How do I monitor my APC UPS on Linux?

If you have an APC UPS connected to your server via serial or USB cable, we recommend using the PowerChute Business Edition software provided and supported by APC.

Installation

Before getting started, download and review the PowerChute documentation and installation documentation, which are both available from the APC downloads page.

After downloading the latest version of the PowerChute software from APC’s website, you will have to transfer the installation file to the Linux server (ex. ftp, scp, samba), extract it, and run the installer. Here’s an example:

cd /esupport/powerchute
tar xzf pcbe852_linux.tar.gz
rpm -Uvh pbeagent-8.5.2-607.i386.rpm
cd /opt/APC/PowerChuteBusinessEdition/Agent
./config.sh

Answer the questions as prompted. Here is an example configuration:

  • Username: apc
  • Password: apc
  • Repeat password: apc
  • Select cable type: 1 for smart signaling
  • Select USB or serial port (e.g. 1 for /dev/ttyS0 onboard port)
  • Are the settings correct? Yes
  • Start PowerChute now? Yes

Configuration

Once PowerChute has been installed, you may access it via its web interface at: https://SERVER_IP_ADDRESS:6547/config/

Log in with the username and password you defined previously.

Use the web interface to check the status of your APC UPS or to configure shutdown parameters.

Support

To contact APC for hardware support or software configuration questions:

Note: if you encounter a warning about missing packages, please see this APC FAQ.