VMware Shutdown - HA Cluster

In the following examples, a VMware HA Cluster is protected by a Single, Redundant or Parallel UPS configuration. vCenter Server is running on a virtual machine.

Recommended Deployment

PowerChute can run on a VM in the HA cluster (either installed on the vMA or deployed as a virtual appliance) or be installed on a physical Windows machine outside the cluster. The vCenter Server account configured in PowerChute Network Shutdown must have Administrator permissions on vCenter Server and on each of the ESXi hosts being managed by PowerChute. This can be an Active Directory account or a local user account. For more information see Active Directory VMware Configuration.

Example 1: vCenter Server is running on a VM; PowerChute is installed on a physical Windows machine

• VM & vApp Shutdown enabled with a 120 second delay (i.e. 120 seconds allocated for each action to complete).
• The option to turn off the UPS or Outlet Group is enabled.
• A shutdown command file has been configured with a 120 second duration.

When a critical UPS event, such as UPS on Battery occurs the following sequence is triggered:

Shutdown Sequence

1. PowerChute reports that the UPS is on battery.

2. Shutdown delay for the On Battery event elapses. PowerChute sends a command to turn off the UPS or Outlet Group.

3. PowerChute starts a maintenance mode task on each Host and then starts VM/vApp shutdown.

4. VM/vApp shutdown durations elapse.

5. PowerChute gracefully shuts down the vCenter Server VM.

6. vCenter VM shutdown duration elapses. PowerChute starts executing the shutdown command file.

7. Shutdown command file duration elapses and PowerChute gracefully shuts down the VMware hosts that are not running the vCenter Server VM.

8. PowerChute shuts down the VMware Host running the vCenter Server VM.

9. OS shutdown sequence starts on the PowerChute physical machine.

10. After a 70 second delay the OS starts to shut down.

11. UPS waits for the duration that is greatest of Low Battery Duration/Maximum Required Delay (Non-Outlet Aware UPS's) or the Outlet Group Power Off Delay.

12. UPS turns off after the user-configurable Shutdown Delay time has elapsed or the Outlet Group turns off after the power off Delay elapses.

Example 2: Both vCenter Server and PowerChute are running on Virtual Machines

• VM & vApp Shutdown enabled with a 120 second delay (i.e. 120 seconds allocated for each action to complete)
• The option to turn off the UPS or Outlet Group is enabled
• A shutdown command file has been configured with a 120 second duration

When a critical UPS event, such as UPS on Battery occurs the following sequence is triggered:

Shutdown Sequence

1. PowerChute reports that the UPS is on battery.

2. Shutdown delay for the On Battery event elapses. PowerChute sends a command to turn off the UPS or Outlet Group.

3. PowerChute starts a maintenance mode task on each host and then starts VM/vApp shutdown.

4. VM/vApp shutdown durations elapse.

5. PowerChute gracefully shuts down the vCenter Server VM.

6. vCenter VM shutdown duration elapses. PowerChute starts executing the shutdown command file.

7. Shutdown command file duration elapses and PowerChute gracefully shuts down the VMware hosts that are not running the vCenter Server or PowerChute VM.

8. PowerChute shuts down the VMware host running vCenter Server VM followed by the host running PowerChute VM.

   Note: The Maintenance mode task is cancelled for the Host running PowerChute so HA can attempt to restart the PowerChute VM when its host is powered back on.

9. UPS waits for the duration that is greatest of Low Battery Duration/Maximum Required Delay Non-Outlet Aware UPS's or the Outlet Group Power Off Delay.

10. UPS turns off after the user-configurable Shutdown Delay time has elapsed or the Outlet Group turns off after the power off Delay elapses.

VMware setups with multiple Clusters or Datacenters

If PowerChute is deployed as a virtual appliance we recommend deploying one PowerChute Agent per cluster if your setup has multiple clusters.

In environments where there are multiple clusters or datacenters you can use one copy of PowerChute installed on a physical Windows machine to monitor your hosts. PowerChute should be installed on multiple machines if the datacenters/clusters contain hosts that are in different geographical locations.