SRT 3000: confused with the shutdown procedure

[bernd_apc]

Hi,

we have a SRT 3000 to power our two-node HA-Cluster.

My idea of shutdown is:

Power gone - wait 10 minutes - start to shutdown the cluster - wait 15 minutes (shutdown of 20 virtual machines may last a bit) - if cluster is shutdown - shutdown the hosts

The setup for the Power Chute Clients seems to be simple: After 10 minutes "On Battery" the script is executed, and after 25 minutes on battery both hosts are shutdown. Here is my first question:

What is if the power is restored in these 25 minutes ? Is the time reset to zero again ?

When my script is started after 10 minutes and power is restored after 12 minutes my script is stopped ?

And shall the hosts be shutdown via Power Chute client or via the script ?

And now comes the funny part:

In the web interface from the NMC there are so many possibilities to configure the shutdown procedure and so many delays that there is much confusion for me. What is the difference between "Low Battery Duration" and "Basic Low Battery Duration" ?

Concerning the switched outlet groups: is it necessary to configure them additionally to the configuration of the shutdown procedure ? Because it's one layer more of complexity.

Online help says that the parameters for the outlet group are "Use these settings to define how the UPS responds to a command issued by a user.". Does that mean that the settings are not evaluated for the shutdown procedure ?

Bernd

[bernd_apc]

Hi,

i attached a page from the Power Chute Network Shutdown User guide. Following the drawing i understand the shutdown procedure as follows:

Scenario A:

0. Power outage

1. On Battery Event

2. Configured Shutdown delay for the On Battery Event is started

3. Delay for the On Battery Event is finished

4. Outlet Group Power Off Delay is started

5. Simultaneous to (4) Command File is started

6. Command File Duration is finished

7. 70 seconds (i read somewhere it's rounded up to two minutes ?)

8. Operating system starts shutdown

9. Hopefully shutdown is finished before outlet groups are turned off

Before i saw the drawing i had another insight:

Scenario B:

0. Power outage

1. On Battery Event

2.Two Delays are started:

   Delay for Command File (10 minutes)

   Delay for shutdown (25 minutes)

3. After 10 minutes Command File is started. It has to shutdown our HA-cluster, i gave it 15 minutes for that

4. Command File is finshed when Command File is finished. Not precise to predict, depends on current load ...

    I guess 15 minutes are enough

6. Command File Duration is finished

5. After 25 minutes (delay for shutdown) OS is shutdown

Which one is correct ?

Bernd

[BillP]

@bernd_apc 

Would you please attach a copy of the pcnsconfig.ini file? I will review the setting to better understand how you are triggering the script. 

Basic Low Battery Duration is only used when you have a computer connected to the serial port communicating via simple signaling.

Simple signaling
Simple signaling is the recognition of whether certain pins of the serial port are high or low voltage, and allows for 3 states only; on battery, low battery and UPS turnoff.

Low Battery is explained in the NMC help files and in Schneider Electric FAQ FA405707 "What is the Low Battery Duration setting used for?"

You wrote "Concerning the switched outlet groups: is it necessary to configure them additionally to the configuration of the shutdown procedure ? Because it's one layer more of complexity."

The outlet group you assign to PowerChute will automatically be updated to allow the outlet group to remain on during the shutdown process.
Below is a screenshot of SMT1500C outlet groups. PowerChute has been assigned to group 1. The default power off delay is 90 seconds for group 1. Once PowerChute has been configured the power off delay is adjusted to 120 seconds for both main and group1. 
For this demo the PowerChute client has been configured to run a command file. The command file will take 60 seconds to run so the power off delay has automatically been adjusted to include the extra 60 second delay.

If you are running PowerChute to power off VMware host/s through vCenter Server the power off delay will be adjusted to include the VM power off delay if PowerChute has been configured to power off the VMs. 

[bernd_apc]

Hi Bill,

what i'd like to have:

In the beginning i'd like to have 10 minutes bypass when power is gone.

Then 15 minutes for my script to shutdown the complete HA-cluster, afterwards 10-15 minutes for OS shutdown of the hosts.

My UPS is able to bypass power outage without shutting down anything for 45 minutes (tested).

I configured now the following:

PCNS:

Configure Events ==> Shutdown ==> Enable Shutdown ==> Delay 600 sec.

After 600 seconds power off delay for Outlet 2 is triggered, correct ?

Shutdown Settings ==> UPS Shutdown ==> Turn off the UPS Outlet Group

Shutdown Settings ==> Run Command ==> path to script, duration: 15 minutes

Both servers are connected to Outlet 2. Other stuff like SAN, Monitor, some light is connected to Outlet 1.

I'd like to have 10-15 minutes more for the OS shutdown.

I think with a power off Delay of 30 minutes for Outlet 2 i'm safe.

Power Off delay for Outlet 1 is a bit longer (1900 seconds) so that SAN is not gone as long as the hosts are running.

NMC:

Configuration ==> Outlet Groups ==> Outlet 2 ==> Power off delay: 1800 seconds

Configuration ==> Outlet Groups ==> Outlet 1 ==> Power off delay: 1900 seconds

Configuration ==> Shutdown: do i have to configure anything here ?

Do i still need Low Battery Duration ?

Is my configuration correct ?

pcnsconfig.ini is attached.

Thanks.

Bernd

[BillP]

@bernd_apc 

The configuration looks good. I do not see the attached pcnsconfig.ini. Did you attach it?

[bernd_apc]

Here the file.