Click It or Script It ↑

Marway’s RCM Ethernet Software allows the remote control of power distribution outlets, and remote monitoring of power data. An operator can use a Web browser, a command line through Telnet or SSH, or SNMP manager or browser. Automated control can be scripted using a RESTful API (an efficient machine-to-machine protocol over HTTP/S), Telnet, SSH, or SNMP.

RCM software is available on Optima 8 smart PDUs and our Optima custom PDUs. Taking advantage of Ethernet networking, operators and equipment can be separated by walls or continents.

• Remote control of outlets (manual and scripted).
• Inlet current and voltage monitoring with setpoints.
• Display of watts, voltamps, voltamps-reactive, power factor, and frequency.
• Event alerts for startup, user login, outlet state change, EPO, power setpoint excursion, and configuration changes via SNMP, email, SMS.
• HTTP and HTTPS for web browser access.
• Telnet and SSH for command line access.
• SNMP monitoring, control, and alerts.
• RESTful API over HTTP/S to script outlet automation.
• Multiple users with independent login credentials.
• On-board activity log (SNTP time stamps).
• Ethernet 10/100-T, RS-232 serial console.

Scripting with REST or Telnet ↑

REST is a command and data exchange technique, commonly used by internet services, which is being recognized more and more in machine automation for its communication efficiency. URL-like commands are sent using the HTTP library of any programming environment, and responses are provided in simple text format. For example, with the RCM software, a GET /outlet/3/switch request will respond with either a simple “on” or “off” text value with no follow-up parsing needed.

Since RESTful APIs are designed to be machine-to-machine interfaces, using a RESTful API is easier to work with and more efficient than force-fitting the human-oriented Telnet/SSH interface for scripted automation with all of the accompanying string parsing (subject to breaking every software update).

While REST is the more modern and purpose-built option, the traditional technique of scripting the system’s Telnet/SSH interface is also possible.

Alert Management ↑

The RCM firmware monitors several events including startup, user login, changes to configuration settings, setpoints for inlet current, setpoints for inlet voltage, EPO, and changes to outlet switch state. Each of these events can be routed to send alerts by email and SMS to one or more of the registered users (up to 20), and to an SNMP (v1,v2,v3) trap/notification receiver.