User Guide

PowerChute Business Edition v10.0.5 Agent

For Simple Signaling
990-3773J-001
Publication Date: January 2022
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Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................1
Simple Signaling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Related Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

How to Log On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Account Lock-Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Changing Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Simple Signaling ................................................................ 3

UPS Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
System Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

PowerChute ....................................................................... 4
Event Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Description of events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

E-Mail Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Adding and removing e-mail recipients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Authenticating e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

SNMP Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
SNMP v1 Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
SNMP v3 Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
SNMP Trap Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
SNMP Data Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Shutdown.........................................................................15
Initial Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Shutdown Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Simple Signaling Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Power Outage Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Power Outage Configuration and Shutdown on Event
Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Interactivity in shutdown durations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide i

Logging ............................................................................20
Event Log. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Energy Usage Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Reading the Log File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Calculating Energy Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Log Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Log files taking up disk space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

About................................................................................22

General ............................................................................23
PowerChute Configuration File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Resetting your Username and Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Java Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Replace Default PowerChute SSL Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Preferences......................................................................26
Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

PowerChute Updates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Troubleshooting ...............................................................27
PowerChute Files ZIP Archive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

ii PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide

Introduction
PowerChute™ Business Edition (PowerChute) provides UPS management, system shutdown, and energy
management for devices connected to the UPS.

In the case of a UPS critical event, the software performs a graceful system shutdown of connected devices
before the UPS battery is exhausted.

Simple Signaling
During installation, if you have configured PowerChute Business Edition to use Simple Signaling using the
Interface Expander 2 Card (AP9624), you will see a reduced number of options in the PowerChute Business
Edition Agent web user interface, when compared with standard Smart Signaling options. This document
describes the options available in PowerChute for Simple Signaling only. See Simple Signaling Limitations,
and the PowerChute Business Edition Installation Guide available on www.apc.com for more information
on Simple Signaling configuration.

Previous generation accessories such as the UPS Interface Expander 1 (AP9607) and the APC Share-UPS
(AP9207) also provided graceful system shutdown for multiple servers, using PowerChute Business Edition.
For more information on the operation of the Share-UPS or Interface Expander 1, see their associated user
guides available on the APC website, and Knowledge Base article FA156051.

Related Documents
This document describes the PowerChute Agent web user interface:

• For information on installing PowerChute Business Edition, see the PowerChute Business Edition
Installation Guide, available on the APC website.
• For security-related information, see the PowerChute Business Edition Security Handbook, available
on the APC website.
• For up-to-date information on the operating systems, JRE, service packs, and processors with which
PowerChute Business Edition is compatible, see the latest revision of PowerChute Business Edition
Operating System and Processor Compatibility Chart available on the APC website.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 1

How to Log On
You can access the user interface of the PowerChute Business Edition Agent in two ways, locally and remotely.

To access the PowerChute Business Edition Agent on a local Windows computer, select the Windows start
button, then select PowerChute Business Edition > PowerChute Business Edition.

To access the PowerChute Agent remotely, in a Web browser type the servername or Agent IP address and
port:

https://servername:6547
https://agentipaddress:6547

For example, if your server is named COMP1, enter:

https://COMP1:6547
If you have forgotten the username or password created during installation, you can reset the
credentials by using the PowerChute configuration file. See Resetting your Username and
Password.

Account Lock-Out
PowerChute will automatically “lock out” for 2 minutes after three unsuccessful login attempts (incorrect
username and/or password) to prevent brute force password cracking.

Changing Language
The PowerChute Agent User Interface (UI) is available in two languages: English and Chinese. To change the
UI display language, click on the language selector in the top-right corner of the UI, and select a language from
the drop-down list. The country flags of the available UI languages are also displayed.

2 PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide

Simple Signaling

UPS Status
The UPS Status screen shows System Status.

System Status
The Device Status field under System Status indicates the present operating status of the UPS and displays
one of the following states listed in the table below.

Possible
Device Status Description
On Line The UPS is running normally on AC utility power.

On Battery The UPS is using its battery to provide output power to the load.

Low Battery The UPS is on battery, and the Runtime Remaining reported by the UPS is less
than the At runtime limit value on the Shutdown Settings screen.

By default, a Low Battery shutdown begins.

Unknown The status of the UPS is unknown.

UPS Off Your UPS is turned off.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 3

PowerChute

Event Configuration
The Event Configuration screen lists the events that can occur and separates them into three categories -
critical (severe), warning, and informational. You cannot change an event's category.

By default, the Informational events are hidden, click the + icon beside Informational to display
them. You can also click the - sign to hide any of the three categories.

You can configure events to cause certain actions, named in separate columns:

• Logging: Records the event in the Event Log when the checkbox is selected.

You can disable all logging, see Log Settings.

• E-Mail: Sends an e-mail message to users and administrators when an event occurs. The checkbox
must be selected to enable this. E-mail must be configured in PowerChute, see E-Mail Settings.
• Shutdown: Initiates an operating system shutdown sequence in response to an event when the
checkbox is selected. See Shutdown.

IMPORTANT: Changing the shutdown and command file options for events has a direct
effect on the configuration you specify on the Shutdown Settings page. See Power
Outage Configuration and Shutdown on Event Configuration.
• Command File: Runs a user-specified command file when an event occurs.

Command files are often used to shut down open applications in order to avoid loss of data. They have to be
placed in this folder:
<Installation folder>\APC\PowerChute Business Edition\agent\cmdfiles
which for example is, by default on Windows, this folder:
C:\Program Files (x86)\APC\PowerChute Business Edition\agent\cmdfiles
Click on the Command File icon to enable it, and choose a file to run and a duration.
All command file types are supported.
IMPORTANT: PowerChute does not check the contents of a command file before executing it.

When you have enabled a command file for an event, the icon color changes from grey, , to
green, .

See also Power Outage Configuration and Shutdown on Event Configuration.

Some events cannot be configured to trigger certain actions and have no checkbox for that action.
For example, most informational events cannot cause a shutdown so the checkbox is missing in
the Shutdown column for those events.

Description of events
For descriptions of individual events, see:

• Critical events
• Warning events
• Informational events

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 4

 The events that display depend on your UPS, some events described below might not display for
your UPS.

Critical events
Critical (severe) events can cause the UPS to stop supplying power to its supported equipment. These events
require your immediate attention.

Event Name Description

Low Battery A UPS that is operating on battery power has reached the low runtime
threshold - the Runtime Remaining reported by the UPS is less than the
At runtime limit value on the Shutdown Settings screen.

Alternatively, a UPS management accessory (such as a UPS Interface

Expander 2 Card) has triggered the Low Battery event in order to request a
shutdown.
Time On Battery Threshold The UPS on battery power has reached the number of seconds configured
Exceeded via Shutdown Settings > Power Outage Configuration > “After the
UPS has been on battery for”.

Warning events
Warning events alert you to situations that should be monitored

Event Name Description

On Battery The UPS has switched to battery operation due to a power outage or poor
power quality.
Invalid User Login A user has unsuccessfully attempted to log in to the PowerChute user
interface. NOTE: PowerChute will automatically “lock out” for 2 minutes
after three unsuccessful login attempts (incorrect username and/or
password) to prevent brute force password cracking.

Informational events
Informational events report data about the operation of the UPS device.

Event Name Description

No Longer On Battery AC utility power has been restored; the UPS is no longer running on battery
power. This event follows On Battery.
Shutdown Starting Various stages of the shutdown procedure.
Shutdown in Progress
Communication PowerChute has established communication with the UPS.
Established
Monitoring Started PowerChute has started or stopped monitoring the UPS.
Monitoring Stopped
User Logged On A user has successfully logged into the PowerChute user interface.

User Logged Off A user has successfully logged out of the PowerChute user interface or the
PowerChute session has expired. By default, the PowerChute session
times out after 15 minutes of inactivity and users will be automatically
logged out of the PowerChute UI.

5 PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide

E-Mail Settings
The E-Mail Settings screen lists the e-mail addresses of users configured to be notified when an event occurs.
In order to receive e-mail notifications when an event occurs, the e-mail address must be set up here. See
Event Configuration for information on configuring an event to send an e-mail when it occurs.

The following five fields must be defined to enable PowerChute to send e-mail messages when events occur.
(This includes messages to pagers that accept e-mail).

• SMTP Server (Hostname, IPv4, or IPv6) identifies the SMTP server by one of the three methods
mentioned: its name, its IPv4 address, or its IPv6 address. An example hostname is mail.server.com.
• From E-Mail Address specifies the e-mail that the recipient gets the mail from. It is the e-mail account to
be used to send notifications.
• Port specifies the port number from which e-mail is sent via SMTP. Port numbers can have a maximum
of five digits and can be set to 25, 465, 587, or any number ranging from 5000 to 32768. If you do not
enter a port number, the default of 25 is used.
• Use SSL/TLS defines the e-mail encryption protocol that will be used when e-mail is sent. There are
three options available:
– None selected – if authentication is disabled, no e-mail encryption protocol will be used and e-mail
will be sent unencrypted. If authentication is enabled, e-mail will be encrypted using the SMTPS
protocol.
– SSL – e-mail will be encrypted using the SSL encryption protocol. You must select port 465 or the
port your email administrator has assigned for SSL communications.
– TLS – e-mail will be encrypted using the TLS encryption protocol. You must select port 587 or the
port your email administrator has assigned for TLS communications.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 6

 If you are using SSL/TLS and your SMTP Server uses a self-signed certificate, the certificate must
be added to the trusted certificate store of the bundled Java JRE.

On Windows:
1. Stop the PowerChute service via the services console – APC PBE Agent – or using the
command net stop pbeagent
2. Copy server.crt (or server.cer) to the security directory in the installed PowerChute
directory (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\APC\PowerChute Business Edition\jre\lib\security).
3. Open a command prompt with Administrator privileges and navigate to this security directory.
4. Execute the following command to import the email certificate into the JRE trusted certificate
store:
..\..\bin\keytool -import –alias mailserv –file server.crt –keystore
cacerts –storepass changeit
5. Accept the certificate when prompted.
6. Start the PowerChute service via the services console – APC PBE Agent – or using the
command net start pbeagent
On Unix/Linux:
1. Stop the PowerChute service using one of the following commands: service pbeagent
stop, or systemctl stop PBEAgent.service, or /etc/init.d/PBEAgent stop
2. Copy server.crt (or server.cer) to the security directory in the installed PowerChute
directory (e.g. opt/APC/PowerChuteBusinessEdition/jre/lib/security).
3. Open a Terminal with Administrator privileges and navigate to this security directory.
4. Execute the following command to import the email certificate into the JRE trusted certificate
store:
../../bin/keytool -import –alias mailserv –file server.crt –keystore
cacerts –storepass changeit
5. Accept the certificate when prompted.
6. Start the PowerChute service using one of the following commands: service pbeagent
start, or systemctl start PBEAgent.service, or /etc/init.d/PBEAgent start
NOTE: In the above examples, mailserv is the alias of the mail server used within the cert file,
and server.crt is the self-signed SSL cert of the mail server. .cer files are also accepted.
For more information, see Replace Default PowerChute SSL Certificate.

See also: Authenticating e-mail.

• To E-Mail Address: See Adding and removing e-mail recipients.

Adding and removing e-mail recipients

To add an e-mail, under the Add/Remove E-Mail Recipients section, type an e-mail address and click the
Apply button.

To remove an e-mail, select the checkbox to the right of the address, and click Apply.

Filling in the Contact Name and System Location under Contact Information is optional. If present, the
information is included in e-mails. The name is intended to represent the person responsible for the
maintenance of the UPS. The location is the physical location of the server hosting the PowerChute Agent.

7 PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide

 See also Authenticating e-mail.

We advise testing your e-mail settings after configuration. You can do this by selecting an E-Mail
checkbox for an event with Event Configuration, and then create that event.

Authenticating e-mail
Authenticating e-mail is optional. You can enable it by selecting the Basic E-Mail for Authentication
checkbox. Contact your e-mail administrator if you’re not sure about authentication.

If you are going to use authentication, you can specify a server username and password in the respective
fields, but you do not have to do so. If you don’t specify a server username and password, PowerChute uses
the SMTP Server (Hostname, IPv4, or IPv6) to obtain a list of IP Addresses that are allowed to send
authenticated e-mails.

SNMP Settings
PowerChute Business Edition can be configured to communicate via Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP), and can be discovered via SNMP by a Network Management System (NMS). Using SNMP and the
PowerNet MIB, you can query and configure PowerChute settings, and generate SNMP traps to automatically
notify you of UPS shutdown events and lost communication events.

The PowerNet MIB is located in the etc directory in the PowerChute installation directory. The
latest version is also available on the APC website, choose Firmware Upgrades - MIB from the
Filter by Software / Firmware drop-down box.

SNMPv1 and SNMPv3 are supported by PowerChute Business Edition, and are enabled via the Agent web
interface. The SNMP Agent is not discoverable via SNMP until SNMPv1 or SNMPv3 is enabled, and one user
profile is configured.

SNMPv1 is less secure than SNMPv3. SNMPv1 does not provide encryption or authentication, and
the Community Name is sent over the network in plain text. To use encryption and authentication
with SNMP, configure SNMPv3 settings.

See:

• SNMP v1 Configuration
• SNMP v3 Configuration
• SNMP Trap Configuration
• SNMP Data Points

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 8

SNMP v1 Configuration
Select Enable SNMPv1 access to configure the User Profiles required to communicate via SNMPv1. Select
Add Profile or edit the default profile (PCBEUser) and configure:

1. Community Name: The Community Name is sent with each SNMP request to obtain access to a
device. The maximum length is 15 ASCII characters.
2. NMS IP/Host Name: The IP address, Host Name or Fully Qualified Domain Name of the Network
Management System (NMS). An NMS is software that is used to manage software and hardware
components on the network. It can be used to manage PowerChute via SNMP by issuing SNMP GET
and SET commands. The default value of 0.0.0.0 permits access from any NMS.
3. Access Type:
– Disable: No SNMP GET or SET requests are permitted.
– Read: Only SNMP GET requests are permitted.
– Read/Write: SNMP GET and SET requests are permitted.
To edit an existing SNMPv1 user profile, click the button. To delete an SNMPv1 user profile, click the
button.

Click Apply to save the SNMPv1 configuration.

Certain Network Management Systems require the SNMP Engine ID to communicate via SNMP.
The SNMP Engine ID is displayed under the Miscellaneous section of the SNMP Settings page.

See also: SNMP Data Points

SNMP v3 Configuration
Select Enable SNMPv3 access to configure the SNMPv3 settings. Select Add Profile and configure:

1. User Name: In SNMPv3, all GET and SET requests and SNMP Traps are matched to a user profile by
the User Name. Enter a user name of a length less than or equal to 32 ASCII characters.
2. Authentication Protocol: Select MD5, SHA-1 or SHA-2 (SHA256 or SHA512) protocol. It is
recommended to use an SHA-2 protocol, if the NMS supports it.
3. Authentication Passphrase: Enter an authentication password for the protocol selected, of 8-32 ASCII
characters.
4. Privacy Protocol: Select AES-128, AES-192, AES-192 Ex†, AES-256, AES-256 Ex†, or DES. It is
recommended to use the AES-256 protocol, if the NMS and PowerChute JRE support it:
† NOTE: Certain SNMP Network Management Systems use a non-standard AES key extension
algorithm for 192 and 256 bit key lengths. This non-standard implementation or “Key extension
algorithm” is specified by the IETF.

If your NMS requires the use of the Key Extension algorithm, select Privacy Protocol options
AES-192 Ex or AES-256 Ex.
5. Privacy Passphrase: Enter a privacy password for the encryption protocol selected, of 8-32 ASCII
characters.
6. Access Type:
– Disable: No SNMP GET or SET requests are permitted.
– Read: Only SNMP GET requests are permitted.
– Read/Write: SNMP GET and SET requests are permitted.
To edit an existing SNMPv3 user profile, click the button. To delete an SNMPv3 user profile, click the
button.

9 PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide

 Click Apply to save the SNMPv3 configuration.

Certain Network Management Systems require the SNMP Engine ID to communicate via SNMP.
The SNMP Engine ID is displayed under the Miscellaneous section of the SNMP Settings page.

See also: SNMP Data Points

SNMP Trap Configuration

You can specify the device(s) that receive the SNMP traps generated by PowerChute for UPS critical and lost
communication events.
To configure a Trap Receiver, select Add Trap Receiver and configure:

1. Enable: Select the checkbox to enable the Trap Receiver.

2. NMS IP/Host Name: The IP address, Host Name or Fully Qualified Domain Name of the NMS.
3. Port: The port on which the NMS will listen for incoming traps. The default port number is 162.
4. SNMPv1: Select this if you want to send the traps via SNMPv1.
– Community Name: Enter the Community Name of the SNMPv1 user profile to be used as an
identifier when SNMPv1 traps are sent to this receiver.
5. SNMPv3: Select this if you want to send the traps via SNMPv3.
– User Name: Select the user name of the SNMPv3 user profile to be used as an identifier when
SNMPv3 traps are sent to this receiver.
Click the SNMP Trap Receiver Test to send a test trap to the configured Trap Receiver. Check the Trap
Receiver to ensure that the test trap was received.

To edit an existing SNMP Trap Receiver, click the button. To delete an SNMP Trap Receiver, click the
button.

UPS Critical Events

PowerChute sends SNMP traps to the configured Trap Receiver(s) upon the following events:

• PowerChute Shutdown Event Occurs

When a shutdown event occurs and a Shutdown is triggered, PowerChute sends an SNMP trap to the
configured Trap Receiver detailing the Event Name.
• PowerChute Shutdown Event Resolved

If the option to Send Trap when condition is cleared is enabled, when the shutdown event which
triggered a Shutdown is resolved, PowerChute sends an SNMP trap to the configured NMS.

Lost Communication Events

PowerChute sends SNMP traps to the configured Trap Receiver(s) when the Communication Lost event
occurs.

If the option to Send Trap when condition is cleared is enabled, a Communications Established trap is sent
when the communications lost event is resolved.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 10

 Other Events

Software Update Available Trap

When the PowerChute Auto Update functionality detects that there is a new update available; a trap is sent to
the configured Trap Receiver.

PowerChute Test Trap

When configuring a Trap Receiver, a test trap can be sent to determine if the Trap Receiver is receiving the
traps. See SNMP Trap Configuration.

Configuring SNMP Trap Notification Settings

To configure the settings for UPS Critical Event or Lost Communication traps:

1. Go to SNMP Settings > SNMP Traps

2. Click on the icon next to UPS Critical Events or Lost Communication Events
3. Select the Enable checkbox to enable traps for those events.
4. Delay: Specify the length of time that Event must persist before a trap is sent. If the Event is cleared
before this time, no trap is sent.
5. Repeat Interval: Specify the time interval in seconds that the trap is re-sent.
6. Select:
– Repeat until condition clears if you want the trap to be sent at the repeat interval until the Event is
cleared.
– Repeat X times to specify the number of times the trap will be sent when the Event occurs.
7. Select Send Trap when condition is cleared to be notified when the Event is cleared.
NOTE: If the PowerChute Business Edition Agent is shutdown due to a UPS Critical Event, no clearing
Trap will be sent to the NMS.
See also: SNMP Data Points > SNMP Traps

11 PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide

SNMP Data Points
The following table lists the SNMP Object Identifiers (OIDs) supported by PowerChute Business Edition.

NOTE: Your UPS may not support all SNMP OIDs listed.

Refer to the PowerNet MIB available on the APC website for detailed descriptions of each OID,
including parameters for SET and GET operations.

UPS Information
SNMP OID Name Access Description
upsBasicBatteryStatus read-only The status of the UPS batteries.

upsBasicOutputStatus read-only The current state of the UPS (e.g. On Line, On

Battery, etc.).
upsAdvConfigAllowedSetTable read-only Read this OID to get the UPS data points for which
you set values, using an SNMP SET.

Querying this table returns the following OIDs:

• upsAdvConfigRatedOutputVoltage
• upsAdvConfigHighTransferVolt
• upsAdvConfigLowTransferVolt
• upsAdvConfigLowBatteryRunTime

The query also returns the acceptable range of values

you can set for each OID. If your UPS does not
support an OID, the query will return null.
upsAdvControlBypassSwitch read-write Write to this OID to control the UPS bypass mode.

upsAdvTestDiagnostics read-write Write to this OID to command the UPS to perform a

diagnostic self test.
upsAdvTestDiagnosticsResults read-only The results of the last diagnostic UPS Self Test.

upsAdvTestRuntimeCalibration read-write Writing to this OID provides options to perform a

Runtime Calibration Test.
upsAdvTestCalibrationResults read-only The results of the last Runtime Calibration test.

upsCommStatus read-only The status of the SNMP Agent’s communication with

the UPS.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 12

 PowerChute Business Edition Identity Information
SNMP OID Name Access Description
pcbehostname read-only The hostname of the PowerChute Business
Edition Agent.
pcbeVersion read-only The PowerChute Business Edition version
number, in the format x.x.x.x.
pcbeOS read-only The operating system and version on which
the PowerChute Business Edition is
installed.
pcbeJavaVersion read-only The version of Java installed with
PowerChute Business Edition.
pcbeUIProtocol read-only The protocol used to connect to the
PowerChute Agent web interface (http/
https).
pcbeHttpsPort read-only The port used for the PowerChute https
web interface.

PowerChute Business Edition Alarm Information

SNMP OID Name Access Description
pcbeCriticalFlag read-only This OID indicates that PowerChute
Business Edition has begun a graceful
shutdown of the host.
pcbeCriticalCause read-only This OID provides the reason that
PowerChute Business Edition has begun a
graceful shutdown of the host.
pcbeComsLostFlag read-only This OID indicates that PowerChute cannot
communicate with the UPS.
pcbeUpdateAvailableFlag read-only This OID indicates that a new version of
PowerChute is available.
pcbeUpdateDesc read-only This OID provides the description of the
new version of PowerChute that is
available.

SNMP Traps
The tables below details the OID names of the SNMP traps sent by PowerChute for critical and lost
communication events.

UPS Critical Events

SNMP OID Name Level Description

pcbeCriticalEventActive Severe PowerChute Business Edition has begun a graceful shutdown of
the host due to a critical event.
pcbeCriticalEventResolved Informational The PowerChute critical event has been resolved, and a graceful
shutdown of the host continues.

Lost Communication Events

SNMP OID Name Level Description

pcbeComsLost Severe PowerChute cannot communicate with the UPS.

pcbeComsLostResolved Informational PowerChute has re-established communications with the UPS.

13 PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide

 Other Events

SNMP OID Name Level Description

pcbeTest Informational PowerChute has sent a test trap to the NMS.

pcbeUpdateAvailable Informational PowerChute has detected that an update is available.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 14

Shutdown
In PowerChute Business Edition, shutdowns can be initiated:

• Through an event occurring, see Event Configuration.

• When the UPS signals the Low Battery event in a Simple Signaling configuration.
Shutdowns can also be initiated manually through the UPS LCD, or from “outside” PowerChute, e.g. from the
Network Management Card (NMC). However, using the NMC in conjunction with PowerChute Business Edition
is not supported.

Initial Setup
This option guides you through a series of screens that enable you to complete your shutdown configuration.

The configuration screens are listed below in their display order. You can also access these screens
individually at any time.

• Shutdown Settings
You can exit the shutdown configuration on any of the screens. When you click the Next or
Advanced Setup button, your changes are saved and are retained even if you cancel out of the
Initial Setup sequence before the end.

Shutdown Settings
This screen summarizes your shutdown configuration and also enables you to configure some steps of the
shutdown sequence.

The summary includes timing and delays, with the “base time” being the occurrence of the On
Battery event. The options chosen on this screen can affect the configuration of events, set up in
Event Configuration. This can include which events are selected to cause a shutdown. Read the
other sections below for further information.

See also:

• Power Outage Configuration

• Power Outage Configuration and Shutdown on Event Configuration
• Interactivity in shutdown durations

Simple Signaling Limitations

The PowerChute Business Edition supported configuration for Simple Signaling is described in the
PowerChute Business Edition Installation Guide available on the APC website. In this configuration, an
Interface Expander 2 Card (IE2) can be used to provide a graceful system shutdown for up to three network
servers (or other devices) during a power outage, by using only one UPS and simple signaling. In the event of a
power outage, all connected servers shut down at the same time.

In the supported configuration, a Master Server is connected directly to the smart computer interface of the
UPS, and up to two Slave Servers can be connected to the UPS via the IE2 card basic ports.

NOTE: Some Type B UPS devices with the prefix SRC do not support simple signaling. For example: SRC1KI,
SRC2KI, SRC1KI-IN and SRC1KUXI.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 15

 Visit Knowledge Base article FA315835 on the APC website to find out more about UPS model
types.

Supported Configuration for Type A UPS devices:

Interface Expander 2
and PowerChute
Business Edition
Master Server
Connected to the smart computer
interface port of the UPS, using a smart
signaling cable.

Status
OK
Basic STARTING Basic
Port 1 Config COM ERROR Port 2
FAULT
1234

0Ļ1Ĺ
USB
AP9624 UPS Interface Expander 2

PowerChute Server
Connected to the IE2 card basic
port using a simple signaling
cable.

PowerChute Server
Connected to the IE2 card basic port
using a simple signaling cable.

UPS with SmartSlot

16 PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide

 Supported Configuration for Type B UPS devices:

Interface Expander 2
and PowerChute
Business Edition
Master Server
Connected to the smart computer
interface port of the UPS, using a smart
signaling cable.

Status
OK
Basic STARTING Basic
Port 1 Config COM ERROR Port 2
FAULT
1234

0Ļ1Ĺ
USB
AP9624 UPS Interface Expander 2

PowerChute Server
Connected to the IE2 card basic
port using a simple signaling
cable.

PowerChute Server
Connected to the IE2 card basic port
using a simple signaling cable.

UPS with SmartSlot

You can use PowerChute to configure when a shutdown should occur through the Shutdown Settings page.
Due to the nature of simple signaling, there are limitations to the shutdown features available, when compared
with a standard configuration:

• IMPORTANT: You must make sure that all PowerChute Agents running on the servers in a Simple
Signaling configuration have the same settings to ensure a graceful shutdown:
– The Power Outage Configuration must be the same for each Agent.
– Event Configuration must be the same for each Agent - see Power Outage Configuration and
Shutdown on Event Configuration.
– Different command files may be used on each Agent, but they must use the same Time required for
command file to run.
• If you disconnect a communication cable in an active simple signaling configuration, PowerChute will not
detect the disconnected cable, and you will experience unexpected shutdown behavior. Disconnecting
communication cables during simple signaling is not supported. If you need to disconnect a simple
signaling cable, manually shut down the connected server first.
NOTE: Do not edit the shutdown settings in the PowerChute UI when the IE2 card is in timer mode as
PowerChute relies on the default configuration (“When the UPS signals the Low Battery event”) to
shut down the connected servers in this mode. The PowerChute shutdown settings should only be
modified when the IE2 card is in confirmed mode. For more information on the IE2 modes of
operation, see Knowledge Base article FA156051 on the APC website.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 17

 Installation and Configuration with Simple Signaling and Type A UPS devices
Provide a high delay in the Time for operating systems to shut down field in the Shutdown Settings screen
in the Master Server. Setting a high value here will give the operating system more time to shut down.

Connect all servers, including the simple clients, to a PowerChute outlet group. Doing this will ensure that the
servers turn off in accordance with the Outlet Sequence screen in the Master Server.

Shutdown Functionality with Simple Signaling and Type B UPS devices

After the Interface Expander 2 card issues a shutdown command to simple clients, a turn off command is also
issues to turn off the UPS. To ensure graceful shutdown, the delay of this turn off command is forced to be
equal to the values set for Time for operating systems to shut down and At runtime limit in the Shutdown
Settings screen of the Master Server.

Set the At runtime limit value in the Master Server appropriately, as this decides the turn off delay of the UPS.

Power Outage Configuration

The Power Outage Configuration options define the response when a power problem causes the UPS to
switch to battery operation.

• Immediately initiates a shutdown as soon as a On Battery event indicates that the UPS switched to
battery power. See Time on Battery Threshold Exceeded on the Event Configuration screen.
• After UPS has been on battery for initiates a shutdown when the UPS has been operating on battery
power for the period of time configured here.
• When the UPS signals the Low Battery event initiates a shutdown when the UPS signals that the Low
Battery event has occurred. In a Simple Signaling configuration, this can impact a slave server when the
Master Server connected to the UPS signals to all slave servers connected to the Interface Expander 2
Card that it is shutting down. For more information on Simple Signaling configuration, see the
PowerChute Business Edition Installation Guide available on the APC website. This is the default
power outage configuration in a simple signaling configuration.NOTE: For Type B UPS devices, the
value set for At runtime limit in the Shutdown Settings screen is also added to the UPS turn off delay.
• Do not shut down during a power outage relies on the Low Runtime Warning event to cause a
shutdown.
The Low Runtime Warning event is generated when battery runtime falls below the combined time
configured for Application and Operating System shutdown: see the Operating System and
Application Shutdown section of this screen.

NOTE: This Low Runtime Warning event does not display on the Event Configuration screen as it is not
configurable (because it always causes a shutdown).
When you select different radio button options here, the displayed summary information on this screen (under
the Shutdown Summary heading) changes.

Power Outage Configuration and Shutdown on Event Configuration

Choosing one of the four Power Outage Configuration options on Shutdown Settings (discussed above)
works interactively with the Event Configuration Shutdown checkboxes for different events.

You can see this by selecting a radio button option here, pressing Apply, and going to the Event Configuration
screen to note the differences.

18 PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide

 This is also true in reverse: changing a Shutdown checkbox for an event in Event Configuration can change
which radio button option is selected here on Shutdown Settings.

This table summarizes the interaction:

...the Shutdown checkbox of these events is selected

With this On
Battery option Time on Battery
selected: Low Battery On Battery Threshold
Exceeded
Immediately No Yes No
After UPS has been No No Yes
on battery for
When the UPS Yes No No
signals the Low
Battery event
Do not shut down in No No No
the event of a
power outage

* The Low Runtime Remaining event is always configured to shutdown for these Power Outage Configuration options.
This event is only displayed in the Event Log, and is not configurable on the Event Configuration page.
For example, if you choose Immediately here and apply it, you will see in the On Battery row of Event
Configuration that the Shutdown checkbox has been selected automatically.

And if you then clear the Shutdown checkbox for the On Battery event of Event Configuration, apply it, and
return here to Shutdown Settings, the Immediate option will NOT be the selected option.

Interactivity in shutdown durations

Another field on this Shutdown Settings screen, Time required for command file to run under Operating
System and Application Shutdown, interacts with the Command File Execution Duration field for the
Shutdown Starting event on Event Configuration. When they are changed, these fields automatically update
each other.

Shutdown Starting command Time required for

file duration (Event command file to run
Configuration)

(Note that the Time required for command file to run field only displays on Shutdown Settings when you
have chosen a command file).

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 19

Logging

Event Log
A PowerChute event can be critical, warning, or informational. An example of a critical event is a low battery,
and a warning event could be when power to the UPS has been interrupted. Informational events are everyday
occurrences such as the monitoring of your system has started, or a self test has passed.

The View Event Log screen lists and classifies the recent UPS events and the date and time each event
occurred. The list starts with the most recent events. See Event Configuration for descriptions of events.

To export the log to a text file, EventLog.txt, click the Export button. View this file in
C:\Program Files (x86)\APC\PowerChute Business Edition\agent
(or wherever it is installed).

To delete the contents of the event log, click the Clear Log button at the bottom of the screen.

Click Refresh to view events that might have occurred after you first displayed this screen.

Energy Usage Log

PowerChute stores the connected UPS device’s energy usage in a log file, located in the C:\Program Files
(x86)\APC\PowerChute Business Edition\agent\energylog directory (or wherever it is installed).

The energy usage logs have the following structure:

2010timestamp;realLoad(watts);relativeLoad(percentage);calculatedLoad(watts)

For example: 368633153;200.0;200.0;200.0

Reading the Log File

Timestamp: To interpret the timestamp:

1. Calculate the difference between the UNIX timestamp starting point (01/01/1970) and the
2010timestamp value from the log (01/01/2010), which is 1262304000.
2. Add the timestamp value from the log file (for example 368633153) to 1262304000, which equals
1,630,937,153.
3. Using a third-party tool such as Epoch Converter, enter the value calculated in step 2 into the text box
and click Timestamp to Human date. The output will reveal the timestamp:
Converting 1630937153:

Assuming that this timestamp is in seconds:

GMT: Monday, September 6, 2021 2:05:53 PM

Your time zone: Monday, September 6, 2021 3:05:53 PM GMT+01:00 DST

Relative: 2 days ago

Load Entries: Each entry in the log file captures the UPS device’s energy usage in Watts over a 5-minute
period. If the realLoad column has a value other than null, it will be used. If the realLoad value is null, the
calculatedLoad is used instead. If both values are null, the line is skipped. For example:
368633153;200.0;200.0;200.0 equals 200.0 Watts.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 20

Calculating Energy Usage
To convert the load value in Watts used in 5 minutes into kilowatt hours (kWh), divide the load value by 12,000.
For example: 200.0 Watts used in 5 minutes equals 0.01666667 kWh. This 12,000 value is calculated using the
following formula:

1. Multiply the load value by 300,000 to convert the interval from 5 minutes into milliseconds (5 x 60 x
1000).
2. Divide the value by 3,600,000,000 to convert the interval into seconds, then hours, and then from Watts
to Kilowatts (3600 x 1000 x 1000).

Log Settings
Log Settings enables you to configure the recording parameters of the Event Log . This includes disabling
logging. If event logging is disabled, the options relating to logging in Event Configuration are also disabled.

The Event Log records individual event occurrences. Use Event Log Entry Expiration to choose a time
interval for deleting log entries. For example, if you choose a month, then entries are deleted when they are a
month old.

Log files taking up disk space

The log files can take a lot of disk space on your server. Be aware of this when you configure the options on this
screen:

• With the Expiration fields (Event Log Entry Expiration), choosing a long time interval could mean that
your log eventually takes up a lot of disk space.
• If you choose Do Not Delete Entries, the files might get very large after a period of time.

21 PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide

About
The About dialog provides information about the system connected to the UPS.

Protected System Information

Parameter Description
Server Name The name of the server connected to the UPS on which the
PowerChute Agent is running.
IP Address The IP address(es) of the server connected to the UPS.
Operating System The operating system running on the server connected to the UPS.
UPS Communication Port The communication port on the server to which the PowerChute
Agent is connected.
Contact Name The contact name assigned to the server connected to the UPS.
System Location The location of the server connected to the UPS.

Product Version
Parameter Description
PowerChute Business Edition The version number of the PowerChute Business Edition Agent
Agent Version running on the server.
Java Version The version number of Java running on the server.

To update the Java version used with PowerChute, see Java

Update.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 22

General

PowerChute Configuration File

PowerChute stores some configuration settings in a file called pcbeconfig.ini, located in the Agent
directory in the installed PowerChute directory. If the default location was chosen during installation, the
pcbeconfig.ini file can be found at:

• C:\Program Files (x86)\APC\PowerChute Business Edition\agent for Windows

systems
• /opt/APC/PowerChuteBusinessEdition/Agent/ for Linux systems
It is not recommended to edit the pcbeconfig.ini file directly as this may lead to invalid
configurations.

It is not recommended to delete the pcbeconfig.ini or pcbeconfig_backup.ini files

from the installation directory. Deleting these files will result in the PowerChute service not
starting, and PowerChute must be uninstalled and re-installed.

PowerChute stores the below settings to the configuration file:

• Scheduled Shutdown
• SNMP Settings
SNMPv3 passphrases are not saved to the configuration file as they need to be stored
securely. When the configuration file is copied over to another machine, you must manually
enter the passphrases. For more information, see Knowledge Base article FA360658 on the
APC website.

• Language Settings

After you have configured one installation of PowerChute, you can use the pcbeconfig.ini file to apply the
same configuration to another copy of PowerChute on a different machine.

To apply the settings on the target machine:

1. Stop the PowerChute service. For more information, see Knowledge Base article FA360654 on the APC
website.
2. Replace the existing copy of pcbeconfig.ini in the Agent directory.
3. Start the PowerChute service.
Resetting your Username and Password
If you have forgotten the username or password created during installation, you can reset the credentials by
using the pcbeconfig.ini file:

1. Open the pcbeconfig.ini file with a text editor (e.g. Notepad) and add the following:
[Credentials]
username=
password=

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 23

 Enter the new username and password directly after the equals sign.
– The username must be between 6 and 128 characters in length.
– The password requires:
• Minimum 8 and maximum 128 characters in length
• 1 upper and lower case letter
• 1 number or special character
• The username cannot be part of the password.
2. Save the pcbeconfig.ini file.
3. Restart the APC PBE Agent service. See Knowledge Base article FA360654 on the APC website for
more information.
4. If the username and password meet the requirements, the [Credentials] section is deleted from the
pceconfig.ini file, and the new credentials are ready to use.
– If the credentials entered in pcbeconfig.ini do not meet the requirements, an error is written to
the file. Check the file for the error, adjust the credentials accordingly, and restart the Agent service.
5. Log in to the PowerChute web interface with your new credentials.

Java Update
The Java Update feature enables you to change the Java Development Kit (JDK) used by PowerChute to any
other JDK already installed on your system. Follow the steps below to update the Java version used by
PowerChute:

1. Download a valid JDK on your system. JDKs can be downloaded from the OpenJDK website.
PowerChute v10.0.5 supports OpenJDK 17 or above. You can only update the Java
version used with PowerChute to a 64-bit JDK.

The Java versions supported by PowerChute are posted on the APC website at http://
www.apc.com/wp/?um=100.
2. Navigate to the PowerChute installation directory, and create a new folder called “Updates”. If the
default installation directory was chosen during installation, this location will be:
– C:\Program Files (x86)\APC\PowerChute Business Edition\Updates for Windows
systems
– /opt/APC/PowerChuteBusinessEdition/Updates/ for Linux systems
3. Copy the Java file (tar.gz or zip) downloaded in Step 1 above to the Updates directory.
4. Navigate to the About dialog in the PowerChute UI. Under Software Updates, the downloaded Java
file will be listed in a drop-down box in the Java Update Available field.
5. Select the Java version you want to update PowerChute to use from the drop-down box, and click
Update Java.
6. An authentication dialog will appear asking for your PowerChute credentials if you are upgrading the
Java version used for the first time. Enter your credentials and click Sign In. Upon successful
authentication, the Java upgrade process begins.
7. PowerChute restarts automatically during the Java upgrade process. Wait 3-5 minutes for the Java
version to successfully update.
8. When the PowerChute service restarts, refresh your browser and navigate to the About dialog. The
Java Version field will be updated to show the new Java used by PowerChute.

24 PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide

Replace Default PowerChute SSL Certificate
For information on how to replace the default PowerChute SSL certificate, see the PowerChute
Business Edition Security Handbook, available on the APC website.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 25

Preferences

Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP)

PowerChute's Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) provides us with the information that
enables us to improve our product and services, and helps us to advise you on how best to deploy and
configure PowerChute.

As part of the CEIP, we will collect certain information about how you configure and use PowerChute Business
Edition in your environment. This information is completely anonymous, and cannot be used to personally
identity any individual. For more information, please refer to the CEIP Frequency Asked Questions on the
APC website.

By default, you are participating in the PowerChute CEIP. If you prefer not to participate, unselect the Join
PowerChute Customer Experience Improvement Program ("CEIP") checkbox in the PowerChute
Customer Experience Improvement Program page. You can join or leave the CEIP at any time.

PowerChute Updates
PowerChute automatically checks for updates and informs you if a new version of the software is available
to download. This update check sends anonymous PowerChute environment data to the Schneider Electric
update server.

The Enable PowerChute Updates checkbox is selected by default. If you prefer to opt-out of checking for
updates, unselect this checkbox.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 26

Troubleshooting

PowerChute Files ZIP Archive

To help the PowerChute team resolve customer issues, the PowerChute files ZIP archive feature creates a ZIP
archive of the necessary PowerChute configuration files for troubleshooting. This feature can be found in the
Troubleshooting section in the About dialog. This ZIP archive will be saved in the Agent directory in the
installed PowerChute directory. If the default location was chosen during installation, the PcbeFiles-
<TimeStamp>.zip file can be found at:

• C:\Program Files (x86)\APC\PowerChute Business Edition\agent for Windows systems

• /opt/APC/PowerChuteBusinessEdition/Agent/ for Linux systems
The PowerChute configuration files exported to the ZIP archive are:

energylog directory DataLog file

etc directory EventLog.txt file
EventLog_Eng.txt cmdfile.log file
log directory pcbeconfig.ini file
comps.m11 file PCBE-Summary.json file
critical.cfg file proclog.txt file
data.dat file

If you have a PowerChute customer issue, contact your regional Technical Support team, and provide the
PcbeFiles-<TimeStamp>.zip file to help resolve your issue.

PowerChute Business Edition Agent User Guide 27

 APC by Schneider Electric
Worldwide Customer Support
Customer support for this or any other product is available at no charge in any of the following ways:
• Visit the APC by Schneider Electric web site, to access documents in the APC Knowledge Base and
to submit customer support requests.
– www.apc.com (Corporate Headquarters)
Connect to localized APC by Schneider Electric web site for specific countries, each of which
provides customer support information.
– www.apc.com/support/
Global support searching APC Knowledge Base and using e-support.
• Contact the APC by Schneider Electric Customer Support Center by telephone or e-mail.
– Local, country-specific centers: go to www.apc.com/support/contact for contact information.

For information on how to obtain local customer support, contact the APC by Schneider Electric
representative or other distributor from whom you purchased your APC by Schneider Electric product.

As standards, specifications, and designs change from time to time, please ask for confirmation of the information given in this publication.
© 2022 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric, APC and PowerChute are trademarks and the property of Schneider
Electric SE, its subsidiaries and affiliated companies. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

990-3773J-001 01/2022