Looking for clarity on shutdown using NMC

[Anonymous user]

We've just switched from using a dedicated server with serial-attached UPS to a VMWare Esxi server attached to a 1500XL with inbuilt network management card. I intend using the Powerchute Network Shutdown utility on the guest OS to shutdown the entire server. Looking at the docs and some of the postings here, it's not clear to me on the manner in which shutdown happens when using the Powerchute network shutdown utility.

Assuming I use the the on-battery event in PCNS to initiate shutdown, there is an option on the configuration screen to "Turn off the UPS after the shutdown finishes". The help text for that screen says "Note: The Network Management Card will not allow the UPS to turn off until all of the servers running PowerChute Network Shutdown have completed their shutdown activities." So if I check this box, is the shutdown based purely on configured time delays (MAX(command file time, low battery duration)), or is the NMC looking at connection status to perform a more positive check that all connected computers have shutdown?

I suspect that the shutdown is purely timer-based, in which case the statement "The Network Management Card will not allow the UPS to turn off until all of the servers running PowerChute Network Shutdown have completed their shutdown activities" is ambiguous / misleading.

[Anonymous user]

Ok, thanks for the help

[BillP]

hi

i agree the wording isnt the best.

the general gist of this is:

if you have multiple PCNS clients set to shutdown, and for example, want your mail server to shut down after 5 minutes of being on battery but want your other servers to shutdown after the battery is exhausted, that you want the last server to shutdown in that sequence to have the Turn off the UPS after the shutdown finishes+ check box selected. if you configure the mail server to shutdown the UPS off first (meaning that you select the Turn off the UPS after the shutdown finishes* check box), it will turn off the UPS where the other PCNS clients havent even started their shutdown sequence, and thus, turn off the other PCNS clients that didnt even begin to shutdown.

that is why APC always recommends to only have that box enabled on the last server to shutdown to prevent a dropped load.

The Note: The Network Management Card will not allow the UPS to turn off until all of the servers running PowerChute Network Shutdown have completed their shutdown activities+ relates to if you have clients that have begun their PCNS shutdown activities already (rather than those that arent even close to shutting down and havent begun their shutdown sequence - like running a command file, and what I have noted below, etc).

see this information below (for those that dont have access to the help file and also see the attachment to this post):

Your operating system shutdown follows this sequence:

1. The On Battery Event initiates the Event Delay Time. Before initiating a shutdown, PowerChute Network Shutdown will wait the amount of time configured by the user for the Shut Down Server action, on the Configure Events page.

2. The Command File Starts. When the Run Command File action has been configured by the user on the Configure Events page and the Configure Shutdown page, the specified command file executes.

3. The operating system shuts down. The operating system will begin a graceful shutdown when the Event Delay Time and the Command File Runtime have expired.

4. UPS Shutdown Begins. The UPS initiates its shutdown. It waits the amount of time indicated by one of the following, whichever is greater:

-Low battery duration: Configure this value in the Network Management Card Web user interface.

~In the NMC: UPS tab -> Configuration-shutdown -> Low Battery Duration value (in minutes).

-Shutdown Command File Runtime: Configure this value in PCNS at the Configure Shutdown page. The command file needs this much time to complete (seconds).

5. A 2-minute delay. This is built-in and cannot be changed by the user.

6. UPS Reboot sequence starts. The reboot sequence starts before the UPS shuts down. This prepares the UPS to continue the reboot sequence when power is restored.

7. Shutdown Delay. Configure this value at the Network Management Card user interface.

~In the NMC: UPS tab -> Configuration-shutdown -> Shutdown Delay.

8. Turn Off. Power is turned off.

dont forget to check the attachment. let me know if you have any other questions!

[Anonymous user]

OK, thanks. I had that diagram & text. Your scenario brings up another question related to the non mail-server PCNS clients...

I read in the PCNS online help that PCNS couldn't configure the Low Battery condition event, which your PCNS clients must rely on. It's not clear to me, but I presume even if you have no events user-configured, then this low battery condition will always fire off the activities in the Shutdown Configuration tab. If so, then I presume it will always occur for any particular machine at MAX(Low Battery Duration, Shutdown Command File Runtime)?

[BillP · Accepted solution]

you're right. it is kind of an idiot proof way of getting the client to shutdown. if you install PCNS, and forget about configuring anything, the PCNS client will shut down at the low battery signaling time from the NMC. the only problem that may come up is the default low battery signaling time is 2 minutes for most UPSs. if your client takes 5 minutes to shut down - since it may be a server that needs to stop several services - then you may run into an issue there with the UPS dropping. in that case, you'd want to adjust the low battery signaling time on the network management card to a higher value if you are going to shut all of/any of your clients down based on that value.