Product gap

[jk02140_apc]

As someone with a small office situation -- a few Windows PCs, a few small servers running Unix (FreeBSD in my case), and a network that is managed from one of the Unix machines and that has its own dedicated firewall -- I'm facing a problem and wonder if others have suggestions. Historically, after several other approaches failed, I've used SmartUPS units with network management cards, minimizing the need to actively manage the units and making power management completely independent of operating system choices. But several of those devices are now getting old and failing. Replacement costs to preserve the current setup seem astronomical: the smallest SmartUPS unit capable of handling, say, a 600 watt load with reasonable runtime has a street price in the $900 range, plus almost $300 more for the network card (since my existing AP9617 cards apparently won't work with the newer devices);

Worse, I simply don't need most of what the newest SmartUPS and Network Management units provide: depending on how things are configured, I''m only going to need three to five UPS units in the office at a time. I don't need environmental monitoring, SMNP, onboard scheduling, InfraStruXure integration, or any of the high-end SmartUPS features (other than network connectivity) that are not present on, e.g., a BackUPS Pro.

PowerChute is, or at least was the last time I tried to use it, completely unsatisfactory for this arrangement. It isn't supported for the Unix boxes. The "personal" version doesn't deal well with having more than one UPS around: if there were a way to hook USB cables up from multiple UPSs and run them into a single computer, I haven't been able to figure out how to make it work. The "Business" version not only forces me into the SmartUPS line but, unless things have changed since the last time I tried to set it up, it is very dependent on Windows networking, which I don't run for security reasons.

The ideal solution from my point of view would be units with BackUPS Pro capabilities and the addition of an integral network interface (either instead of or in addition to USB and/or Serial). They don't exist.

Other that looking at other vendors -- I've been using APC UPS and power conditioning equipment exclusively for many years, have recommended it to a number of my customers, and would prefer to not make a change-- does anyone have any suggestions? Are my needs actually unique, or are there enough environments like mine out there that APC should be considering a BackUPS Pro device with network capability to meet these high-end small office needs that don't move into the SmartUPS range as it has evolved or the flexibility that the SmartSlot provides?

[voidstar_apc]

I'd also add that it depends why you need a network connected UPS. If you want network manageability and not safe shutdown, then the BackUPS HS 500 might work. Otherwise you might want to look into APCUPSd.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Well first of all , only the back up lines work with PowerChute Personal edition and have no network connectivity. These are for basic use and because of that, are scaled down as far as features(network connectivity etc). We recommend the Smart UPS line for network, server applications and because of that, we offer more features such as better software(Powerchute Business Edition) and ability to install network management cards. It sounds like you're looking for something that's a combination of both product lines which unfortunately, we don't really have. We do have lower cost Smart ups which do work with PowerChute Business Edition but don't have the network functionality(Smart ups SC).