Intelligent Power Manager (IPM) FAQ

The new version of IPM has the same IT server and cluster shutdowns as the old version but with a new and greatly improved user interface and LDAP/Active Directory compatibility. With the new platform, users can now monitor and manage more nodes. 

Even though the function is the same as IPM 1, the IPM 2 interface has changed along with the functionality of setting new automation policies. In addition, IPM 2 is on an entirely new platform. IPM 2 cannot be upgraded from IPM 1. It requires a new separate installation because of the new platform. 
Learn more about differences between our Intelligent Power Manager versions.

Any NUT (Network UPS Tools) supported UPS will communicate with IPM 2. IPM 2 treats them the same as a premium Eaton UPS and the user gets whatever functions are available in the IPM edition they are using:

• IPM Monitor can monitor UPSs that are NUT compatible
• IPM Manage uses the NUT compatible UPSs as a power source to trigger host power actions 
• IPM Optimize will use NUT-compatible UPSs as a power source to trigger VM power actions and cluster actions.  

• On the IPM 2 OVA, you can access the vCenter remote console or connect via SSH using the OVA’s IP address.
• If you can access the network, you can start an SSH connection. Try to connect on the port 22 (standard SSH port). 
• You can log into the system using your credentials.

• When you can’t identify the root cause of an issue, a factory reset may fix most problems, but the customer will lose all of their data (including all the commissioned data, such as the data centre topology, devices, etc.).
• Before performing a factory reset, try to run the diagnostic tools. If it works, you should be able to save the CSV file containing the asset configuration.
• You can run the diagnostic tool with:
  • sudo diagnostic-information -m -t [your email address] to send the data to your mailbox.
• In order to reset the OVA, launch the remote console via vCenter then log in with the customer credentials. Once in the system, launch the “exit” command and you should access the blue console menu screen. Select “Factory Reset and Reboot”.

• When you configure the network using DHCP, the software may not display the IP address obtained even though it is correctly configured.  If the DNS settings appear correctly, the IP address has also been configured.
• After the initial wizard network configuration, you need to restart the software for the new settings to be applied.
• When configuring the proxy settings through the initial wizard, please note that it must follow the syntax “http://myProxy@myDomain.com:portNumber”. If DHCP is not available, you can configure the network settings from the vCenter console.

• If the system’s date is not correctly updated despite a seemingly correct NTP configuration, check to see if the NTP server in question is a Windows server. We have observed some incompatibility issues with some versions of Windows NTP servers. Try changing to another NTP server.
• Local time is synchronised to the physical host it is running on.

• All the assets are editable in the asset management page.
• Alternatively, you may also use the CSV export/import feature.
• Export the CSV file using the Export button in the asset management page. Open the file, find your asset line, apply your change(s), delete all unnecessary lines and re-import the file. 

• When exporting a CSV file, it is created with an ‘ID’ column. This column is used for enabling assets to be edited.  If you import a line with an ID, the system will look for the corresponding asset and update it with all the column values.
• If you want to import a CSV file to create new assets (for instance, when you recover from a factory reset), you need to simply remove the ‘ID’ column prior to the import.
• Keep in mind that this CSV file only contains asset configuration data. Other settings, e.g. credentials, need to be configured manually.

• There are two main reasons you may receive error messages when importing a CSV file:
  • You’re trying to create an asset that already exists.
  • You’re trying to modify an asset which is not commissioned yet.
• Keep in mind that the CSV import is a step-by-step process. The system will read the file line by line and, if you use an asset defined in line ‘n + x’ in line ‘n’, the import will fail.
• If a line produces an error during import, it is skipped and the CSV import continues.
• If you encounter an unexpected error during the CSV import, try to create or update the asset using the Create Asset feature from the Asset Management page.

If you are not seeing any data from a rack PDU, please check:

• That SNMP is enabled on the ePDU.
• The community name is correct with respect to the SNMP configuration selected in the security wallet.

• All credentials (monitoring, mass management & user scripts) are stored in an encrypted repository.  You associate credentials with a device from the asset management page by selecting one or more devices, clicking on Configure, and then selecting the appropriate credentials from the Security Wallet.
• Basic credentials are used for mass management while SNMP credentials are used for monitoring.

• The Max Duration Timeout enables you to set a timeout which applies to the entire automation sequence. It can be adjusted from its default setting.
• Automations are executed in a sequential manner. It is recommended that you test your automation and verify its execution history to ensure that it is functioning as expected.
• Custom user-defined scripts may be used as an action in an automation. Python, BASH and PERL scripts are supported. 
• By default, new automations are inactive. Don’t forget to activate the automation after creation.