Monitoring and controlling serial PDUs

Console servers monitor and control serial PDUs using the embedded PowerMan open source tools and Opengear's power management software.

Serial PDUs are controlled using the command line console on their serial port. So you could manage the PDU through the console server using a remote Telnet or SSH client. Also you could use proprietary software tools no doubt supplied by the vendor. 

However to make power control simple, the Opengear Management Console provides tools that locally and remotely control the whole range of serial and network connected power devices including PDUs, UPSes and BMCs - all through the one window. 

To set up a serially connected PDUs:

• Connect the PDU to the selected serial port on the console server and configure the Common Settings on Serial and Network: Serial Port menu with the appropriate RS232 properties
• Then select RPC as the Device Type (RPCs are Remote Power Controllers and include PDUs and IPMI power devices)
• Go to the Serial & Network: RPC Connections menu which will display all the RPC connections that have already been configured. Click Add RPC
• Select the appropriate serial port from Connected Via (which shows all the serial ports and network hosts that you have set up with device type RPC but have yet to connect to a specific RPC device). You will be presented with all the serial RPC types currently supported by the embedded PowerMan and Opengear's power manager (shown below) 
  
   
  
  
• Select the RPC type and enter a Name and Description for the PDU and the Username and Password used to login into the RPC. (Note that these login credentials are not related the Users and access privileges you will have configured inSerial & Networks: Users & Groups)
• If you wish the status from this PDU to be logged check Log Status and specify the Log Rate (minutes between samples) These logs can be views from the Status: RPC Status screen
• Click Apply and the console server will probe the configured PDU to confirm the RPC Type matches. It will then report the number of outlets it finds that can be controlled, and create a new Managed Device (with the same name)

Controlling serial PDUs

The console server enables both Users and Administrators to access and control the configured serial and network attached PDU power strips, and servers with embedded IPMI service processors or BMCs:

• Select the Manage: Power and the particular Target power device to be controlled (and the Outlet to be controlled if the RPC supports outlet level control)
• The outlet status is displayed and you can initiate the desired Action to be taken by selecting the appropriate icon (Turn ON, Turn OFF, Cycle, Status). You will only be presented with icons for those operations that are supported by the Target you have selected. 
  
  

As well as monitoring and controlling serial PDUs, Opengear console servers can also locally or remotely control a whole range of serial and network connected power devices including PDUs, UPSes and BMCs: