vSphere ESXi and APC PowerChute Network Shut Down HowTo with offsite vCenter

[Anonymous user]

Hi !

We have here in the USA the following environment:

one Smart-UPS RT 6000 XL

two vSphere ESXi Standard 5.5 hosts

both ESXi hosts are connected via VPN to a vCenter which is located in Germany

Now we'd like to setup a shutdown software for the two ESXi hosts in USA managend by the APC UPS.

For that I already tried two things. I installed the vMA from VMware and setup the PCNS 3.0.1. I got it connected to the UPS.

I also installed your preinstalled appliance with PCNS 3.1 but it came up with the same options like the version on the vMA.

On setting up the PCNS I do not want to choose vCenter as an option, because I don't want to be dependant of the vCenter which is outside the building (it's in Germany). So I'd like that PCNS connects directly to both ESXi servers.

But I'm only able to setup one ESXi host in the PCNS software. Or should I setup the IP of the vMA as host in the PCNS software - probably not ?!

At the moment I don't know what would be the right setup.....

Do I need to setup two appliances, each for one ESXi host, because I don't want to connect to the vCenter. Is it then possible to connect both PCNS to one UPS ?

What is the better solution ? The VMware vMA with PCNS 3.0.1 or the appliance with PCNS 3.1.

Many thanks for your help in advance.

Wolfgang

[BillP]

Wolfgang,

Are the host in a cluster or standalone? If standalone then you can install PCNS 3.1 appliance on each host. If in a HA cluster and you want the VMs shutdown before the host power down without using vCenter Server I suggest following the instruction in Knowledge Base document FA159784 for PCNS 3.0.1.

[Anonymous user]

Hi Bill,

thanks for your replay. Yes both servers are in a cluster but HA will be disabled for the moment, but may be enabled in the future.

I thought one vMA with PCNS 3.1 for each host should be the best way. So I may setup PCNS as Single and just add one host server on PCNS.

Do I have to add the esxi host anyway with addserver to the vma on the shell ?

I guess it works if two (or more) vMA's with PCNS are connected to one single APC ?

Thanks for your support.

Wolfgang

[BillP]

Wolfgang,

Question 1- When you run the PCNS 3.1 configuration wizard it will ask you to enter the IP information, user name and password of the ESXi host you wish to have shutdown.

Question 2- PCNS can be running on multiple VMs and listening to the same NMC. The one thing you should not have multiple PCNS clients configured to send shut down signal to the NMC. You should only have 1 PCNS client send the Turn off Signal.

[Anonymous user]

Hi Bill,

many thanks for your help. So it seems to work as I hoped.

It makes sense that only one machine shuts the UPS down. But for the moment I'd prefer to keep the UPS up.

Two more questions:

I have to enter the host, as mentioned from you above, and additionally I have to do an vifp addserver IPADDRESSofESXiHOST on the vMA shell. Right ?

I guess that, when the PCNS shuts down the ESXi hosts, first all VMs are shutdown gracefully first.

Many thanks for your help.

Wolfgang

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Wolfgang,

1 - You enter the host name as shown earlier. You do not have to manually add the host to the server list using the vifp command when running PCNS 3.1.

2 - PCNS when configured as standalone commands the host down and the host will then command the VMs down. You need to configure Guest Shutdown on each VM and VMware tools needs to be installed on each VM for proper shutdown. Kbase FA159688 discusses this.