how to shutdown vCenter Server (VM) and the ESXi hosts?

[#1]

Hi all,

I met a big problem and need help. Our company will get a power outage. So we need to shutdown our server. Our server is on vSphere.

After I logged into the vSphere web client, I can get the structure like below:

- DataCenter 

     - ESXi Host 01              (esxi host) 

     - ESXi Host 02              (esxi host) 

     - VM01                          (virtual machine) 

     - VM02                          (virtual machine) 

     - AD01                          (virtual machine) 

     - AD02                          (virtual machine) 

     - vCenter Server          (virtual machine)

we have 2 exsi host (2 IBM servers) as well as other virtual machines. Virtual machines are in the same level as esxi hosts. The vCenter server is also one virtual machine.

To shutdown the whole system, my plan is to first shutdown all those VMs (including the vCenter Server VM), and then shutdown the 2 ESXi hosts. But My concern is that whether the web client is still working after I shutdown the vCenter Server VM?

I thougt vSphere web client will not working until vCenter Server is on. If this is true, then what is the correct way to shutdown the whole system?

Thanks a lot in advance.

[msripada]

You got it right.. VCenter should be up for webclient.

Correct process would be, you can shutdown VM1 and VM2 from vCenter webclient.

Connect to the ESXi hosts directly (https://<ip or FQDN of ESXi host>/ from browser and shutdown AD machines and vCenter server (prefer shutdown first compare to AD) from ESXi host.

Once all the VMs are off completely.. you can shutdown the ESXi hosts.

Thanks,

MS

[larjia]

Thanks a lot for your quicky reply!

I still have a few questions. Could you help me?

1. Our vSphere structure is like below. As I understand, I should:

- shutdown other VMs through vSphere web client

- then connect to Esxi host directly to shutdown the AD and vCenter Server

Is this correct?

2. Is the FQDN of ESXi Host like "esxservername.xxxx.com" as shown on above picture?

I tried to connect by https://<FQDN of ESXi host>. I got below login screen.

Does loging into this page mean I am connecting to the Esxi host directly?

3. After I logged into the Esxi host, is it a web based UI, or it is a linux command console?

    If it is linux command console, which command which I use to shutdown the AD Vm and vCenter Sever inside the Esxi host?

4. When the web client will be available after the Esxi host power is ON?

    Once the power is on, then I login into Esxi host direclty again and start AD Vm and vCenter Server. At this time, will the vSphere web client be available for visit again?

Thanks a lot in advance!

[msripada]

Yes the web based console in step 2 is directly connecting to the ESXi host and it is UI based and not command line..

Yes, Once the ESXi host is powered on succesfully, you can connect to the ESXi host and power on the AD and vcenters to bring back to normal and power on VMs manually from ESXi host

Thanks,

MS

[larjia]

Hi MS,

Your answere is very helpful!!!

Thanks a lot for your reply.