Looking for input on Server shutdown configuration

[Anonymous user]

Hello all

Thank you for taking time to read this. Here is my situtation. I have I enterprise class Mitsubishi UPS protecting my entire server room. The UPS itself is perfectly adequate and well maintained. The issue I am having is Mitsubishi's UPS to server communication is sorely lacking. What I would like to do is buy he simplest/smallest APC I can and use APC's software to signal the servers to shut down in a power event.

What model of UPS would fit the bill and which of the network software would you recommend?

Thank you in advance

Caleb

[voidstar_apc]

I'd be a little concerned about the UPSes disagreeing on the definition of a "power event." For instance, UPSes often have "boost and trim" which adjusts the line voltage during slight over and undervoltage conditions. So when the line sags, one UPS may boost the voltage up while the other considers the line bad and goes to battery.

Another issue is how to turn the computers back on. PowerChute Network Shutdown can be set up to have the last computer that is shutting down tell the APC UPS to turn off. That turns off power to the computers. Then when the line comes back, the computers set up to turn on when power is restored will turn back on. This approach won't work if the computers are really being powered by a different UPS. I would investigate whether your Mitsubishi UPS can be set up to always turn power off and back on during after a power failure to force any shutdown computer back on.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

hi caleb,

i see only one issue with what you want to do, you are most likely going to run into a difference with runtime between two UPSs. your larger UPS may have more or less runtime than the APC UPS that you wish to buy and it is possible that you'd want to let your equipment as long as it can go at which point, the APC UPS may have already turned off. most likely, if you put little or no load on the APC UPS, it can out run your larger UPS but I am not sure. this is something you will need to figure out. assuming you do, i hope the below solution is what you are looking for even though its not necessarily something the APC would recommend.

assuming you arent going to plug anything in for power to the UPS that you plan on buying from APC as noted above, I personally suggest possibly getting the smallest UPS with a Smart Slot so you can buy a network management card to put inside of it. the UPS should be able to monitor the power and act just as with your larger UPS (when it goes to battery because of a power outage but as noted above, may go to battery at different times depending on what it considers a power problem) to see when the power goes out and thus via the network, communicate with the powerchute network shutdown software to shut your servers down gracefully or send emails, etc.

This would be the SUA750 in conjunction with an AP9617.

[see SUA750 here|http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=SUA750]

[see AP9617 here|http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=AP9617]

alternatively you could get an AP9619 card if you wanted environmental monitoring with it and dry contacts or an AP9618 if you require those features of the AP9619 plus out of band management.

now for the powerchute software. you would need powerchute network shutdown. you install this on the servers you want to gracefully shutdown and then give input the IP of the network management card on each client. the management card can send information over the network and based on certain events you choose on each of the certain servers, can shut down the operating system, notify users (via windows messenger service) or run command files.

[here is a link to the supported operating systems for powerchute network shutdown|http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/SJHN-7AYQNP_R2_EN.pdf]

hope this helps!