UPS Shutdown

[Michelle Logan]

Hello everyone, it has been a while since I have had to ask a question, been lurking and learning, but we have started playing around with a FM server and I have a question about shutting down a server with UPS software.

If the battery runs down, the software that comes with our UPS will do a shutdown of our server. If the UPS shuts down the server is that a bad thing?

I would think that the FM server software is still running and needs to be stopped before the shutdown.

Thanks again for the help from this forum!

Michelle

[Vaughan]

If the UPS shuts down the server is that a bad thing? I would think that the FM server software is still running and needs to be stopped before the shutdown.

Yes indeed you're correct. Shutting the server down while the databases are open can cause file corruption.

Most UPS software has an option to run OS level scripts. A script can be written to close the open applications and get the server ready to be shut down. In the case of FMS the script could give database users 2 minutes warning, then disconnect the users and close the files. FMS has command line instructions to perform all of these tasks.

Obviously UPS runtime needs to be allowed for this to happen, it could take upwards of 15 minutes to complete. (This is why cheap UPS units that offer just 5 minutes on batteries are practically useless for production systems.) Also, you don't want this process to begin every time the UPS kicks in, so the UPS software can be configured to run the script after, say, 10 minutes on backup.

Note that the once the UPS has kept the machine up long enough to disconnect the users and close the files then its job is done. Some system admins let the machine run to exhaustion, others shut the machine down. There are good arguments for either.

Incidentally, set FMS not to auto-start the databases on startup. It can lead to the situation where the UPS kicks in and the server shuts down, then the power returns and the machine starts up, everything opens... then the power goes off again, but the UPS is flat and dies half-way through.

[Michelle Logan]

Thank you,

Well at least my thought process was correct. They purchased us an APC Smart UPS 1500 which shows a running time of 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Is there someplace I can go on the net or in print that will show how to create such a shutdown script?

M.L.

[Vaughan]

APC Smart UPS 1500

That is an EXCELLENT choice of UPS.

Regarding the script to perform the magic, command line stuff isn't my forte. I'm sure one of the other experts on the Forums will have some suggestions.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Thank you,

Well at least my thought process was correct. They purchased us an APC Smart UPS 1500 which shows a running time of 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Is there someplace I can go on the net or in print that will show how to create such a shutdown script?

M.L.

IIRC, the Server Help PDF that comes with the product has the command lines. The sequence is to disconnect users, close files, stop database server service.

Also please note Vaughan's excellent advice.

Steven

[Wim Decorte]

Is there someplace I can go on the net or in print that will show how to create such a shutdown script?

My VTC training tutorial incudes a full VBscript that does just that.. Do a search for "filemaker server" on www.vtc.com

[Vaughan]

Just thought that I'd add that a UPS is NOT designed to keep computers up indefinitely. A UPS is intended to keep the computer up long enough for the system to be readied for a safe shutdown, or for an alternative power supply to get on-line (such as a generator, which may take a couple of minutes to get up to speed).

[Michelle Logan]

My VTC training tutorial incudes a full VBscript that does just that.. Do a search for "filemaker server" on www.vtc.com

Thanks for the information. I have one quick question, the video you have posted will show me how to safely shutdown the FMS server with a batch file (I think that is the correct term)with an example?

I have to go to the boss and get approval to spend the money, and I need to tell him that this will do what we need to protect our data.

I hope I am not being a bother, but I have been thrust into this position merely by the fact that I can build a simple database, and now they think I can run the whole system :lol:

[Wim Decorte]

Thanks for the information. I have one quick question, the video you have posted will show me how to safely shutdown the FMS server with a batch file (I think that is the correct term)with an example?

I have to go to the boss and get approval to spend the money, and I need to tell him that this will do what we need to protect our data.

I hope I am not being a bother, but I have been thrust into this position merely by the fact that I can build a simple database, and now they think I can run the whole system

No bother. The example is actually a VBscript and not a batch file since VBscripts offer more control in error trapping and handling. Most UPS's can handle the execution of both bath files and VBscripts.