WEST KINGSTON, R.I. – April 7, 2015 – Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, today announced the release of PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.0, now with advanced redundancy capabilities. This includes a new Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) configuration option which enables IT managers to monitor multiple groups of redundant UPS, allowing for seamless, graceful shutdown commands based on the number of UPS and their configured redundancy levels. This unique feature also allows users to add increased redundancy for their IT equipment when necessary, providing IT managers with the flexibility needed to ensure their most critical equipment is available for as long as possible.
“Due to the growing trend of virtualisation, IT architectures have evolved into increasingly complex systems, with many IT managers struggling with how to not only manage but protect their multiple servers across varying locations,” said Paul Bohan, Vice President, Network Management, IT Business, Schneider Electric. “PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.0’s seamless integration, migration and shutdown capabilities give IT managers the peace of mind that their entire virtualised and physical IT infrastructure is protected from potential power events or outages – no matter their location.”
Leading the market with innovative, first-of-its-kind virtualisation capabilities, the VMware Ready certified PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.0 can manage the migration of virtual machines within the same cluster or across different clusters or various geographical locations without leveraging virtualisation technologies such as VMware Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS). This enables users to avoid the more expensive enterprise-class licence fees associated with DRS functionality, saving them money.
PowerChute Network Shutdown v.4.0 also provides IT managers with the option to control where specific virtual machines get migrated to by specifying the target host in either the same or a different virtual cluster. For customers with multiple geographic locations or backup sites, this feature enables them to manage the migration of virtual machines to sites not impacted by power events regardless of the UPS configuration on either site.
PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.0 is the only power protection software available that enables control of where virtual machines are moved independently of other virtualisation technologies. This makes the software more affordable for smaller businesses looking to reap the benefits of virtualisation, without the burden of budget constraints.
IT managers can feel confident in the continuous availability of their critical data and equipment as PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.0 works in tandem with APC by Schneider Electric UPS Network Management Cards to easily shut down physical servers and virtual machines that are protected by any APC by Schneider Electric UPS with a SmartSlot. IT managers will have the assurance that their mission critical IT equipment and data integrity will be protected in the event of a major power failure or event while also having the time to assess the power issue.
Additional key features of PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.0 include:
- Step-by-step Configuration: IT managers wondering where to start on their virtualisation deployment journey can leverage the intuitive PowerChute setup wizard to help reduce installation and setup time.
- Integration with VMware vCenter and Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM): PowerChute seamlessly integrates with the latest virtualisation platforms to provide a single-pane-of-glass view into virtual cluster environments to ensure industry leading power protection.
- Virtual Cluster View: Displays the virtual cluster environment and UPS setup on a single screen to provide a single-pane-of-glass view of your UPS and Host configuration.
PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.0 is available for download via the APC by Schneider Electric product page linked here. Users may also download the software as a virtual appliance from the VMware Solution Exchange at https://solutionexchange.vmware.com/store. Free technical support is available here.
About Schneider Electric
As a global specialist in energy management and automation with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in Non-residential & Residential Buildings, Industries & Machines Manufacturers, Utilities & Infrastructure and Data Centres & Networks. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, efficient, productive and green, the company's 170,000 employees achieved revenues of 30 billion US dollars in 2014, through an active commitment to help individuals and organisations make the most of their energy.
www.schneider-electric.com