Can the Xen server be shut down by using the power button (ACPI shutdown signal) while if gracefully shuts down the VMs ?

I'm sure there is a way, but not build in that I know of.  

 

--Alan--

 

Not that I am aware of.

 

-=Tobias

Okay, but strange that this is missing, is it not ?

Not really.  Maybe thats harder to handle with software than I realize. Most Hypervisors run 24x7 and are never shutdown 

with a physical power button.  Usually just a software restart is all that is needed for applying patches and such. 

 

--Alan--

 

You have a shutdown option (without a graceful stop or migration of the VMs) via remote consoles, like Dell's iDRAC, for instance. If things are totally stuck,

that's one possibility that's at least close to a power button option and is very handy if you are in a remote location.

 

Just killing the power on a computer unless absolutely necessary is really never a good idea.

 

-=Tobias

I see your point. However, normally, physical access to a server is limited and the power button itself is protected by a lock or locked case. For the admin it would be a handy feature to be able to shut it down without needing software.

In the absolute worst case, you can always pull the plugs if you're in the room and can get into the rack!

Otherwise, remote access through a console device is a good option to have.

 

-=Tobias

I can't see the need to ever shutdown a XenServer, even gracefully, without connecting to it via XenCenter 

to at least diagnose the need for a shutdown.  And once you get that far a power down is just a few 

keystrokes away.  Even if you got Dom0 to gracefully shutdown the VM's would be killed and you are 

very likely to corrupt them. Not a good idea. 

 

--Alan--

 

On 27.6.2019 at 0:11 AM, Alan Lantz said:

I can't see the need to ever shutdown a XenServer, even gracefully, without connecting to it via XenCenter 

to at least diagnose the need for a shutdown.  And once you get that far a power down is just a few 

keystrokes away.  Even if you got Dom0 to gracefully shutdown the VM's would be killed and you are 

very likely to corrupt them. Not a good idea. 

 

--Alan--

 

 

I meant a complete graceful shutdown:

1. send ACPI shutdown signals to all VM's

2. wait for all VM's to be powered off

3. only then shut down XEN itself

You can already do that via XenCenter or worst case, create a shell script that can do that easily. If you can't access the server for whatever reason, then none of this will work anyway, and hitting the power button is your only recourse.

 

-=Tobias

 Yep, the best you can do is have a script to run and shut down everything cleanly then hit the power button.

I don't know of a way to integrate that and make it happen automatically.

 

--Alan--

 

This discussion has run its course.

This topic can be closed, as there is no built in solution to do a graceful XEN shutdown on ACPI shutdown signal (along with a graceful shutdown of all running VM's).

Its a great idea, I just don't know anyway to accomplish that. 

 

--Alan--