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9 Replies Last post: Sep 4, 2008 5:55 PM by tosi_0083  

ESXi and UPS? posted: May 20, 2008 2:51 AM

Click to view HenrikElm's profile Hot Shot
HenrikElm
352 posts since
Aug 26, 2005

How should we plan with using UPSs with ESXi? As there is no SC to install any UPS agents that can shutdown servers/hosts etc, how is UPS/Power to be handled in an ESXi-based world?

Best regards

Henrik

Tags: esx3i, 3i, esxi

Re: ESXi and UPS?

1. May 20, 2008 4:06 PM in response to: HenrikElm
Click to view Dave.Mishchenko's profile Guru
Dave.Mishchen…
8,948 posts since
Nov 15, 2005
You could
1) Install the agent in the RCLI VM appliance and then have it shutdown the host (i.e. it would function pretty much like the service console does today).
2) Install the RCLI Windows package on your VC server and then have the UPS agent run a script which shuts down your host.

Re: ESXi and UPS?

2. May 21, 2008 10:26 AM in response to: Dave.Mishchen…
Click to view HenrikElm's profile Hot Shot
HenrikElm
352 posts since
Aug 26, 2005

Hello!

Option 2 seems best to me in this case. What would be the command/syntax to shut down VMs and the hosts in a clean fashion? I can not seem to fins a suitable esxcfg-* command for that? I am very new to commandline work with ESX, so it may well be there, just that I dont know how to specify it..

Best regards

Henrik

Re: ESXi and UPS?

3. Aug 15, 2008 5:04 PM in response to: Dave.Mishchen…
Click to view Berndt's profile Lurker
Berndt
2 posts since
Aug 9, 2008
have I got it right that both options require a physical host other than esxi that I connect my UPS to? If not how will the agent be informed of current outage? ESX(i) doesn't pass through usb devices, does it?

Re: ESXi and UPS?

4. Aug 22, 2008 10:39 AM in response to: Berndt
Click to view gi-minni's profile Enthusiast
gi-minni
48 posts since
Mar 22, 2006
Not necessarily, you can install the UPS agent into a virtual machine and connect the UPS via ip-address.If an UPS shutdown event occures, you can execute a vmcontrol.pl
command to the datacenter of your ESX3i server to shutdown immediately every running VM.
I am using the Linux apcupsd agent for APC Smart-UPS devices connected via the Web/SNMP management card.
Vmcontrol.pl ist part of the vi perl toolkit , please install it first and don't forget to connect your ethernet switch to your UPS receptacle.

Please keep in mind that ESX3i currently cannot connect the host serial port to a virtual machine or use any USB based UPS protocols.

Here the command:vmcontrol.pl --server <esxserver> --username <esxroot> --password <esxpasswd> --operation shutdown --datacenter ha-datacenter

Re: ESXi and UPS?

5. Aug 30, 2008 2:47 PM in response to: gi-minni
Click to view Berndt's profile Lurker
Berndt
2 posts since
Aug 9, 2008

Good point when using a APC > 3000 (network support). Will use this at our production site, thanks a lot!

For my home env this thread hides some possible solutions, in particular the belkin looks nice (EUR 70): http://communities.vmware.com/thread/77230?tstart=0&start=15 A pity there's no linux support for the cheap way.

ng, Berndt

Re: ESXi and UPS?

6. Sep 1, 2008 7:28 AM in response to: gi-minni
Click to view trxman's profile Novice
trxman
16 posts since
Aug 1, 2008
does this mean that all VMs would be shuted down cleanly?

Re: ESXi and UPS?

7. Sep 1, 2008 7:41 AM in response to: gi-minni
Click to view depping's profile Champion
depping
2,997 posts since
Jan 17, 2005
gi-minny, that's a cool solution!

Duncan
My virtualisation blog:
http://www.yellow-bricks.com

If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".

Re: ESXi and UPS?

8. Sep 1, 2008 10:28 AM in response to: trxman
Click to view RParker's profile Champion
RParker
5,270 posts since
Dec 6, 2006

does this mean that all VMs would be shuted down cleanly?

Only if you enable automatic shutdown / poweron of your VM's, and enabled your VM's in autostart. As the ESX host shuts down and this feature is activated, then the VM's will shutdown by script before the ESX host completely shuts down.

The problem with this is depending on your server, this can take longer in most cases than your UPS has battery.

Re: ESXi and UPS?

9. Sep 4, 2008 5:55 PM in response to: RParker
Click to view tosi_0083's profile Lurker
tosi_0083
3 posts since
Sep 4, 2008
I am Employee of Agency of ups Manufacturer,"nishiyama-denki corporation",japan.

I tried to Establishment of method "esx3i guestos & host shutdown".

The verification environment is constructed from two esx3i server & one virtual center installed server.

to shutdown, needs to install remote-cli and use remote-cli command,
then synchronizes ups software.

I have solution of ups shutdown,but it is Complexity When thinking about operation.
It is necessary to change according to the situation.

I am requesting correspondence to the manufacturer of japan ups.

if you are japan corporation,please contact with me.

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