Configure virtual machine shutdown on standalone VMware ESX and ESXi hosts protected by PowerChute.

Issue:
How to configure Virtual Machines to shut down when a standalone ESXi host is commanded to shut down by PowerChute.

Product Line:
PowerChute Network Shutdown
PowerChute Business Edition

Environment:
VMware ESX and ESXi

Cause:
Informational

Solution:
You can use the "Virtual Machine Startup/Shutdown" feature of ESXi and ESX to gracefully shutdown VMs when the host is commanded to shut down. VMware tools must be installed on each VM.

To configure VMs to shut down with the host:

For VMware ESXi host 5.x:

1. Log in to the ESXi host via the vSphere client. On the Configuration tab and under Software, select "Virtual Machine Startup/Shutdown"
2. Click on Properties
3. Enable the option "Allow Virtual Machines to start and stop automatically with the system"
4. Change the Shutdown Action to "Guest Shutdown"
5. Use Startup Order to specify the order in which the VMs are shut down and started
6. Click OK to accept the changes.

Note: The Virtual Machine Startup/Shutdown feature is deliberately disabled for hosts that are part of a High Availability (HA) Cluster.

For VMware ESXi hosts 6.5, 6.7, 7.0.x
1 - Log into the ESXi host web interface
2 - Select Manage, Autostart


3 - Select Edit settings

4 - Select a VM and click Actions


5 - Select Autostart, Enable to enable auotstart for the VM


6 - Once all of the required VMs have been enable you will see the Autostart order. The shut down order is the reverse of the start order. The first VM started will be the last VM shut down.


7 - To arrange the VMs in a specific order select the VM, click Actions, Autostart, and select Start earlier or Start later.


Please review VMware knowledge base document for assistance with ESXi 6.5 and above. https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.5/com.vmware.vsphere.vm_admin.doc/GUID-5FE08AC7-4486-438E-AF88-80D6C7928810.html

PowerChute Business Edition is not supported in a HA environment and is not supported on VMware ESXi 6.7 or 7.0.x
PowerChute Network Shutdown version 3.1 and above supports HA environments. For help on how to configure PowerChute Network Shutdown in a HA environment please review Application Note 180 or the VMware User Guide.

For assistance with installing and configured PowerChute Network Shutdown on VMware see Schneider Electric FAQ Video: How to install, deploy, and configure PowerChute Network Shutdown virtual appliance onto VMware.

Released for:APC Australia