VMware Shutdown - VM Prioritization - Single UPS Configuration

In this example, there are two VMware hosts, a vCenter Server and a storage array being powered by a single UPS. PowerChute is installed on the vCenter Server machine outside the cluster. VM Prioritization is enabled and VMs/vApps are prioritized into High, Medium, Low, Group 1, Group 2 priority groups.

The following shutdown sequence occurs when the shutdown action is enabled for the On Battery event.

  1. The UPS has been running on Battery power for x number of seconds. PowerChute starts a maintenance mode task on each protected host.

  2. PowerChute begins to shut down the VMs and vApps on VMware hosts A and B in the order in which they are prioritized:

    First, the un-prioritized VMs/vApps are shut down sequentially. As the duration for un-prioritized VMs/vApps elapses, the Group 2 VMs/vApps are shut down, followed by Group 1 priority VMs/vApps, then Low priority VMs/vApps, and Medium priority VMs/vApps, and finally the High priority VMs/vApps are shut down. PowerChute sends a shutdown command to all VMs/vApps in each priority group at the same time. The VMs/vApps within each priority group are not shut down in a particular order.

  3. PowerChute runs the shutdown command file or SSH action and issues a command to turn off the UPS, if configured.
  4. After the shutdown command file or SSH action duration has elapsed, PowerChute shuts down the VMware hosts.
  5. PowerChute shuts down the vCenter Server Machine.


VMware Shutdown - VM Prioritization - Advanced UPS Configuration

In this example, separate UPS devices are powering the physical PowerChute server, and 3 VMware hosts in the cluster.

In this example, separate UPS devices are powering two VMware hosts: the vCenter Server and a storage array. PowerChute is installed on the vCenter Server machine and is monitoring all UPS’s. VM Prioritization is enabled and VMs/vApps are prioritized into High, Medium, Low, Group 1, Group 2 priority groups.

In an advanced UPS configuration in PowerChute v5.2, all Cluster Hosts must be part of the same UPS setup and Execute Virtualization Shutdown on Hosts in all UPS Setups should be enabled on the PowerChute host or physical UPS group (if PowerChute is installed on physical Windows machine) when vSphere Cluster Services (vCLS) is present.

If a critical event occurs on UPS #2 protecting the VMware cluster, all of the hosts in the cluster will be shut down and no VM migration or VM prioritization will take place.

Critical event on UPS #2: Option to shut down virtual hosts is enabled for this UPS. VM Migration and VM Prioritization are enabled.

  1. UPS #2 goes on battery.
  2. A UPS critical event is triggered for Host A and PowerChute starts a maintenance mode task on Host A.
  3. PowerChute migrates the VMs to healthy Host B, in order of prioritization:

  4. As sequenced VM Migration is enabled for priority groups, VM migration begins. First the High priority group VMs migrate, in parallel. When all High priority group VMs have migrated, the Medium priority VMs migrate in parallel, followed by the Low priority group, Group 1 and Group 2, and finally the un-prioritized VMs migrate.

  5. As VM migration duration elapses, any VMs that have not been migrated will be shut down in the VM Shutdown sequence, in the order in which they are prioritized:


    First, the un-prioritized VMs/vApps are shut down sequentially. As the duration for un-prioritized VMs/vApps elapses, the Group 2 VMs/vApps are shut down, followed by Group 1 priority VMs/vApps, then Low priority VMs/vApps, and Medium priority VMs/vApps, and finally the High priority VMs/vApps are shut down. PowerChute sends a shutdown command to all VMs/vApps in each priority group at the same time. The VMs/vApps within each priority group are not shut down in a particular order.

  6. After the shutdown command file or SSH action duration has elapsed, PowerChute shuts down Host A.