APC "Emergency Response Line"

[Anonymous user]

I started getting email alerts about an hour ago, 2 emails every couple of minutes. Apparently an APC smart-UPS attached to 2 of my monitored client's servers failed a self test and indicates the battery is bad (the unit is less than a year old) and the unit will not stay up in the event of a power emergency. I remoted into the server with the monitoring software and reran the test, verifying the critical alerts were accurate. At that point I sought to contact APC technical support to at least start an RMA process to ensure that a replacement battery would ship out first thing Monday morning. Navigating through their phone menus, I chose the 'emergency response line' as their normal support was closed for the weekend and this IS a critical alert by their own software's definition (and mine as well, our area is known for thunderstorms this time of year and we lost power to most of the city just 2 weekends ago).

After ringing some 10 to 15 times, "John" picked up the phone and proceeded to inform me that the "emergency response line" is intended for server room fires and battery acid leaks only, in which case I am left to wonder as to what APC would do for me in that situation, and how an 800 number that needed me to navigate a phone menu would be a better or more efficient solution than 911.

Long story short - "call back monday morning to create an RMA, and is there anything else I can't help you with?"

[Cap1_apc · Accepted solution]

Aaron,

Do you have the serial numbers off of the unit(s) in question?

The rep you spoke with was mostly correct in the fact that we try and leave the emergency line to true emergencies that could immediately effect your load. A bad battery, while indeed an issue, can be resolved during our normal staff M-F 8am to 8pm. If you call in Monday morning, we can get this resolved for you asap. Sorry for the inconvenience.