vSphere Management Appliance (vMA) and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

[rudycapp]

Hello everybody,

I have a problem regarding the choice of an UPS managing our ESXi servers.

All of them that I have seen, use the vMA to send network shutdown commands to the ESXi server and gracefully shutdown all virtual machines and then the ESXi itself.

For security reasons I cannot use the VMware vMA installed on the ESXi, and as well I cannot use SSH to send shutdown commands via scripts to the ESXi, also with a direct USB connection instead of a network connection.

It is a big problem, but has somebody experienced that problem and found a good UPS that doesn't use vMA or a working solution ?

Thanks in advance

[fabio1975]

Ciao 

I use APC UPS with PowerChute Network Shutdown

PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.3 (64-bit systems only) - APC USA

[rudycapp]

Hi Fabio,

APC PowerChute is a good solution, but unfortunately it uses VMware vMA.

Thanks

[fabio1975]

CIao 

No PowerChute network shutdown does not require the vMA, it interfaces directly with the vCenter and with ESXi. Requires a Windows VM or a physical windows server on which to install the package and communicates with the network with the UPS and with the VMware environment

PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.4.1 - VMware User Guide (schneider-electric.com)

[rudycapp]

Hello Fabio,

this is wonderful, can I ask you how did you connect your UPS to the ESXi server? Using an USB direct connection or the network card? It is required to enable the SSH protocol on the ESXi to get PowerChute working if I need to connect the UPS only to one ESXi server (without vCenter Server) ?

Thanks

Rodolfo

[fabio1975]

Ciao 

The connection between the Powerchute application, the ESXi host (or the vCenter) and the UPS takes place via the network (therefore the UPS must have the management network card installed, it is not always included in the UPS).

You can also manage individual ESXi nodes (I've always used it for managing infrastructures with vCenter) and communication takes place by creating users on ESXi with specific permissions (ssh is not necessary).

[rudycapp]

Ciao Fabio,

this is a very good news, I think exactly what I was looking for to manage our ESXi servers individually.

Thanks a lot for the info