PCNS: will reaching a threshold cause a shutdown during runtime calibration?

[Anonymous user]

Hello,

I've read reports that, while Powerchute Business Edition won't trigger shutdowns during calibration (as confirmed by the all-knowing Angela :)), at least one user has in the past experienced shutdowns on Network Edition clients (https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/148165-prevent-server-shutdown-when-performing-runtime-calibr...). All our PCNS clients have scripts and shutdown that trigger at a certain battery runtime threshold, on top of the embedded VM and cluster shutdown procedures (hyper-v).

We have installed an external battery module and scheduled a calibration, I'd like to know if I have to cancel it and perform it during a maintenance window.

Thank you

[Anonymous user]

Alternatively, shall I simply unplug the network cable during calibration, until charge levels are back up above threshold?

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi,

When running a calibration test the network card will not report an on battery event and the batteries will not be drained to the low battery threshold so PowerChute Network Shutdown will not start the shutdown process. If you are concerned you can stop the PowerChute service on the hyper-v server. The command is net stop pcns1. Once the test has completed restart the service net start pcns1. 

[Anonymous user]

Hi Bill,

thank you for your reply!

My concern stems from the fact that we don't merely rely on the "built-in" low battery trigger, but also from the "Runtime remaining below threshold" event, to start a script that performs several operations required before shutdown.

I'll stop the service just to be safe, thanks again for your support.

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

Calibration performed correctly, I purposely left a machine with the service running and I can confirm that no event has been triggered.

Thank you