netbotz rack monitor 570 offline due to a timeout or connection error

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

One of my netbotz rack monitor 570 is going offline/online continuously. Alarm says the Device is offline due to a timeout or connection error. Then it comes online. I haven't been able to launch to the device as it goes offline again. I can ping the netbotz rack monitor.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

Hi Krista,

Both when launching to the NetBotz device and when DCE communicates with a NetBotz device, HTTP or HTTPS communications is used. Traffic on these ports can cause communications issues while still being able to ping the device. Additionally, if you have an IP conflict (another device with the same IP) you would be able to ping and not actually communicate with the appliance. The easiest way to test this is to disconnect the network cable and try to ping it again.

If you look at the logs after the device is available again, can you tell if the device had been rebooted? A reboot could also cause this.

Are you using external storage on the NetBotz appliance? If the NetBotz is unable to communicate with it's remote repository, it may reboot.

Is this device the only NetBotz you have? Do others experience this issue?

How often does the device become unavailable?

Does this happen regularly or at specific times or days?

What is the full configuration of the device?

Have you tried moving it to another location or replacing it with another (if available?

Basically, if you have a lost comm in DCE AND you are unable to launch to the device, it's not a DCE issue, it wold be either network or device related, Troubleshooting needs to be done with that in mind.

Steve

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

I'm not really sure when this started. I have checked the alarm history and it looks like it has been happening for a few weeks. Looks like it is constantly online/offline and no specific time of day. This is a new install so we haven't been actively monitoring yet. It looks like the netbotz is online for a minute and then when I try to logon to it is offline again. I can log into the DCE just fine. We have a primary and a backup site. This is only happening to the netbotz at one of the locations and not the other. I can't move it as it isn't local to me. I can have someone put eyes on it for me but was wondering if there was something specific I need to look for on it. What troubleshooting procedures to follow?

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

Hi Krista,

If this is happening at a single remote site, is this the only appliance at that site? If not, do others at that site also have an issue?

If you can't get local to the device, either remotely access a computer at that site or work with someone local to it. When you have an issue connecting to the appliance, does the person at that site also have an issue directly accessing the NetBotz appliance?

As you mentioned, you may also need hands-on at the site. If they're having an issue with the device locally, connect a cross-over cable or somehow connect directly to take the network out of the equation.

Again, the physical configuration may be important and troubleshooting may include disconnecting all sensors and resetting the device to defaults. Perhaps reflashing the firmware and making sure it is running the most up to date firmware.

http://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/index?page=content&id=FA176133

If you use this procedure, please do not use the "keep" option so that you upgrade the firmware and reset the device.

It may also be easier to have the on-site person contact tech support over the phone instead of the delay that can be caused by waiting for this thread, then getting in touch with someone on-site, making sure they do what's necessary, etc.

Steve

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

I just wanted to comment that I have seen similar behavior before. My NetBotz was on HTTPS communication with DCE and come to find out, it had to do with the NetBotz time/date set so far in in the future - like year 2079 (which I don't know how it happened) - on the appliance was affecting HTTPS communications. I went through looking for duplicate IPs and other random possibilities that Steve has mentioned but this is what it was.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

I was able to reboot it through the PDU/outlet and am able to access it now. Not sure what was going on but it seems to be stable and accessible.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

Similar problem after an ISX Server upgrade. I powered off the Netbotz for 3 minutes then reconnected and all fine. you MUST leave them off for 3 minutes or it does not solve it

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

Good day

We have had the same issue of late, where a simple power off/on of the netbotz appliance 550 (NBRK055E) resolves this issue.

Upon our last incident of a different appliance, the power off/on trick has completely reset the device and we were forced to reconfigured network settings as well as access cards details.

My question - is there a safer way to reboot the appliance without deleting the appliance memory ? I have read on the forum (cant find the post), the reset button maybe used - please confirm?

Background info - we have 5x 550 appliances each with 7 rack access pods daisy chained.

Thank you for your assistance.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

Hi Juice,

Since this is somewhat different than the initial question, comments such as this should probably be put in as their own question in the future.

As for your issue, the appliance should never lose it's config from a reboot. Please make sure you're at the most recent firmware as I seem to remember an old issue similar to this but I can find no data on it.

If you're up to date and this is still happening, please do a manual configreset as per k-base FA158175 and do not import any backup, just manually configure a few settings such as IP. Reboot the appliance. If the issue still happens, there could be an issue where the device fails to retain information, could be a hardware issue. Make sure with this test IP that it is not discovered by any DCE servers.

Steve

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

This question is closed for comments. You're welcome to start a new topic if you have further comments on this issue.