HP UPS Management Module Installation

and Configuration Guidelines for VMware

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 2
Procedure overview .......................................................................................................................... 2
VMware ESX hardware configuration options ......................................................................................... 3
UPS directly connected to multiple VMware ESX servers........................................................................ 4
UPS directly connected to a single VMware ESX server ......................................................................... 5
UPS directly connected to a single VMware ESX server and a SAN ....................................................... 6
HP power software components............................................................................................................. 7
Installing the HPMM ......................................................................................................................... 7
Installing the agents .......................................................................................................................... 7
Configuring VMware ESX settings.......................................................................................................... 8
Configuring the HPMM ...................................................................................................................... 11
HP/VMware startup strategy ............................................................................................................... 16
SDScript file modification example....................................................................................................... 17
Summary .......................................................................................................................................... 17
For more information .......................................................................................................................... 18
Introduction
The HP UPS Management Module (HPMM) 2.x or later software components can be installed in a
VMware ESX environment to perform a graceful shutdown of the host server and guest operating
systems. In the event of a power failure:
1. The HPMM receives power failure information from the UPS.
2. The HPMM executes a shutdown command to the VMware Service Console on which the UPS
Power Protection Linux Agent is installed.
3. The VMware Service Console shuts down the guest operating systems on each VMware server.
4. The VMware environment shuts down.
For a complete list of supported VMware ESX versions, see
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantstorage/power-
protection/software/module/ups/sup_oss.html.

Procedure overview
1. Install and configure the HP Management Module in the UPS.
2. Install and configure the HP UPS Power Protection Linux Agent on the VMware Service Console.
3. Configure the VMware guest operating system start up and shutdown settings.
4. Configure the HP Management Module power fail settings.

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Figure 1. Virtual infrastructure

Item Description

1—4 Guest operating systems

5 Service Console layer

6 VMware Virtualization layer

7 Central processing unit (CPU)

8 Memory

9 Disk

10 Network interface controller

VMware ESX hardware configuration options

This paper addresses three basic hardware configurations:
• UPS directly connected to multiple VMware ESX servers
• UPS directly connected to a single VMware ESX server
• UPS directly connected to a single VMware ESX server and a storage area network (SAN)

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UPS directly connected to multiple VMware ESX servers
In this configuration, install the HPMM UPS Power Protection Linux Agent on each VMware server on
the Service Console layer. The UPS has an HPMM installed.

Figure 2. UPS directly connected to multiple VMware ESX servers

Item Description

1 Virtual Console machine

2—3 VMware servers—The HPMM UPS Power Protection Linux Agent is installed on the Service
Console layer.

4 UPS—The HPMM is installed.

—— Network cables

=== Power cables

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UPS directly connected to a single VMware ESX server
In this configuration, install the HPMM UPS Power Protection Linux Agent on each VMware server on
the Service Console layer. Each UPS has an HPMM installed.

Figure 3. UPS directly connected to a single VMware ESX server

Item Description

1 Virtual Console machine

2 VMware servers—The HPMM UPS Power Protection Linux Agent is installed on the Service
Console layer.

3 UPSs—The HPMM is installed.

—— Network cables

=== Power cables

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UPS directly connected to a single VMware ESX server and a SAN
In this configuration, install the HPMM UPS Power Protection Linux Agent on each VMware server on
the Service Console layer. Each UPS has an HPMM installed.

Figure 4. UPS directly connected to a single VMware ESX server and a SAN

Item Description

1 Virtual Console machine

2 VMware servers—The HPMM UPS Power Protection Linux Agent is installed on the Service
Console layer.

3 SAN with guest operating systems

4 UPSs—The HPMM is installed.

—— Network cables

=== Power cables

NOTE:
To configure logical drives to host virtual machine guest operating systems,
see your SAN documentation.

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HP power software components
Before installing the software components, be sure that the UPS is properly cabled to the virtual
machine.

Installing the HPMM

One HPMM is needed for each UPS in the configuration.
Specific features of the HPMM include:
• Controlling security and authentication.
• Performing specified actions when alarms are set or cleared.
• Performing a graceful, remote shutdown of the guest operating systems and the VMware server
after a specified delay.
• Maintaining event logs.
For detailed installation instructions, see the HP UPS Management Module User Guide located on the
HP website at http://www.hp.com/go/rackandpower.

Installing the agents

One HPMM UPS Power Protection Linux Agent is needed for each VMware server in the
configuration.

IMPORTANT:
• The HPMM only supports VMware using the UPS Power Protection
Linux Agent.
• The agent must only be installed on the Service Console layer.

The HPMM provides both status and shutdown information to its agents. The HPMM UPS Power
Protection Linux Agent allows the HPMM to gracefully shut down the guest operating systems and the
VMware server and run an optional script during a power failure. Install the Linux agent on any
VMware server that is powered by the UPS and any server that the HPMM uses to initiate a
command.
Install the HPMM UPS Power Protection Linux Agent on the Service Console layer of the VMware
servers in your configuration, as necessary. For detailed installation instructions, see the “Installing the
agent on a Linux operating system” section of the HP UPS Management Module User Guide located
on the HP website at http://www.hp.com/go/rackandpower.

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Configuring VMware ESX settings
For each VMware server in your configuration, you must configure the startup and shutdown settings
for each guest operating system.

Note:
Depending on your VMware ESX version, the steps and screens described
in this section might vary.

You can configure the automatic startup and shutdown properties, as well as the delay settings for the
guest operating systems. The startup and shutdown settings are associated with the VMware server
configuration and can only be changed using the vSphere application on the Virtual Console
machine.
To configure the VMware settings:
1. In the Inventory panel, select the VMware server.

Click the Configuration tab, and then click Virtual Machine Startup/Shutdown in the left frame
under the Software section.
The Virtual Machine Startup and Shutdown settings window appears.

Figure 5. Virtual Machine Startup and Shutdown settings window

2. Click Properties in the upper right corner.

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 The Virtual Machine Startup and Shutdown properties window appears.

Figure 6. Virtual Machine Startup and Shutdown properties window

3. Select the Allow virtual machines to start and stop automatically with the system checkbox.
4. To have the operating system start after a brief delay, enter a Default Startup Delay time. The
startup delay allows time for VMware Tools or the booting system to run scripts.
5. To delay shutdown for each virtual machine by a certain amount of time, enter a Default Shutdown
Delay value. The shutdown delay only applies if the virtual machine does not shut down before the
delay period elapses. If the virtual machine shuts down before the delay time is reached, the next
virtual machine starts shutting down.

IMPORTANT:
Careful consideration should be used when configuring shutdown delays in
VMware. These delays are in addition to the shutdown time configured in
HPMM. For simplicity, HP recommends that the VMware shutdown delay
be set to zero. You can use the delay time on the HPMM menu to manage
delayed shutdown time.

6. Select a virtual machine and click Move Up and Move Down to specify the order in which the
virtual machines start when the system starts.
7. To configure specific automatic startup and shutdown behavior for the virtual machines, select a
virtual machine, and then click Edit.
a. In the Startup Settings section, do one of the following:
– Select Use default.
– Select Use specified settings, enter a Startup Delay time in seconds, and then select or clear
the Continue immediately if the VMware Tools start checkbox.
b. In the Shutdown Settings section, select Use specified settings, enter a Shutdown Delay time in
seconds, and then select a shutdown action from the Perform shutdown action list menu.

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IMPORTANT:
Careful consideration should be used when configuring shutdown delays in
VMware. These delays are in addition to the shutdown time configured in
HPMM. For simplicity, HP recommends that the VMware shutdown delay
be set to zero. You can use the delay time on the HPMM menu to manage
delayed shutdown time.

CAUTION:
You must enter a time value in the Shutdown Delay field when you change
the shutdown action or you cannot save the changes. If you change the
shutdown action setting from outside the vSphere Client, the changes are
only reflected in the Autostart Settings manager if the shutdown delay is a
nonnegative value.

c. Click OK to accept the changes to the automatic startup and shutdown settings of the selected
virtual machine.
8. Click OK to accept the changes to the startup and shutdown settings of the VMware server.

Figure 7. Virtual Machine Startup and Shutdown settings window

9. Repeat steps 1-8 for each guest operating system.

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Configuring the HPMM
After the HPMM and its software components are installed:
1. Open a browser to the IP address of the Service Console on which the HPMM is installed:

https://ipaddress

The Login screen appears.

2. Log in to the HPMM with a user name and password. The default credentials are admin/admin.
After a successful login, the Overview screen appears.

Note:
Depending on the specific UPS model, this screen will vary.

Figure 8. Overview screen

3. Click the Setup tab, and then select Attached Devices in the left navigation frame.

The Attached Devices screen appears. The estimated UPS runtime appears at the top of the screen.
The total time required to shut down the entire UPS is recalculated when attached devices are
added, deleted, or modified. This time is determined by the single largest time necessary to shut
down a device attached to the UPS.

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IMPORTANT:
Be sure that the time listed as Shutdown Time for Entire UPS includes
enough time to gracefully shutdown each guest operating system and the
VMware server.

Note:
Depending on the specific UPS model, this screen will vary.

Figure 9. Attached Devices screen

4. Click Add New Device.

The Add / Edit Attached Device screen appears.

Note:
Depending on the specific UPS model, this screen will vary.

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Figure 10. Add / Edit Attached Device screen

5. On the Edit/Delete Device screen:

a. Enter the VMware server name or description in the Description field.
b. Select the type of device in the Type dropdown box:
– Remote Agent—Select Remote Agent when communicating with an agent through a
network connection.
– Serial Agent—Select Serial Agent when communicating with an agent through a serial
connection.
– Storage Device—Select Storage Device when attaching a shared hard disk storage device
to a UPS load segment. Storage devices have the longest runtime so servers accessing this
device can save data before shutting down.
– Other Device—Select Other Device for any unmanaged device, such as a router or hub.
Unmanaged devices are either on or off and are not shut down gracefully.
c. If output power is supplied by controllable load segments, select the load segment to which
the device is attached in the Load dropdown box. Depending on your UPS model, the
number of available load segments varies.
d. If the device type is Remote Agent, enter the IP address of the machine that hosts the agent in
the IP Address field.
-or-
If the device type is Serial Agent, select the serial connector on the management module to
which the agent is connected in the Management Module Serial Port dropdown box.
e. To run an optional command during a utility power failure, select the Run Command
Procedure (SDScript)? checkbox. For more information about SDScripts, see the HP UPS
Management Module User Guide located on the HP website at
http://www.hp.com/go/rackandpower.

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 f. Select the Run Event Procedure checkbox to execute the event handling script on the server on
which the agent is installed and running. While the SDScript executes during a shutdown
event, the EVScript executes during a UPS event. You can modify the script content to enable
actions such as logging events in the system log and sending messages to a recipient.
g. Enter the total estimated time required to shut down the VMware server. This should be the
longest guest operating system shutdown time plus the time needed to shut down the VMware
Service Console.
h. Enter the estimated time required to run shutdown commands in the Execute Command field.
i. Click Save Changes to save the changes.
6. Click Power Fail in the left navigation frame.

The Basic tab on the Power Fail screen appears.

Note:
Depending on the specific UPS model, some features might not be
supported. The screen shown is only an example.

Figure 11. Basic tab on the Power Fail screen

7. Use the Basic tab on the Power Fail Settings screen to configure the power fail settings.
8. Select the Advanced tab.

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 The Advanced tab on the Power Fail screen appears.

Figure 12. Advanced tab on the Power Fail screen

9. Use the Advanced tab on the Power Fail Settings screen to configure the advanced power fail
settings.

Important:
If you are using the advanced power fail settings, be sure to select the
advanced radio button on the Basic tab to activate the advanced settings.

10. Click Save Settings.

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HP/VMware startup strategy

Figure 13. Startup strategy

UPS startup
UPS on

Load segments turned on

VMware/HPMM
VMware startup

VM1

VM2

VM3

*Delay VM4

*Virtual machines are started in staggered mode to avoid CPU and disk
input/output contention.

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SDScript file modification example
If the virtual machines do not shut down before the VMware server shuts down, you might receive the
following warning:
Stopping VMware ESX Server services:
mkload_mod PANIC: vmfs3: Device or resource busy
To ensure that the virtual machines are properly shut down, you can modify the SDScript. For
example, to shut down a VMware ESX 3.0.1 server with one Microsoft® Windows® 2003 virtual
machine and one Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0 virtual machine, enter the following:
echo "Shutdown script has been executed." | wall

echo "PLEASE WAIT WHILE THE VIRTUAL MACHINES ARE BEING SHUT DOWN" | wall

/usr/bin/vmware-cmd /vmfs/volumes/47c2ce23-bad20214-7e49-
0016353ce250/Win\2K3\R2\SP2/Win\2K3\R2\SP2.vmx stop

/usr/bin/vmware-cmd /vmfs/volumes/47c2ce23-bad20214-7e49-
0016353ce250/RHEL4\U5/RHEL4\U5.vmx stop

Summary
This paper has detailed how the UPS, VMware ESX, and virtual machines can be configured to
interact during power failures. To configure additional settings, see the HP UPS Management Module
User Guide located on the HP website at http://www.hp.com/go/rackandpower.

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 For more information
To learn more about the HP UPS Management Module, see the HP website at
http://www.hp.com/go/rackandpower.

To learn more about VMware, see the HP website at http://www.hp.com/go/vmware.

© Copyright 2008, 2010 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The

information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only
warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty
statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be
construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical
or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

Microsoft and Windows are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

507000-002, March 2010