PowerChute shutdown with specific EXSi / vcenter constellation

[Anonymous user]

Hi,

we are Using a Smart-UPS RT 10000 XL in our server-room, which is powering the servers.

We have one standalone ESXi host with VMs on it. The ESXi is managed by vcenter which is installed on another physically windows server.

I installed the powerchute VM appliance in the ESXi and configured the IPs and credentials for the ESXi host and the vcenter Server. The connections are working as intended.

Now I don´t understand how the powerchute appliance is to configure about the shutdown of itself and about the shutdown of the "external" physically vcenter server. All the documentation I find are about a virtual vcenter VM which is installed on the same ESXi host and not about an external vcenter server.

Do I have to install the powerchute network shutdown client on the vcenter server itself and configure its shutdown locally on itself independent from the powerchute appliance in the ESXi?!

Thx for help!

Kind regards

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I recommend you install PCNS on the Window server and configure for VMware with vCenter Server. When the UPS goes on battery PCNS will tell the VMs to power down if configured to do so. It will then tell the host to power down. PCNS will then tell the Windows Server to power down and at that time vCenter will be stopped along with PCNS as they both run as services on the system. 

[Anonymous user]

Thx for your reply!

So do I get it right, I can install the PCNS client on the windows server with the vcenter installed on it and control the shutdown of all the VMs, the ESXi host and the vcenter server itself with it?

So in this constellation I don`t need the PCNS VM appliance?

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Hi,

PowerChute will tell the host to power down. The host will tell the VMs to power down. PowerChute will then tell the Windows system to power down and PowerChute and vCenter will shutdown. When the Windows system restarts PowerChute will restart and then vCenter will restart. 

[Anonymous user]

Ok, I deleted the PCNS VM appliance and installed and configured the PCNS client on the physical windows server with the vcenter on it.

Hopefully all shutdowns of the VMs, the ESXi host and the vcenter server itself will work in case of a power loss

Many thx for your replies!