Install pcns 4.0 under VMware vCenter 6.0

[CT-IT_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 8/24/2015

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Hi to the community !

As I haven't been able to find an answer to successfully complete the configuration of my environment,

I hope somebody here can help me out.

I run a VMware ESXi 6.0 Host on which the vCenter 6.0 Appliance is installed.

To keep the installation small and lean, I decided not to have an extra appliance to control the UPS shutdown.

Therfore I downloaded the newest "pcns400ESX.tar.gz" package ssh'ed into the vCenter, copied it over, untared it and installed it on the vCenter appliance.

To make the Web UI accessible I also had to configure iptables to open the needed ports and then was successfully able to connect to the configuration wizard.

Now comes the point, where I'm stuck:

Where can I set the option to connect to vCenter and enable it's plugin ?

This is what I see und "Communicaton Settings" where I would expect the option to enter credentials and tick the needed checkbox

Doesn't the Linux version of pcns support to connect to vCenter ?

Any help is appreciated

Regards

CT

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Bill on APC forums on 8/24/2015

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Hi,

On 8/24/2015 10:26 AM, R. said:

Doesn't the Linux version of pcns support to connect to vCenter ?

No. PCNS for Linux is not designed to run in this configuration.

The available PowerChute options are, install PCNS 4.0 Appliance, install VMware vMA 5.5 and install PCNS 4.0 on that, install PCNS 4.0 on none VM Windows Server.

PowerChute is designed to shut down the system/s in a specific order when working in conjunction with vCenter Server. It starts by shutting down all VMs with the exception of the VM running VCSA and PCNS. It then shuts down any vApps, then the VM VCSA is running on, then the host/s and at that time it starts the shutdown of the VM it is running on. If PCNS is running on a standalone Windows Server will start the shutdown of that system at the time it start the power down of the host. You could write a script that would do this for you in your configuration (would not be supported by Schneider Electric Technical Support) or use one of the available PowerChute options.

BTW: PCNS 4.1 should be available in a few weeks that will allow users to specify the order a group of VMs will shutdown i.e.

prioritize the order.

[CT-IT_apc · Accepted solution]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 8/25/2015

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Hi Bill,

thank you very much, because this was the piece of information I was seeking for !

If it is already outlined somewhere, I might have been searching at the wrong places,

but wasn't able to find some information on these major difference of the available PCNS versions.

A chart that compares the features of the different versions might be helpful at this point.

I already was a bit puzzeld when downloading the Linux packages because there are two of them (ESX and ESXi) and I didn't find a description what's the difference between them.

O.K. one (ESXi) simply won't install and bail out with a message, that it isn't made for this architecture but from that I still have no idea, what it originally was intended for ...  😉

As vCenter is the central point to manage configurations in a vSphere environment it would be nice to see a Linux (vCenter) PCNS version with the capability to be seamlessly integrated in the future.

Best Regards

CT