XenServer and APC UPS protection

DustinB3403

Yeah.. my issue is that XS integration with USB means you either have to grant all VM's access to the device, or nothing at all.

Which is what I'd want to avoid. Having to dedicate a Windows system just to operate XC in the event of losing power, while simple, seems really stupid and expensive, not to mention dangerous has you have to have a system connected to your hosts using the root credentials through XC, but it most likely would be completely un-monitored.

XO's emergency mode is a good solution, but it requires action from an administrator.

travisdh1

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

Yeah.. my issue is that XS integration with USB means you either have to grant all VM's access to the device, or nothing at all.

Which is what I'd want to avoid. Having to dedicate a Windows system just to operate XC in the event of losing power, while simple, seems really stupid and expensive, not to mention dangerous has you have to have a system connected to your hosts using the root credentials through XC, but it most likely would be completely un-monitored.

XO's emergency mode is a good solution, but it requires action from an administrator.

Either you completely missed my point, or I wasn't very clear.

XenServer shuts down the guests for you, no need for them all to have access to the usb.

JaredBusch

@travisdh1 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

Yeah.. my issue is that XS integration with USB means you either have to grant all VM's access to the device, or nothing at all.

Which is what I'd want to avoid. Having to dedicate a Windows system just to operate XC in the event of losing power, while simple, seems really stupid and expensive, not to mention dangerous has you have to have a system connected to your hosts using the root credentials through XC, but it most likely would be completely un-monitored.

XO's emergency mode is a good solution, but it requires action from an administrator.

Either you completely missed my point, or I wasn't very clear.

XenServer shuts down the guests for you, no need for them all to have access to the usb.

Right, you tell the hypervisor to shut down. Its normal process should already be setup to handle graceful shutdown of the guests.

JaredBusch

@DustinB3403 also depending on the model of your UPS, you could go with an Raspberry Pi and either NUT or APCUPSD to monitor the UPS and send the shutdown command to XS.

DustinB3403

@travisdh1 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

Yeah.. my issue is that XS integration with USB means you either have to grant all VM's access to the device, or nothing at all.

Which is what I'd want to avoid. Having to dedicate a Windows system just to operate XC in the event of losing power, while simple, seems really stupid and expensive, not to mention dangerous has you have to have a system connected to your hosts using the root credentials through XC, but it most likely would be completely un-monitored.

XO's emergency mode is a good solution, but it requires action from an administrator.

Either you completely missed my point, or I wasn't very clear.

XenServer shuts down the guests for you, no need for them all to have access to the usb.

No I didn't miss the point, the official way to do this from Citrix is to dedicate a physical windows system. That was my point.

DustinB3403

@JaredBusch said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403 also depending on the model of your UPS, you could go with an Raspberry Pi and either NUT or APCUPSD to monitor the UPS and send the shutdown command to XS.

I considered this, but don't have any to work with.

travisdh1

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@travisdh1 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

Yeah.. my issue is that XS integration with USB means you either have to grant all VM's access to the device, or nothing at all.

Which is what I'd want to avoid. Having to dedicate a Windows system just to operate XC in the event of losing power, while simple, seems really stupid and expensive, not to mention dangerous has you have to have a system connected to your hosts using the root credentials through XC, but it most likely would be completely un-monitored.

XO's emergency mode is a good solution, but it requires action from an administrator.

Either you completely missed my point, or I wasn't very clear.

XenServer shuts down the guests for you, no need for them all to have access to the usb.

No I didn't miss the point, the official way to do this from Citrix is to dedicate a physical windows system. That was my point.

They must have a reason for it, but, why? Just, why? Is this another "Software RAID is bad" scenario from them?

DustinB3403

@travisdh1 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@travisdh1 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

Yeah.. my issue is that XS integration with USB means you either have to grant all VM's access to the device, or nothing at all.

Which is what I'd want to avoid. Having to dedicate a Windows system just to operate XC in the event of losing power, while simple, seems really stupid and expensive, not to mention dangerous has you have to have a system connected to your hosts using the root credentials through XC, but it most likely would be completely un-monitored.

XO's emergency mode is a good solution, but it requires action from an administrator.

Either you completely missed my point, or I wasn't very clear.

XenServer shuts down the guests for you, no need for them all to have access to the usb.

No I didn't miss the point, the official way to do this from Citrix is to dedicate a physical windows system. That was my point.

They must have a reason for it, but, why? Just, why? Is this another "Software RAID is bad" scenario from them?

Yeah I don't know, the ups monitoring solution is use a Windows system, install the software and connect xencenter to your servers.

DustinB3403

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@travisdh1 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@travisdh1 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

Yeah.. my issue is that XS integration with USB means you either have to grant all VM's access to the device, or nothing at all.

Which is what I'd want to avoid. Having to dedicate a Windows system just to operate XC in the event of losing power, while simple, seems really stupid and expensive, not to mention dangerous has you have to have a system connected to your hosts using the root credentials through XC, but it most likely would be completely un-monitored.

XO's emergency mode is a good solution, but it requires action from an administrator.

Either you completely missed my point, or I wasn't very clear.

XenServer shuts down the guests for you, no need for them all to have access to the usb.

No I didn't miss the point, the official way to do this from Citrix is to dedicate a physical windows system. That was my point.

They must have a reason for it, but, why? Just, why? Is this another "Software RAID is bad" scenario from them?

Yeah I don't know, the ups monitoring solution is use a Windows system, install the software and connect xencenter to your servers.

Which to me seems insane, the hypervisor should support this without the need to use a Windows system.

Although it's simple, it just seems like a poor solution.

JaredBusch

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@travisdh1 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@travisdh1 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403 said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

Yeah.. my issue is that XS integration with USB means you either have to grant all VM's access to the device, or nothing at all.

Which is what I'd want to avoid. Having to dedicate a Windows system just to operate XC in the event of losing power, while simple, seems really stupid and expensive, not to mention dangerous has you have to have a system connected to your hosts using the root credentials through XC, but it most likely would be completely un-monitored.

XO's emergency mode is a good solution, but it requires action from an administrator.

Either you completely missed my point, or I wasn't very clear.

XenServer shuts down the guests for you, no need for them all to have access to the usb.

No I didn't miss the point, the official way to do this from Citrix is to dedicate a physical windows system. That was my point.

They must have a reason for it, but, why? Just, why? Is this another "Software RAID is bad" scenario from them?

Yeah I don't know, the ups monitoring solution is use a Windows system, install the software and connect xencenter to your servers.

Which to me seems insane, the hypervisor should support this without the need to use a Windows system.

Although it's simple, it just seems like a poor solution.

Does a shutdown command to XS from an SSH session initiate the guest shutdowns?

If so, any UPS monitor tool will work because they can all initiate commands.

DustinB3403

@JaredBusch Yes SSH works to shutdown a host and guest.

BRRABill

@DustinB3403

This is what I started playing with. Have you seen this yet?

Comes with a script and everything.

https://pantsmanuk.org/2015/04/apcupsd-running-on-citrix-xenserver-7-0/

DustinB3403

@BRRABill said in XenServer and APC UPS protection:

@DustinB3403

This is what I started playing with. Have you seen this yet?

Comes with a script and everything.

https://pantsmanuk.org/2015/04/apcupsd-running-on-citrix-xenserver-7-0/

I haven't seen that, but I will definitely take a look, nice find.

DustinB3403

Here is the original article that PantsManUK converted for his installation. The article is from 2013, so it is is out of date. This is very much worth trying. If I get the chance I'll test it in my lab at home.

Quoted from with pertinent parts highlighted from

Citrix Xenserver does not include UPS / UPS services or setting options.

The Windows version:

From a host with Xencenter installed, The following command posted to shut down a VM:

Xe.exe -s <XenServer-IP> -u root -pw password vm-shutdown vm = VM name
However, why should a VM host system be dependent on another Windows host for a shutdown in case of power failure?

My conclusion: NOT recommended, if UPS can be operated directly at the Xenhost (USB, Network or Serial connection)

The Linux variant:

In Linux, the apcupsd solution is called , which is actually contained in each distribution, or can be installed by repository. Stupid only the Xenserver (stripped down CentOS) is not the case. However, it is possible to manually install and customize the RPM package from the official CentOS repository on the Xenserver. However, in order to shut down the VM guests, mail notification, message in the Xencenter, several steps, more precisely script adaptions are required.

Apcupsd at the Xenserver, an overview:

Apcupsd, Daemon from CentOS
Apcupsd.conf, customized configuration file, calls vm_shutdown.sh, log entry in Xencenter application.
Vm_shutdown.sh, Shutdown of all VM guests on the local Xenserver (only local VMs if Xenserver in pool !!)
Sendemail, package for simple SMTP sending the UPS status mails
Mailconfigs, changeme; commfailure; commok; offbattery; onbattery; sendemail.conf

Xenserver apcupsd Installation Instructions (Using Tar File):

As always, "at your own risk", the operation of a Linux host with shell commands should be common

Download the tar file to the Xenhost

Cd ~
mkdir apc
cd apc`````` wget http://www.flurweg.net/linux/xenserver/apcupsd/xenserver6_apcupsd.tar
2. Unpack files

Tar xvf xenserver6_apcupsd.tar
3. Installing apcupsd

Yum localinstall -nogpgcheck apcupsd-3.14.10-1.el5.i386.rpm
3. Error message in Xenserver version 6.2: Error: Can not find a valid base for repo: citrix

Solution: Open the /etc/yum.repos.d/Citrix.repo file and temporarily disable this repository:

[ 
Citrix ] name = XenServer 6.2.0 updates 
mirrorlist = http: //updates.vmd.citrix.com/XenServer/6.2.0/domain0/mirrorlist #baseurl 
= http: //updates.vmd.citrix.com/XenServer/ 6.2.0 / domain0 / 
gpgcheck = 1 
gpgkey = http: //updates.vmd.citrix.com/XenServer/RPM-GPG-KEY-6.2.0 
enabled = 0

Back up the existing / original configuration files

Mkdir -p /etc/apcupsd/org
cp /etc/apcupsd/ * /etc/apcupsd/org
5. Copy the new configuration files (overwrite: YES [y])

Cp -f /etc/apcupsd/ * /etc/apcupsd/
6. Customize the mail settings in /etc/apcupsd/sendemail.conf

Nano /etc/apcupsd/sendemail.conf
7. Install the Sendemail

Cp usr /bin/sendemail/usr/bin/sendmail
chmod + x /usr/bin/sendemail
8. Testing the notification via e-mail, for example. With:

Sh /etc/apcupsd/changeme
9. Customize the apcupsd.conf configuration

(The included apcupsd.conf is configured for a Smart APC-650 via USB interface)

About apcupsd:

UPS Check communication, output values:

Apcaccess
Configure APC UPS:

Apctest
However, the service has to be terminated before, (do not forget after the configuration!)

/etc/init.d/apcupsd stop
apctest
/etc/init.d/apcupsd start
Other tips:

Xenserver firewall, unblock port:

If you want to read the values of the UPS connected to the Xenserver (NISIP) from another Linux host with installed CGI-Multimon, the Xenserver firewall stands in the way. You must open Tcp Port 3551 by editing the / etc / sysconfig / iptables file, the line: "-A RH-Firewall-1-INPUT -p tcp -m tcp -dport 631 -j ACCEPT" and Reinsert it. Change the port to 3551 in this copied line:

-A RH firewall-1-INPUT -p tcp -m tcp -dport 3551 -j ACCEPT
Then restart the iptables service:

/etc/init.d/iptables restart
On the Multimon host under /etc/apcupsd/hosts.conf enter the Xenserver IP.

APCUPSD Multimon on Debian host with lighttpd:

Installation:

Apt-get install lighttpd apcupsd-cgi
CGI on lighttpd Enable web server:

Lighty-enable-mod cgi
Cgi-bin Create symlink:

Ln -s /usr/lib/cgi-bin/ /var/www/cgi-bin
Create short line with redirection:

Mkdir /var/www/apc
/var/www/apc
nano index.html
The directory /var/www/apc creates an "index.html" with the following content:

Enter the Xenserver Host into the Multimon Page in the /etc/apcupsd/hosts.conf file:

MONITOR 192.168.8.6 "Xenserver"

travisdh1

@DustinB3403 That's a lot of stuff to do rather than just fixing the /etc/yum.repos.d/CentOS-Base.repo file. The line

mirrorlist=http://mirrorlist.centos.org/?release=$releasever&arch=$basearch&repo=os&infra=$infra

needs replaced. For XS7

mirrorlist=http://mirrorlist.centos.org/?release=7&arch=x86_64&repo=os

Then you just need to run

yum --enablerepo=base install apcupsd sendmail

BRRABill

The link is more recent, because he mention XS 7.

I got acancel AARP (done, should have check by 4/13 and no mailings by 6 weeks from 3/16)I got about 50% of the way into this, and had to move on to other projects. But I really need to get back to it.