VMware with Nutanix Support: UPS with Outlet Groups

Example 1: Turn off the Outlet Group enabled, AFS shutdown enabled, abort active replications enabled, no shutdown command file or SSH action configured.

PowerChute is installed on a physical machine outside the Cluster, configured for a Single/Redundant UPS configuration with 2 nodes in a Cluster. The option to Turn off the Outlet Group is enabled on the Shutdown Settings page, Delay Host Maintenance Mode is enabled on the Virtualization Settings page. VM Prioritization is enabled and the vCenter Sever Appliance VM is added to a priority group. No shutdown command file or SSH action configured. The durations in this example are as follows:

• VM and vApp Shutdown Duration = 120 seconds  
• vCenter Server Appliance Shutdown Duration = 240 seconds
• AFS Shutdown Duration = 60 seconds
• Abort Ongoing Replications Duration = 80 seconds
• Cluster Shutdown Duration = 60 seconds
• Controller VM Shutdown Duration = 120 seconds
• Delay Host Maintenance Mode = 30 seconds

When a critical UPS event, such as On Battery occurs, the following sequence is triggered.

1. PowerChute reports that the UPS is on battery.
2. After the shutdown delay configured for the On Battery event has elapsed, PowerChute issues a command to turn off the Outlet Group and the Outlet Group turn off starts.
3. PowerChute starts to shut down User VMs and vApps.
4. After 2 minutes (VM/vApp Shutdown Duration), PowerChute shuts down the vCenter Server Appliance.
5. After 240 seconds (vCSA Shutdown Duration), PowerChute shuts down Acropolis File Services and the AFS VMs.
6. After 60 seconds (AFS Shutdown Duration), PowerChute aborts any ongoing VM replications. If enabled in the Protection Domain Settings page, Metro Availability will also be disabled on your Cluster.
7. After 80 seconds (Abort Active Replications Duration), PowerChute shuts down the Nutanix Cluster.
8. After 60 seconds (Cluster Shutdown Duration), PowerChute issues a command to shut down the Controller VMs.
9. After 120 seconds (Controller VM Shutdown Duration), the VMware Hosts enter maintenance mode and are shut down sequentially if all VMs are powered off, otherwise the maintenance mode task is cancelled. The delay between placing each host into maintenance mode is the value set for Delay Maintenance Mode (30 seconds).
10. PowerChute issues the operating system shutdown command.
11. After a 70 second delay, the operating system on the physical machine running PowerChute starts to shut down.

12. The Outlet Group will turn off after the Power Off Delay (configurable on the Configuration – Outlet Group page in the NMC user interface) has elapsed.

• If registered with the Main Outlet Group, the UPS will wait for any Switched Outlet Groups to turn off before the Main Outlet Group turnoff starts.

• If registered with a Switched Outlet Group, only that delay is counted down.

It is recommended that the Outlet Group Power Off Delay is configured to allow enough time for the operating system shutdown to complete. You should allow extra time to ensure that the Outlet Group does not turn off before the operating system.

Example 2: Turn off the Outlet Group enabled, shutdown command file configured.

PowerChute is installed on a physical machine outside the Cluster, configured for a Single/Redundant UPS configuration with 2 nodes in a Cluster. The option to Turn off the Outlet Group is enabled on the Shutdown Settings page, Delay Host Maintenance Mode is enabled on the Virtualization Settings page. VM Prioritization is enabled and the vCenter Sever Appliance VM is added to a priority group. A shutdown command file is configured. The durations in this example are as follows:

• VM and vApp Shutdown Duration = 120 seconds  
• vCenter Server Appliance Shutdown Duration = 240 seconds
• AFS Shutdown Duration = 60 seconds
• Abort Ongoing Replications Duration = 80 seconds
• Cluster Shutdown Duration = 60 seconds
• Controller VM Shutdown Duration = 120 seconds
• Delay Host Maintenance Mode = 30 seconds

When a critical UPS event, such as On Battery occurs, the following sequence is triggered.

1. PowerChute reports that the UPS is on battery.
2. After the shutdown delay configured for the On Battery event has elapsed, PowerChute issues a command to turn off the Outlet Group and the Outlet Group turn off starts.
3. PowerChute starts to shut down User VMs and vApps.
4. After 2 minutes (VM/vApp Shutdown Duration), PowerChute shuts down the vCenter Server Appliance.
5. After 240 seconds (vCSA Shutdown Duration), PowerChute shuts down Acropolis File Services and the AFS VMs.
6. After 60 seconds (AFS Shutdown Duration), PowerChute aborts any ongoing VM replications. If enabled in the Protection Domain Settings page, Metro Availability will also be disabled on your Cluster.
7. After 80 seconds (Abort Active Replications Duration), PowerChute shuts down the Nutanix Cluster.
8. After 60 seconds (Cluster Shutdown Duration), PowerChute issues a command to shut down the Controller VMs.
9. After 120 seconds (Controller VM Shutdown Duration), PowerChute starts to execute the shutdown command file.
10. The VMware Hosts enter maintenance mode and are shut down sequentially if all VMs are powered off, otherwise the maintenance mode task is cancelled. The delay between placing each host into maintenance mode is the value set for Delay Maintenance Mode (30 seconds).
11. An additional 70 second delay is counted down before the operating system starts to shut down.

12. The Outlet Group will turn off after the Power Off Delay (configurable on the Configuration – Outlet Group page in the NMC user interface) has elapsed.

    • If registered with the Main Outlet Group, the UPS will wait for any Switched Outlet Groups to turn off before the Main Outlet Group turnoff starts.

    • If registered with a Switched Outlet Group, only that delay is counted down.

It is recommended that the Outlet Group Power Off Delay is configured to allow enough time for the operating system shutdown to complete. You should allow extra time to ensure that the Outlet Group does not turn off before the operating system.

Example 3: Turn off the Outlet Group enabled, shutdown command file configured, Execute Command File after Host Shutdown enabled.

PowerChute is installed on a physical machine outside the Cluster, configured for a Single/Redundant UPS configuration with 2 nodes in a Cluster. The option to Turn off the Outlet Group is enabled on the Shutdown Settings page, Delay Host Maintenance Mode is enabled on the Virtualization Settings page. VM Prioritization is enabled and the vCenter Sever Appliance VM is added to a priority group. A shutdown command file is configured. Execute Command File after Host Shutdown is enabled, with a delay of 30 seconds applied. The durations in this example are as follows:

• VM and vApp Shutdown Duration = 120 seconds  
• vCenter Server Appliance Shutdown Duration = 240 seconds
• AFS Shutdown Duration = 60 seconds
• Abort Ongoing Replications Duration = 80 seconds
• Cluster Shutdown Duration = 60 seconds
• Controller VM Shutdown Duration = 120 seconds
• Delay Host Maintenance Mode = 30 seconds

When a critical UPS event, such as On Battery occurs, the following sequence is triggered.

1. PowerChute reports that the UPS is on battery.
2. After the shutdown delay configured for the On Battery event has elapsed, PowerChute issues a command to turn off the Outlet Group and the Outlet Group turn off starts.
3. PowerChute starts to shut down User VMs and vApps.
4. After 2 minutes (VM/vApp Shutdown Duration), PowerChute shuts down the vCenter Server Appliance.
5. After 240 seconds (vCSA Shutdown Duration), PowerChute shuts down Acropolis File Services and the AFS VMs.
6. After 60 seconds (AFS Shutdown Duration), PowerChute aborts any ongoing VM replications. If enabled in the Protection Domain Settings page, Metro Availability will also be disabled on your Cluster.
7. After 80 seconds (Abort Active Replications Duration), PowerChute shuts down the Nutanix Cluster.
8. After 60 seconds (Cluster Shutdown Duration), PowerChute issues a command to shut down the Controller VMs.
9. After 120 seconds (Controller VM Shutdown Duration), the VMware Hosts enter maintenance mode and are shut down sequentially if all VMs are powered off, otherwise the maintenance mode task is cancelled. The delay between placing each host into maintenance mode is the value set for Delay Maintenance Mode (30 seconds).
10. Following the 30 second delay configured for the Execute Command File after Host Shutdown option, PowerChute starts to execute the shutdown command file.
11. After the duration configured for the shutdown command file has elapsed, an additional 70 second delay is counted down before the operating system starts to shut down.

12. The Outlet Group will turn off after the Power Off Delay (configurable on the Configuration – Outlet Group page in the NMC user interface) has elapsed.

    • If registered with the Main Outlet Group, the UPS will wait for any Switched Outlet Groups to turn off before the Main Outlet Group turnoff starts.

    • If registered with a Switched Outlet Group, only that delay is counted down.

It is recommended that the Outlet Group Power Off Delay is configured to allow enough time for the operating system shutdown to complete. You should allow extra time to ensure that the Outlet Group does not turn off before the operating system.

Recommended Power-Off Delays for Outlet Groups

By default, the outlet group Power Off Delay will be the same value as the Low Battery duration configured on the NMC. PowerChute will automatically increase the Power Off Delay for the outlet group it is registered with, if  the total shutdown time it needs is greater than the Power Off Delay.

The total shutdown time includes the following values:

• VM Migration Duration

• VM/vApp Shutdown and Startup Duration

• Delay Host Maintenance Mode

• AFS Shutdown and Startup Duration

• Abort Active Replications Duration

• Cluster Shutdown and Startup Duration

• Controller VM Shutdown and Startup Duration

• Execute Command File after Host Shutdown delay

• Shutdown Command File Duration

• SSH Action Duration

• Built-in delay of 2 minutes (this consists of a 10 second OS shutdown delay and a 60 second OS shutdown duration; rounded up)

The time required to gracefully shut down your operating system is not covered by the total shutdown time, as PowerChute cannot determine how long it will take to complete. The Power Off Delay for the outlet group should be long enough for the OS to gracefully shut down. You should add extra time to allow for unforeseen circumstances. The Low Battery Duration set on the NMC should be equal to or greater than the Power Off Delay for the outlet group.