Power Chute Network Shutdown HELP PLEASE!!

[Anonymous user]

I am trying to come up with a solution to gracefully shutdown my servers. i have 5 physical servers and 7 virtual using VMware ESXi. I want to use Power Chute Network Shutdown but I am a little confused on how to physically connect the servers and the UPS. It may be a stupid question but in the event of an outtage, how does the Server communicate with the UPS via Ethernet? Do I connect the Server and the UPS directly via an ethernet cable, or does the Ethernet cable from the UPS connect to a switch and that switch is connected to an UPS? 

Or does the Server know to shutdown once it has lost connectivity via ethernet with the UPS? I havent been able to find much information on this only the installation of Power Chute and configuring it. Any info on the actual physical connections and how they should communicate after a power outtage would be greatly appreciated!

[BillP]

Hi,

PowerChute Network Shutdown (PowerChute) works in conjunction with the UPS Network Management Card (NMC) to provide network-based shutdown of multiple computer systems. In the case of a UPS critical event, the software performs a graceful, unattended system shutdown before the UPS battery is exhausted. The number of protected systems is limited only by the capacity of the UPS. Each system running PowerChute needs to be connected to the network with valid IP v4 or IP v6 address and the NMC must be connected to the network with a valid IP v4 or IP v6 address. 

I recommend you read the PowerChute Brochure,  Application note 20 "Communication process for PowerChute Network Shutdown" and Application note 180 "PowerChute Network Shutdown for VMware"

[Anonymous user]

Thanks for that, it helped a lot. I do have a question about how many Power Chute agents are recommended because of broadcast traffic. Does that mean limiting which servers have Power Chute installed. I have 2 ESXi hosts, so that would be 2 Power Chute agents, one installed on each ESXi host (i'm guessing). And then 5 more physical servers, so i would install 5 more Power Chute agents? Is that what i would be looking at or am i confused? Would that be too many agents. They are all connected to the same switch, so i am guessing i would only need to supply power to that one switch?

[BillP]

Hi,

Yes. You need to install PowerChute Agent on each physical server. An example of a physical server is a Dell 3800 running Windows Server 2008 R2 or running VMware ESXi 5.5. You do not need to install PowerChute on the virtual machines (VMs) that are running on the ESXi hosts. 

The switch they are connected to needs to be powered by a UPS to prevent the loss of communications in the event of a power loss. When the NMC reports an event it sends single network packet. It does not send individual packet to each Agent so network traffic is minimal.  

[Anonymous user]

Thanks, do i need to buy a certain edition or is that software free?

[BillP]

Hi,

For most locations PowerChute is free. I see from your profile you are in California so it is free to download at

http://www.apc.com/products/family/index.cfm?id=127

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[Anonymous user]

One last question. Thanks for all your help.

I have 2 Smart UPS, SUA2200RM2U. I need to install Network Management Cards so i can start installing Power Chute. I was wondering if there are specific cards for my UPS or if any APC NMC will work? What would be a good choice for me since I have 7 servers connected to 2 different UPS? Also, are they hot-swappable or do i have to turn off the UPS to install the NMC's? Again, thanks for your help

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi,

If you want environmental monitoring then you want the AP9631. If you do not want environmental monitoring then the AP9630 is the proper NMC. 

On 9/17/2015 2:11 PM, Bennett said:

Also, are they hot-swappable or do i have to turn off the UPS to install the NMC's?

Yes. The NMC are hot swappable.