How to set up Network Shutdown on Linux host with VMware Workstation?

[sigi_apc]

I have a Linux host (Ubuntu Desktop) which runs VMware Workstation to host some virtual machines. Now I'd like to use PowerChute Network Shutdown to shut down the Linux host in case of power failure.

My idea was to simply install PowerChute Network Shutdown on the Linux host and use a pre-shutdown command to stop the VMs before (vmrun).

When trying to install PowerChute Network Shutdown 4.2 for Linux x64 on my Linux machine I get the error message that installation is not supported since VMware is running on the same machine. Well, that is not what I was expecting...

Reading the PowerChute Installation Guide none of the VMware option fits to my setup. I neither have an additional Windows machine to monitor the VMware Host nor a I'd like to run the PowerChute Virtual Appliance in VMware Workstation. I am even not sure if the latter is supported, the PowerChute User Guide for VMware does not mention VMware Workstation.

Any suggestions how to set up Network Shutdown in my scenario?

[sigi_apc · Accepted solution]

Hi, this is for those who are interested in a solution for this scenario.

I've contacted APC support and asked the same question. Their proposal was to try an older PCNS version.

So I downloaded PCNS 3.1.0 for Linux from here: ftp://ftp.apc.com/restricted/software/pcns/310/

Note: You have to provide username and password with the URL (ftp://:@ftp.apc.com/restricted/software/pcns/310) where is "restrict" and is... Well I don't want to post it here. You can find it out by starting a regular PCNS download and looking into the link address of the final download button.

The PCNS 3.1.0 installed successfully on Ubuntu 14.04.5 without complaining that VMware Workstation is installed. Obviously there is not really an incompatibility between PCNS 3.1.0 and VMware Workstation 10.0.6, both work fine after the PCNS installation.

PCNS triggered shutdown works as expected. Configuring a shell script as shutdown command which calls "vmrun stop soft" properly shuts down the VMs before Linux is going down for halt.

Maybe a wish to the PCNS development team: If there also no real incompatibility between PCNS 4.2 and VMware Workstation you might refine the check for VMware and allow installation of PCNS 4.2 in this scenario. I'd appreciate if I could upgrade PCNS to 4.2... Thanks!