PCNS 4.2 - Command File usage question

[BillP]

I am setting up PCNS 4.2 to shutdown my VMware vSphere 6.0 environment.  I have a single UPS / AP9630 NMC / with a Dell VRTX chassis with 2 hosts running 5 VM's.  I have setup for the shutting down of the VM's and then the Host using the VMware User Guide and feel I have that correctly configured, but after those were shutdown I wanted to use PCNS 4.2 lastly, to run a command via SSH to send a shutdown command via command-line to the VRTX chassis itself.  My thinking was I could use the command file to send the shutdown command via PUTTY after the VM's and host have been shutdown.

Could someone link me documentation on this?  Has anyone had success in implementing this?

Any input/suggestions are appreciated!

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Is PCNS installed on a VM or standalone Windows system? If not on a VM and if you are configured for vCenter Server then PCNS will run a command file after the hosts have powered down. If PCNS is installed on a VM then it will run the command file prior to the hosts powering down. In that scenario you would need the command file to include a delay to allow the hosts to complete the power down prior to the chassis.

As an example this Windows shutdown command has a delay of 60 seconds shutdown /s /f /m \\server ip /c "PowerChute has initiated a system shutdown" /t 60

As fare as writing the command file, I suggest you check Dell documentation or check the Dell Community. https://www.dell.com/community/

[BillP]

Thanks for the response Bill!  I have another question regarding the setting on the UPS configuration page for "Select the Outlet Group powering the server with PowerChute Network Shutdown installed".  I currently have the PCNS 4.2 installed on a Windows 10 Professional workstation and it is not plugged into the same UPS I have my servers on.

Is this OK?  Do I need to have the computer running PCNS 4.2 plugged into the same UPS?  What should I put for this setting?

Thanks,

Jeff

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Normally you would have the system that is running PCNS connected to the same UPS. Since you do not you should select the outlet group that the host/s are plugged into. If you have each host plugged into a different outlet group then you can pick either one. The reason that PCNS asks is later on you are given the option to turn off outlet group, turn off UPS, or do not turn off UPS. If you select turn off outlet group the group you selected as the one powering PCNS will be command down and the others will not.