shutdown with PCNS or from NMC ?

[Anonymous user]

if i just want to shutdown my servers after UPS has been on battery for 4 mins. i can set PCNS on battery value on 240 secs and that's it right? do i have to go through configuring low battery delay + maximum required delay thing on NMC ?

[BillP]

do you only have one client to shutdown using PCNS? do you have any other equipment on the UPS that needs to run longer than the 4 minutes that your PCNS client takes? depending on those answers i might suggest a certain thing.

this might help too: http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/TDOY-5UQVBV_R3_EN.pdf

assuming this is the only device you need to shutdown, you don't have to play around with those other settings. PCNS will automatically be configured, unless you specify otherwise, to shutdown the UPS after the client is done shutting down. this will then preserve your battery power after so the UPS doesnt continue to run without a load. if you have other stuff to worry about, i might change my recommendation.

[Anonymous user]

thank you for your reply. here's what i have and what i think i want to do. i have two UPS's with network cards on it, they power up several servers connected to them. i have PCNS running on all servers.

Question 1: if i wanted all my servers to start shutdown after UPS's been on battery mode for 4 minute's, i just need to configure it from PCNS's web gui not from NMC right?

Question 2: if i wanted some advanced configurations (low battery duration & shutdown delay) i should use NMC's configurations from the UPS itself right ?.

[Anonymous user]

i forgot, when use PCNS gui with multiple servers, i just unchek shutdown ups after this event occurs on all of the servers except the one, right?

[BillP]

correct on your second reply on the shutdown option.

here is how i like to think about it:

1.) make your configurations in the PCNS web GUI if each server needs a special setting which may be unique.

2.) the low battery duration and other NMC settings are best to adjust when your PCNS clients and other UPS load should all shutdown at the same time. the low battery duration is when the UPS will indicate it has a low battery. each UPS defaults to 2 minutes meaning if your UPS has 10 minutes runtime, when 2 minutes is left, it will force any PCNS clients to shutdown. you can adjust this value but certain UPSs only have so many programmed values. Thus, it depends on your total UPS runtime and your 4 minute requirement to see if this would work properly. because if you have 60 minutes and the highest value for low battery duration is 20 minutes, then that won't meet your requirement of the 4 mins on battery for example.

i hope that helps.

[Anonymous user]

Again, thank you for your prompt reports. i just want to solve this in the easiest way and i think configuring PCNS on the clients is the easiest.

i guess i can ask couple more questions if you don't mind.

1. low battery duration is the runtime left before ups shuts down(because of no battery power) and shutdown delay is the time how much time UPS will wait to shutdown after shutdown signal received from the server right?
2. after ups goes to low battery mode. total time before shutdown equals low battery duration+shutdown delay or something else?
3.in case of redundant power supply. one cord is plugged to one ups and another to the second ups. (both with NMC's and server with PCNS). if one ups sends shutdown signal, server will wait for second ups to send shutdown signal or it'l perform gracefull shutdown ?

sorry for if i am asking for too much, i have been researching this matter for 2 weeks now.
thank you.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

no problem.

1. low battery duration is the runtime left before ups shuts down(because of no battery power) and shutdown delay is the time how much time UPS will wait to shutdown after shutdown signal received from the server right?
2. after ups goes to low battery mode. total time before shutdown equals low battery duration+shutdown delay or something else?

http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/PMAR-8P9G2C_R1_EN.pdf - we just revamped our users guides to better explain these shutdowns. start with PDF page 41 and let me know if that clarifies.

3.in case of redundant power supply. one cord is plugged to one ups and another to the second ups. (both with NMC's and server with PCNS). if one ups sends shutdown signal, server will wait for second ups to send shutdown signal or it'l perform gracefull shutdown ?

for multiple UPS scenario, take a look here: http://nam-en.apc.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3143

let me know if you have any other questions or clarification.