VMware: UPS with Outlet Groups

Example 1: Turn off the Outlet Group enabled, no shutdown command file configured.

PowerChute is installed on a physical machine outside the cluster, configured for a Single/Redundant UPS configuration with several VMware Hosts in a HA cluster. The option to Turn off the Outlet Group is enabled on the Shutdown settings page. No Shutdown command file is configured. Host Maintenance Mode is disabled. VM/ vApp Shutdown is enabled with 240 second delay configured.

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 UPS outlet group and the outlet group turn off starts.
3. PowerChute starts a Maintenance mode task on the VMware Hosts and starts to shut down VMs and vApps.
4. After 4 minutes (VM/vApp Shutdown Duration = 240), VMware Hosts enter Maintenance mode if all VMs are powered off, otherwise the Maintenance mode task is cancelled. PowerChute issues commands to shut down the VMware hosts.
5. PowerChute issues the operating system shutdown command.
6. After a 70 second delay, the operating system on the physical machine running PowerChute starts to shut down.
7. 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 several VMware Hosts in a HA cluster. The option to Turn off the Outlet Group is enabled on the Shutdown settings page. A shutdown command file is configured. Host Maintenance Mode is disabled. VM/ vApp Shutdown is enabled with 240 second delay configured.

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 sends a command to turn off the outlet group and the outlet group turnoff starts.
3. PowerChute starts a Maintenance mode task on the VMware Hosts and starts to shut down VMs and vApps.
4. After 4 minutes (VM/vApp Shutdown Duration = 240), PowerChute starts to execute the shutdown command file.
5. VMware Hosts enter Maintenance mode if all VMs are powered off, otherwise the Maintenance mode task is cancelled. After the duration configured for the shutdown command file has elapsed, PowerChute issues commands to shut down the VMware hosts.
6. An additional 70 second delay is counted down before the operating system starts to shut down.
7. 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 turn off 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 shutdown command file and 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 several VMware Hosts in a HA cluster. The option to Turn off the Outlet Group is enabled on the Shutdown settings page. A shutdown command file is configured. Execute Command File after Host Shutdown is enabled, with a delay of 30 seconds applied. Host Maintenance Mode is disabled. VM/ vApp Shutdown is enabled with 240 second delay configured.

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 sends a command to turn off the outlet group and the outlet group turnoff starts.
3. PowerChute starts a Maintenance mode task on the VMware Hosts and starts to shut down VMs and vApps.
4. After 4 minutes (VM/vApp Shutdown Duration = 240), VMware Hosts enter Maintenance mode if all VMs are powered off, otherwise the Maintenance mode task is cancelled. PowerChute issues commands to shut down the VMware hosts.
5. Following the 30 second delay configured for the Execute Command File after Host Shutdown option, PowerChute starts to execute the shutdown command file.
6. 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.
7. 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 turn off 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 shutdown command file and 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 4: Turn off the UPS enabled, vCLS VMs in cluster, 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 several VMware Hosts in a HA cluster. The option to Turn off the Outlet Group is enabled on the Shutdown settings page. A shutdown command file is configured. Execute Command File after Host Shutdown is enabled, with a delay of 30 seconds applied. Host Maintenance Mode is disabled. VM/ vApp Shutdown is enabled with 240 second delay configured. vCLS VMs are detected in the cluster, and the Disable vSphere Cluster Services (vCLS) Duration is 180 seconds. The Disable HA on Shutdown checkbox is selected with a duration of 20 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 UPS. UPS turnoff starts.
3. PowerChute disables vSphere Cluster Services (vCLS) and High Availability (HA) on the cluster.
4. After 3 minutes and 20 seconds (Disable vSphere Cluster Services (vCLS) Duration = 180, Disable HA Duration = 20), PowerChute starts a Maintenance mode task on the VMware Hosts and starts to shut down VMs and vApps.
5. After 4 minutes (VM/vApp Shutdown Duration = 240), VMware hosts enter Maintenance mode if all VMs are powered off, otherwise the Maintenance mode task is cancelled. PowerChute issues commands to shut down the VMware hosts.
6. Following the 30 second delay configured for the Execute Command File after Host Shutdown option, PowerChute starts to execute the shutdown command file.
7. 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.
8. 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 turn off 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 shutdown command file and 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 delay

• VM Shutdown and Startup Delays

• vApp Shutdown and Startup Delays

• Delay Host Maintenance Mode

• Disable vSphere Cluster Services (vCLS) Duration

• vSAN Recovery Duration

• Disable HA Duration

• vSAN Synchronization Duration (for vSAN configurations)

• 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.