how to configure APC pdu using minicom.

Prerequisite:

PDU installation with proper network and console connection.


Configuration:
1. Run minicom -s -c on
-s - Setup. It has different option to setup your console. It edits /etc/minirc.dfl which is default to store configuration.
-c It usage color's on console.

Note: you can even run only "minicom -s"

Your screen should be like this,

┌─────[configuration]───-──┐
│ Filenames and paths │
│ File transfer protocols │
│ Serial port setup │
│ Modem and dialing │
│ Screen and keyboard │
│ Save setup as dfl │
│ Save setup as.. │
│ Exit │
│ Exit from Minicom │
└──────────────────-─┘

2. Select serial port setup option to select connect to correct serial device. I have terminated serial console cable from PDU to my Linux box so my device was /dev/ttyS0

It may differ depend on OS.

┌────────────────────────────────────┐
│ A - Serial Device : /dev/ttyS0 │
│ B - Lockfile Location : /var/lock │
│ C - Callin Program : │
│ D - Callout Program : │
│ E - Bps/Par/Bits : 9600 8N1 │
│ F - Hardware Flow Control : No │
│ G - Software Flow Control : No │
│ │
│ Change which setting? │
└────────────────────────────────────┘

3. I had to set Hardware Flow Control to No as it was Yes by default.

4. Choose Save setup as dfl to save the configuration. By default it save configuration in /etc/minirc.dfl. Here is my minirc.dfl.

# Machine-generated file - use "minicom -s" to change parameters.
pr port /dev/ttyS0
pu baudrate 9600
pu bits 8
pu parity N
pu stopbits 1
pu rtscts No

5. Once you save and exit from the setup. It intitialize the serial console and gives you access to PDU. The next screen would be something like this,

Welcome to minicom 2.1


OPTIONS: History Buffer, F-key Macros, Search History Buffer, I18n
Compiled on Jul 26 2006, 06:38:09.


Press CTRL-A Z for help on special keys

User Name : apc
Password : ***

6. Default username and password for apc PDU's are apc/apc.

American Power Conversion Network Management Card AOS v3.7.0
(c) Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved Rack PDU APP v3.7.0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name : Engineering Rack PDU Date : 29.03.2000
Contact : Nilesh Patil Time : 19:23:22
Location : Server Room 1 User : Administrator
Up Time : 0 Days 5 Hours 0 Minutes Stat : P+ N+ A+


Switched Rack PDU: Communication Established

------- Control Console -------------------------------------------------------

1- Device Manager
2- Network
3- System
4- Logout


- Main Menu, - Refresh, - Event Log
>

7. Select 2-Network option to configure network. You can define network settings like ip, netmask, gateway etc.

------- Network ---------------------------------------------------------------

1- TCP/IP
2- DNS
3- Ping Utility
4- FTP Server
5- Telnet/SSH
6- Web/SSL/TLS
7- Email
8- SNMP
9- Syslog
10- ISX Protocol

- Back, - Refresh, - Event Log

8. Likewise you can configure your PDU as per your need.