Power switching configuration

Power switch configuration comprises two main steps:

•Configure the POWER CONTROL serial port to the same speed as used by the power switch box(es) via the configuration menu.

•Configure power ON and OFF strings for each relevant host computer.

For each power port there needs to be a valid ‘Power ON string’ and similarly an appropriate ‘Power OFF string’. In each case, the strings are a short sequence of characters that combine a port address and a power on or off value.

If a particular computer has more than one power input (and thus requires an equivalent number of power ports to control them), collections of strings can be combined to switch all of the required ports together as a group.

To configure the power sequences for each host computer

1Select the on-screen menu in one of two ways:

•By simultaneously pressing and then releasing , or

•By pressing the middle and right buttons of a three button mouse.

Note: The mouse switching option is usable only if the ‘Mouse Switching’ option is enabled. See Global preferences for more details. If the login screen is displayed, enter a valid password.

2Press to select ‘More menus’.

3Highlight the ‘Functions’ option and press to select.

4Highlight the ‘Power Control’ option and press to select.

5As appropriate, highlight either the ‘Edit Power ON String’ or the ‘Edit Power OFF String’ options to display a screen similar to the one shown below:

Edit Power ON String			1
	Power String [ASCII]
	P12=1\0D

	Power String	[HEX]
	50 31 32 3D 31 5C 30 44

	Strings apply to
	Computer : Computer 8
	Port : 08
	F1-ASCII/Hex Toggle
F2-Next String
Enter-Save		Esc-Quit

6Enter the required codes either within the upper ASCII section or the middle

HEX section (use to change between them). The required codes are explained in ‘Power control sequences’ opposite.

7Press to store the details and exit from the screen.

Power control sequences

Note: The settings given below are for the EPS-S8 power switch - other power switches may require different settings. Please refer to your power switch documentation for details about codes required by other power switches.

The structure of each power sequence (OFF and ON) is as follows:

Pxy=z\0D

Where:

x is the switch box number, y is the power port number,

z is ‘0’ for OFF or ‘1’ for ON, and

\0D represents Enter (or Carriage return).

Example 1

To switch ON port 5 of switch box 2, the code would be as follows:

• Power sequence:

P25=1\0D

Example 2

To switch OFF port 8 of switch box 3, the code would be as follows:

• Power sequence:

P38=0\0D

For details about operating this feature, see Power switching (via configuration menu) within the Operation chapter.

To control two or more ports simultaneously

You can control up to four power ports using a single sequence. This is done using the same command structure as shown above, plus a delay command, for each port. Immediately following a port command, insert the characters ‘\*’ before the next port command, and so on up to four ports. For instance, to switch on ports 1 and 2 in the first power switch, the command line would be:

P11=1\0D\*P12=1\0D

   

