Why doesn't StruxureWare or ISX Manager's mass configuration feature update or show password credentials on APC Network Management Card devices?

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Issue

Mass configurations of APC UPS Network Management Cards or Network Management Card enabled devices done via ISX Manager or StruxureWare may not work as expected, depending on the firmware version of the devices.

Product Line

Web/SNMP Card - AP9606

Devices with an embedded Web/SNMP Card include (but are not limited to): Environmental Monitoring Unit 1 (AP9312TH)

Network Management Card 1 (NMC1) - AP9617, AP9618, AP9619

Devices with an embedded Network Management Card 1 include (but are not limited to): Metered/Switched Rack PDUs (AP78XX, AP79XX), Rack Automatic Transfer Switches (AP77XX, Environmental Monitoring Units (AP9320, AP9340, NetBotz 200)

Network Management Card 2 (NMC2) - AP9630/AP9630CH, AP9631/AP9631CH, AP9635/AP9635CH

Devices with an embedded Network Management Card 2 include (but are not limited to): 2G Metered/Switched Rack PDUs (AP86XX, AP88XX, AP89XX), Certain Audio/Video Network Management Enabled products.

InfrastruXure Manager - AP92200

Environment

All serial numbers
NMC1 AOS v3.6.1 and higher
NMC2, versions as noted

Cause

In AOS 3.6.1 and above for NMC1 (AP9617, AP9618, AP9619, or any devices with an integrated card), passwords (users, SNMP, etc) were removed from the config.ini stored on the card. This was done for security reasons. In NMC2 (AP9630, AP9631, AP9635, or any devices with an integrated card) v5.X.X, the passwords are also not stored in this configuration file. With v6.X.X firmware, usernames and user passwords specifically are managed completely outside of the config.ini, as outlined in knowledge base FA176542.

This affects ISX Manager's ability to make mass configuration change of the various password field. Because the ISX Manager takes one device's configuration file and sends it to many, this procedure is now ineffective for retrieving passwords and pushing them to other devices.

Resolution

In general, with firmware versions v3.X.X and v5.X.X, the config.ini can still be edited with a keyword to push new passwords to devices, just not to view a current password or retrieve and push one from another device.

See below for the blurb from a config.ini:

[SystemUserManager]
; To change the Administrator, Device, or Read-Only users
; passwords, use the AdminPassword, DevicePassword, or
; ReadOnlyPassword keywords respectively. i.e., AdminPassword=apc

The config.ini file could be manually configured outside of ISX Manager to include the password using the information from the [SystemUserManager] section above. APC has a utility that sends one config file to many devices. It is available for free, with instructions in knowledge base FA156117.

If you have ISX Central or StruxureWare Data Center Expert, this should not be an issue. These tools will allow the user to retrieve the config.ini, write in a value for the specific password(s) and allow you to push them to your devices. Please see knowledge base FA158360 for further detail.

For further assistance, please contact APC support.