UPS and esxi where to install powerchute

[ewok2]

Hello

I have a server with Esxi 7 with some VM (freeBSD, Debian and some Ubuntu).

I just get an UPS APC BX500MI.

I was wondering how to manage the shutdown of VM and the ESXI in case of power cut?

I have seen PowerChute need to be installed

Eiter on ESXI eiter on a Linux.

First question, is it better to

- dedicate a VM to PowerChute? (in the dac it talk about vMA but it seem's old...)

- to install directly in ESXI ?

- to install in an existing Linux VM?

If the good solution is to install directly in ESXI  is there a recent how to? (when I follow the link in Vmware site I arrived on a no more existing page on schneider web site...)

Thanks

[IRIX201110141]

PCNS is available as a Appliance which then connects to your vCenter/ESXi.  If you install PCNS for Windows the agent can also connect to vCenter(ESXi?). Iam unsure if the Linux version can do the same.

If you dont like that kind of integration you can write a simple script which can be executed by any version of the Agent.

15 Years ago there was PCNS for VMware which was directly installed into the COS of ESX.

Regards,
Joerg

[ewok2]

Thanks for reply

I have installed the appliance 44.3 on ESXI.

Despite the fact that my APC BX500MI as ethernet plug, it is not a network APC. The 2 ethernet plug are only to filter the lightning...

The Data, send in case of power failure, are send with the USB plug...

It seem's that PCNS does not manage UPS on USB?

I have to install PowerChute Buisness edition but it does not exist as ESXI appliance...

=> I will install it on a Existing VM Linux

[IRIX201110141]

A BX500 is not a UPS.. its some kind of larger powerbank for a mobile user 😉

You can try to passtrough the USB which connects to the Dataport of your UPS into a VM. I dont know which PCNS have the VMware "Plugin" build in but every edition can execute a external script. This script than can shutdown the VMs or your Host.

Note.. before youre wasting more time. Controlling a ESX trough its APIs requires a payed version of ESXi. The free Hypervisor ESXi does not qualify here.

Regards,
Joerg

[ewok2]

So If I try to sumurize (As I have only one motherboard with one CPU ans ESX on it with 8 VM)  if I want to keep the free ESXi

The simple way is to passtrough the usb port to a linux VM

Install on the Linux the PowerChute Business Edition Agent on it

And when this VM detect the power supply failure it send with ssh (?) to all other VM the order to stop. And the at last connect with ssh to the esx and sut it down ?

thanks for help

[ewok2]

Hello

For the one that are in the same case :

- PowerChute Business Edition is not compatible with Back-UPS BX500MI 

- PowerChute Personal Edition is compatible with Back-UPS BX500MI but only exist on Windows

The solution is on a Linux VM use apcupsd (no need to passthrough the usb port, only attach it to the VM)

And install apcupsd on each other VM as slave. (apcupsd exist for linux and freebsd)

the only left OS to shut down is then ESXI... and It should be possible with ssh... I have to test!