Event handling

This Article contains the Following:

What is the intention of a job for an event?

Defining a job

Managing jobs

Setting up a job

The following jobs are currently available:

Search and display jobs

Configure a Job

Wildcard parameters:

Job timing

Time Management of Jobs

Adding jobs to several events

Delete a job

Counter events

For this configuration step, navigate to the following menu:

There are many incidents that may require the operation of a UPS. In other cases, devices connected to the UPS may be harmed by different events.

For example, such events include

- the failure of the main power supply,

- the restoration of the main power supply,

- a defect from inside the UPS prevents taking over to autonomous battery mode

- batteries are depleted and main power is still missing

As a full-fledged manager, the CS141 has the ability to respond to incidents independently, inform responsible personal and even manage event chains to provide a complete shutdown solution inside complex interdependent networks.

What is the intention of a job for an event?

System events are highly dependent on the UPS model used and vary in both designation and range of available options. Furthermore, administrators will encounter interesting conceptual aspects concerning the interplay between events and their corresponding counter-events:

An event receives an action, a job. This job will be executed when the event occurs. These jobs differ in central role as well as its direct function:

• Information

These jobs can be executed as often as desired and only fulfill the purpose of the information. Depending on the configuration, information can be sent once or cyclically as long as an event is pending - the nature of the event does not matter. If the situation changes and the event does not occur, the corresponding job will not continue.

• Action

These jobs are designed to switch, trigger, start emergency routines, etc. These jobs are triggered as soon as an event occurs.

They differ from information jobs due to the fact administrators have to terminate these jobs by using corresponding counter-rotating jobs. In some cases, there are counter-events to be used, others need to be configured manually.

Note:

It is important to understand the difference

As long as a power failure occurs, an email with attached log files should be sent every 5 minutes. Once the power failure is eliminated, no further emails are sent. On the other hand, a job to close a potential-free contact is executed as soon as a power failure is detected. This action cannot be reverted—even if the main power comes back.

The contact remains in closed position. If a warning light is switched via this contact, it would light up until this contact is deliberately opened. A counter-job is needed in case of main power returns.

 

The following example shows why it is important to understand the difference:

If the temperature sensor measures critical temperatures, the CS141 will send e-mails and simultaneously close the contact of an air conditioner. As soon as the temperature drops below the critical level, CS141 stops sending e-mails - but the air conditioner needs to run until the temperature has returned to normal condition. This will not work if the contact automatically opens in case of critical temperature is no longer given:

You need to use an active job to switch off the air conditioning system as soon as a certain temperature has been reached.

It becomes problematic if a power failure causes two UPS systems running on separated power input circuits to send a server shutdown command:

As soon as both systems send a valid shutdown command, the server shuts down immediately - even if both UPS systems report a power failure time-separated. If they do not cancel the shutdown command after their respective individual problems were resolved, the server will shut down due the fact, both UPS systems seem to report problems.

Defining a job

The jobs can be configured at any time.

To test a job, two conditions must be met, depending on the job type:

• Jobs involving emails require valid email account data.

• Jobs based on TCP/IP settings require a valid network configuration.

Before continuing with the configuration, ensure that all access data is available, network settings are correct, and the CS141 is operating normally within your network.

Managing jobs

Under Devices, open the UPS submenu and go to Events.

Please note that both the functions as well as designation will differ by usage of different UPS systems.

These are the icons the CS141 provides:

	Open /close tables
	Edit an existing job
	Test an existing job
	delete singular Job / delete all jobs
	Checkbox to select multiple jobs or events
	Add a job

Note:

The last three symbols on this list serve dual functions. Symbols with dual functions have two different meanings. Depending on the context in which they are used, they refer either to all events or to a specific, configured event. This dual functionality allows adding an event to specific or all system events without having to enter it repeatedly.

Setting up a job

Managing jobs for a system event always follows the same rules - as an example, the following system events are selected:

Select > to open the job table:

For the event Power failure, a total of 3 jobs are already configured. These jobs were loaded as a recommended default configuration when selecting a UPS. To change or remove, just click on the corresponding icon.

The CS141 allows to delete all jobs within a system event:

By doing so, activate the checkbox in the line for power failure and press the symbol for deleting events. After pressing all jobs associated with this one event will be deleted from the list.

Note: 

Deleted jobs cannot be retrieved, they must be recreated or restored by using a backup. To prevent accidental deletion, administrators will be prompted to confirm their decision to delete all entries inside an event...

To add a job to the power failure event, press + at the event line. This will trigger the configuration dialog who will guide you through configuration process.

The following jobs are currently available:

*              Additional software may be necessary.

**             This feature may require additional equipment and accessories.

***            This function is only available to a limited extent: although some UPS systems support this functionality                  in principle, they respond to this job in very different ways. Some accept and confirm the job, but                         ultimately decide independently on its execution and timing.

Search and display jobs

The Search function is a quick method to find jobs configured within events.

The CS141 provides two basic options:

Event contains…

Search for a UPS event. By typing a part of an event all events according to the text fragment are listed.

Jobs

Lists events containing a number of jobs defined by this value. As an example, if you want to know how many events contain 3 jobs, enter 3. All events containing this number of jobs will be listed.

Configure a Job

Press + at an event to open the job configuration dialog.

Different jobs provide different parameters to be configured

Example 1:  Log – Enter the text CS141 shows at Event Log?

Example 2: RCCMD execute – Due to the fact RCCMD needs IP address data, the parameters will change.

Note:

The parameters adapt dynamically to fit to the according job. If the job type does not support a parameter, it will not be provided for configuration.

Wildcard parameters: 

Additional information about the system state

Choose the desired status information parameter and press Select.
The CS141 will automatically insert the corresponding function into the text field. You can select as many parameters as desired, one after the other. If a corresponding function cannot be served because the respective function is not supported by the UPS, the message will display "NA" (Not Available).

Job timing

The CS141 provides many system events a job can be assigned to. Some jobs allow to configure advanced timing:

Time Management of Jobs

Managing the timing of jobs can be challenging, as it requires distinguishing between two conceptual approaches. The following example, for the event of a power failure, illustrates these differences:

In the event of a power outage, the UPS takes over power supply and protects the servers until:

1. The batteries are depleted

2. Main power is restored

As soon as the UPS enters autonomous mode, it starts two different timers:

• Linear timer: This timer counts upwards in seconds, starting from zero. If a job is scheduled to run after 45 seconds, it will only be executed if the event has lasted at least that long. If the event ends earlier, the job will not run.

• Relative timer: This timer counts down based on the current connected load. This can be tricky. For example, if the UPS operates at 100% load and some machines are shut down after three minutes, reducing the load to 50%, the remaining runtime will jump from four minutes to 7.5 minutes.

This distinction between timer types is essential for planning accurate job execution during UPS operation.

Both counting methods have specific advantages and disadvantages:

• Linear timer: This provides a clear time window for subsequent jobs but does not account for the actual remaining runtime of the UPS. For example, if several short power failures occur in a row, a server shutdown with a delay of 5 minutes will not work if the battery can only provide power for a maximum of 4 minutes.

• Relative timer: This method can be difficult to calculate because it varies depending on the current load. As a result, there may be delays in executing configured tasks. A remaining time of 5 minutes cannot be maintained if conditions extend the remaining runtime — for example, if some systems are shut down when 7 minutes of remaining time are reached. Conversely, a predefined sequence of events can be disrupted if conditions shorten UPS uptime, causing jobs that are normally executed in sequence to be triggered simultaneously.

Note:
Using the remaining time for shutdown is useful because the actual battery charge is taken into account. However, if a specific job order must be maintained, the linearly advancing timer is more reliable for scheduling.

Adding jobs to several events

Under circumstances, a configuration requires multiple events be assigned the same job. To assign these jobs to more than one event, it is possible to select each event individually and to define this job.

To speed up the process select the events that should receive the same job. Then click on the upper +.

By doing so, the same job is created inside the selected events.

Activating the checkbox at the top row will advice the CS141 to add a job is to all events. To start the job configuration dialog, click +.

Delete a job

If system events are no longer used inside a configuration, administrators should remove these jobs to prevent unexpected incidents.:

• Delete a job

Open event tab by clicking >

Choose the job you want to do delete and press the small trash icon. The job will be deleted immediately.

Or delete all jobs within an event

To delete all jobs inside an event, choose the checkbox of the desired event tab. Than press the small trash icon. By doing so, all jobs listed inside this event will be deleted immediately. accidentally deleted jobs need to be configured again.

Note:

The CS141 allows to add, edit and delete any job.  The event list itself is hard-coded and depends to the UPS you are using. Events cannot be deleted or edited by any user.

Counter events

Some jobs must be explicitly withdrawn when an adverse event occurs:

• Informing responsible persons / issuing "all-clear" messages

• Further actions

• Advised server shutdowns

• Other defined procedures

The configuration of a counter job follows the same process as creating a regular job. In some cases, time management plays a significant role:

When the UPS returns from autonomous mode to normal mode, the batteries require considerable time to recharge before all jobs can run as configured.

Example scenario:

Due to a power failure, the UPS switched to autonomous mode and hold all connected devices for 60 minutes at 100% load.

With 30 minutes remaining, many computers automatically shut down, reducing the load to 20%. The remaining time will be corrected upwards accordingly. Since all systems shut down only at 5 minutes of remaining time, but the power failure ended at 6 minutes, normal operation resumed.

In this case, the CS141 can restart all computers that were shut down to protect the remaining time via Wake on LAN (WOL). This is absolutely useful for automating the restart of networks after a power failure.

In this scenario, if all connected computers were to be restarted automatically, the UPS could support a 20% load for 6 minutes at the next power failure but would need to deliver 100% load. Since this is not feasible, the WOL packet must be delayed to allow the UPS to charge a minimum level of its batteries.

Note:
It is possible to create up to 50 jobs per event. In some cases, individual jobs may contradict each other or accidentally undo desired jobs by using counter jobs.