Command Line Interface
You can use the command line interface (CLI) to configure, manage, and monitor the status of the Rack ATS.
Additionally, the CLI enables you to create scripts for automated operation. You can configure all parameters of
a Rack ATS (including those for which there are not specific CLI commands) by using the CLI to transfer an INI
file to the Rack ATS. The CLI uses XMODEM to perform the transfer. However, you cannot read the current INI
file through XMODEM.
Log on to the CLI
To access the command line interface, you can use either a local (serial) connection or a remote (Telnet or
SSH) connection with a computer on the same network as the Rack ATS.
Local access to the CLI
For local access, use a computer that connects to the Rack ATS through the serial port to access the CLI:
1. Select a serial port at the computer and disable any service that uses that port.
2. Connect the serial cable (Schneider Electric part number 940-0144A) from the selected serial
port on the computer to the Serial port on the Rack ATS.
3. Run a terminal program (e.g., HyperTerminal) and configure the selected port for 9600 bps, 8
data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, and no flow control.
4. Press ENTER. At the prompts, enter your user name and password.
Remote access to the CLI
You can choose to access the CLI through Telnet and/or SSH, depending on which is enabled. Telnet is
enabled by default, though you do not have to enable either. A Super User or Administrator can enable or
disable either of these access methods through the CLI (see “console” on page 23) or the web interface (see
“Configure CLI access” on page 83).
Telnet for basic access: Telnet provides the basic security of authentication by user name and password, but
not the high-security benefits of encryption.
To use Telnet to access the command line interface:
1. At a command prompt, type telnet and the IP address for the Rack ATS (for example, telnet
139.225.6.133, when the Rack ATS uses the default Telnet port of 23), and press ENTER.
If the Rack ATS uses a non-default port number (from 5000 to 32768), you must include a colon
or a space, depending on your Telnet client, between the IP address (or DNS name) and the port
number. (These are commands for general usage; some clients do not allow you to specify the
port as an argument and some types of Linux might require extra commands).
2. Enter the user name and password (by default, apc and apc for the Super User and
Administrator, or device and apc for a Device User).
3. If you cannot remember your user name or password, see “Recover from a Lost Password” on
page 8.
SSH for high-security access: If you use the high security of SSL for the web interface, use SSH for access
to the command line interface. SSH encrypts user names, passwords, and transmitted data. The interface,
user accounts, and user access rights are the same whether you access the command line interface through
SSH or Telnet, but to use SSH, you must first configure SSH and have an SSH client program installed on your
computer. See the Security Handbook on www.apc.com for more information on configuring and using SSH.
