ePowerSwitch – the smart online power switches
The ePowerSwitch units let you switch unsupervised and remotely located devices on and off through a LAN, WAN or the Internet, regardless of your location. You simply open the website of your ePowerSwitch with any browser and click the button corresponding to the switch you want to operate.

How does ePowerSwitch work?
ePowerSwitches are intelligent mains switches with built-in Web server and an Ethernet interface that let you remotely control and program the switching states of any connected devices. They can be operated from any web browser (such as Internet Explorer or Netscape), with no need for special software. When you enter the switch's IP address, the built-in Web server displays a login prompt and a clearly structured input screen, on which the current switching states (On/Off, Restart, etc.) can be changed any time with a simple mouse-click. There is no limit to the number of ePowerSwitch units that can be connected within a network.

Alternative: Programming interfaces
In addition to browser control, the ePowerSwitch units can also be controlled and monitored directly:
1) through the network with programming languages such as Visual Basic, C++ and Delphi;
2) through the V.24 interface with simple, plain-text commands.

Remote dial-in through modem
In addition to the Ethernet, ePowerSwitch devices can be controlled remotely through an external modem connected to the ePowerSwitch device’s V.24 interface. The remote user needs only a PC with a terminal program – such as Windows’ HyperTerminal – and a modem. Connected directly to the V.24 interface, the ePowerSwitch can then be controlled with simple plain-text commands.

Auto Restart
Devices like the ePowerSwitch are usually connected "behind" routers, proxy servers, etc. If a remote administrator was to switch the latter off from outside, access would then no longer be possible. This can be prevented with the Auto Restart function,which restarts the corresponding device after a set (and to some extent user-definable) time.

Guard function
What is the Guard function?
The Guard function is an additional feature that can optionally be enabled. It continually monitors the connected server through the network and automatically cuts and restores the server's power supply to restart it if it detects that it is no longer responding. ePowerSwitch Guard achieves faster response times than are possible even with round-the-clock human supervision, thereby maximizing availability. To determine whether a server is functioning, ePowerSwitch Guard uses the same functions - Ping and Port Scan - as human administrators would.

How does this work?
The following can be defined individually for each server:

• The use of Ping and/or Port Scan
• The scanning interval, for example every 10 seconds
• The number of failed scans before the server is restarted
• A subsequent, additional wait time
• The wait time after restarting a server before the Guard function is reactivated

These settings provide a precise control of the crash detection sensitivity.

How reliable is the crash detection feature?
To answer this question, we have to define exactly what is meant by “crash”. The Guard function itself can not recognize whether an application has crashed. A further function may have to be developed here, but this would require the creation of control programs or interfering with the application itself.

Dual Power
ePowerSwitch devices with Dual Power provide twice the current and twice the reliability: Two isolated circuits with separate fuse protection ensure uninterrupted device operation. On failure of one of the power circuits, an alarm message appears in the browser. Ideal for servers and Network components with redundant power supply unit.

Twin Mode
Additional method of controlling devices with dual power or for linking two power outlets in separate circuits. Ideal for applications with redundant power supply.

HiAmp
Especially the “small” servers with inexpensive PSUs can cause current peaks of up to 50 times rated current when they are switched on. In conventional alternatives to the ePowerSwitch, this damages the relays in the long term. HiAmp ensures that up to 120 amps peak current can flow for each connected device.

Fuse trip protection
In addition, to prevent tripping of the built-in fuse or the building's main circuit-breaker, the power outlets are switched on again sequentially after a power failure..

Configuration using ePowerSwitch Finder
Convenient Windows program for finding and configuring all newly installed ePowerSwitches in the same network segment irrespective of their IP address. Finds all ePowerSwitches except for the ePowerSwitch socket strip. Intended mainly for initial configuration. Can be disabled for security.

Configuration using a browser
Convenient configuration through a standard Web browser. Can be disabled for security.

Configuration through V.24
All ePowerSwitch units can be configured with a PC through a standard V.24 connection (cable supplied). For the ePowerSwitch socket strip, a supplied Windows program is used; all other versions are configured through any terminal program (and therefore from any operating system).