how long it takes to turn off. If it takes 6 minutes at 50%, I would replace the battery. If it takes 10 minutes or so, I would reconnect everything and let it charge up. Check the runtime once it is charged. Does it match what the actual runtime was?

As for messaging, there is a list of events that will send e-mails.There is no way to change this when using the server and console. When using the server and console, the only way to stop e-mails would be to stop all e-mails. This can be done by changing your configuration profile. If you log into the agent directly but still keep server and console monitoring the agent (as mentioned below) I can not say for sure if the changes will stay or if it will revert back to the server's configuration. You can remove the agent from the server/console configuration and then do all configuration from the agent but it is not as self explanitory.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Thanks.

The UPS is 3 years old as are the batteries. I recognise that 3 years probably represents life (these batteries get a LOT of use) and subject to failing to supply power for a sensible amount of time during a calibration, they will probably be replaced.
10 minutes is what I had calculated for a 50% load, thanks for confirming that!

The load will be reduced in the next few months, so I have no plan of purchasing further UPS capacity.

As you say we will certainly be removing critical loads from the UPS and putting something we don't care about on it for a calibration. I was thinking a small fan heater (we don't "do" CRTs :p) but it really depends on what's available/convenient.

Thank you for confirming that PCBE doesn't have specific error report configuration. With regards to clashes in config, I've made a few edits on the agent itself, in sofar that I've disabled shutdown on "low battery" and things which are obviously a problem in our situation, and sofar the server has not changed it back.
All in all we may be investing in another AP9617 as it would be much better suited.

Message was edited by: Squmph