[Apcupsd-announce] apcupsd-3.14.11 Release

[Adam K. <akr...@ro...>]

After a long delay, I am pleased to announce the formal release of apcupsd
3.14.11. This version adds MODBUS protocol support, numerous bug fixes, as
well as providing digital signatures on Windows files to ease deployment on
those systems.

I recognize that this release is long overdue and I apologize for not
getting it out sooner. The amount of spare time I have for apcupsd support
has been very small recently. I appreciate the help of Ted and others in
the community who have picked up the slack for me.

I am interested to hear how MODBUS is working for folks, either on the
formal build or Ted's build from CVS. Being a first release I am expecting
some hiccups. The code has been tested on exactly one UPS at my end (thanks
to APC for providing it) and the protocol has some dependency on character
timing which I am expecting to give us headaches across different platforms
and especially on various USB/serial adapters.

Please write in to the list with your MODBUS experiences including setup
details (OS, UPS model, UPS firmware rev, USB/serial converter model if
applicable).

As usual, the formal release notes are below and the full ChangeLog is
linked.

--Adam

ChangeLog:
<
http://apcupsd.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/apcupsd/apcupsd/ChangeLog?revision=1.76.2.27&pathrev=Branch-3_14
>

3.14.11 -- 31 January 2014           (Maintenance Release)

NEW FEATURES

  * MODBUS protocol support

    Over the summer, APC publicly released documentation[1] on a new UPS
    control and monitoring protocol, loosely referred to as MODBUS (after
the
    historic industrial control protocol it is based on). The new protocol
    operates over RS232 serial lines as well as USB connections and is
intended
    to supplement APC's proprietary Microlink protocol. Microlink is not
going
    away, but APC has realized that third parties require access to UPS
status
    and control information. Rather than publicly open Microlink, they have
    created another protocol to operate along side it.

    Many existing Microlink UPSes can be upgraded to support MODBUS via a
    firmware update. See [2]. Certain older models are not upgradeable. APC
    support will be your best contact for determining if your UPS supports
a
    MODBUS upgrade the information linked below does not make it clear.

    For now, apcupsd supports MODBUS over RS232 serial only. It DOES NOT
yet
    support MODBUS over USB. See the apcupsd manual[3] for information on
    setting up apcupsd.conf for MODBUS UPSes.

    [1] http://www.apc.com/whitepaper/?an=176
    [2]
http://www.schneider-electric.us/support/index?page=content&country=ITB&lang=EN&id=FA164737
    [3] http://www.apcupsd.com/manual/manual.html

  * Windows USB driver is now digitally signed thanks to Jernej Simoncic
    <jernej's-s...@et...>