Introduction
The Server Technology Inc. Sentry family of products provides easy, practical, and secure solutions for
power distribution, power management and load-measurement for remote internetworking equipment
and branch AC circuits.
The Sentry PT40 Commander continues to support the elimination of unnecessary trips to remote
locations by allowing remote control of the power on/off status for distant critical equipment,
minimizing the impact of locked-up devices on mission-critical networks.
Features and Benefits
PT40 Commanders are available in 4-outlet configurations for 100-120VAC and 208-240VAC up to
15A. See Models in Appendix C: Technical Specifications.
Communication Access Modes
PT40 Commanders are equipped standard with a Serial RS-232 port, out-of-band external modem
access and a 10/100 Base-T Ethernet port for Telnet and in-band web browser (HTML) access. The
optional integrated Global Security Modem is also available.
Power Distribution & Remote Management
A PT40 Commander distributes up to 15A AC power (dependant on model) and offers individual remote
control over the power on/off status of up to 4 devices.
Pass-Thru Port Access
The PT40 Commander’s integrated “One-to-Many” asynchronous communications switch offers serial
connections to up to 4 inter-networking device console ports for remote problem determination.
Load and Environment Measurement
The PT40 Commander’s load measurement feature eliminates guesswork by supplying the cumulative operating
load in amperes. This allows on-site technicians to maximize the equipment installed and operated on a circuit
without worry. Use of the circuit is maximized, while effectively allowing a 10% to 20% safety margin. Remote
users also may access this information at any time from the command line or control screen interface.
With the optionally available Environmental Monitoring Control Unit (EMCU), the PT40 Commander
supports monitoring of key environmental conditions at the remote facility including temperature, humidity,
water/flooding and physical access.
Power-up Sequencing
When the PT40 Commander is powered on, each of the power outlets is powered sequentially with a
two-second delay between each outlet. Power sequencing staggers the individual loads, eliminating the
potential of a blown fuse or circuit breaker due to excessive in-rush current and allows circuit support
for operating load capacities of 80% to 90%.
Outlet Grouping
For operations across multiple attached devices or devices with multiple or redundant power supplies,
PT40 Commander outlets may be included in one or more named groups of outlets. Changes may then
be applied to all outlets in the named group with one easy command sequence.
Security
The PT40 Commander ships with one predefined administrative user account. The administrator may create
up to 128 user accounts, with individualized access to outlets, serial/Pass-Thru ports and commands. All
accounts support username and password protection. For configurations requiring multiple fully-privileged
users, the PT40 Commander allows the administrator to grant administrative privileges to other user
accounts in the system.
For added security, a user session will be automatically terminated after five minutes of inactivity; if a
user is called away unexpectedly, an unprotected channel will not remain open indefinitely.
User Interfaces and LEDs
The PT40 Commander features two types of user interfaces: the command line and the HTML
interface. For easy outlet recognition, both individual outlets and outlet groups may be assigned
descriptive names for use in control commands. For the on-site technician, LEDs on the PT40
Commander indicate individual outlet power status.
2•Introduction Sentry Commander - PT40
Installation and Operations Manual
