configuring apcupsd to suspend all running VM and then shutdown the esxi 5.5 u1 host

configure_apcupsd

###############################################################################################################
# these are instructions for automating the suspend and shutdown of esxi vm's and host in case of a
# power failure.
# works with apc smartups 750xl and esxi 5.5u1
###############################################################################################################

0# make a new VM and install Ubuntu-Server on it

1# install apcupsd
  apt-get install apcupsd

2# configure /etc/apcupsd/apcupsd.conf

3# enable apcupsd
  vim /etc/default/apcupsd
    ISCONFIGURED=yes

4# restart apcupsd
  sudo service apcupsd restart
-------------------------------------------------
5# enable ssh on esxi
  configuration-tab - security profile - properties (right upper corner)

6# copy shutdown_esxi.sh on esxi into datastore e.g. "/vmfs/volumes/MyDataStore/scripts

7# make the file executable
  chmod +x shutdown_esxi.sh
--------------------------------------------------
8# configure passwordless ssh access on esxi
  make keys on ubuntu server (as root, because apcupsd runs under root)
    sudo -s
    ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2048
  copy key to esxi server
    cat /root/.ssh/id.dsa.pub | ssh [email protected] ‘cat >> /etc/ssh/keys-root/authorized_keys’
  now automated login should work on ubuntu server
    ssh [email protected] (the first time it asks to store esxi's key in local database, answer with "yes")
---------------------------------------------------
9# configure apc-script to run remote script on esxi
  copy "doshutdown" to /etc/apcupsd (you mustn't rename it, otherwise apcupsd won't run it automatically)
  make it executable
    chmod +x doshutdown
#10 restart apcupsd
  sudo service apcupsd restart
---------------------------------------------------

doshutdown

#!/bin/sh
WALL=wall

# this script is triggered in case the power fails

echo "suspending all VMs on ESXI..." | ${WALL}

# configured ssh-automatic-access with keys
ssh [email protected] "nohup /vmfs/volumes/MyDataStore/scripts/shutdown_esxi.sh > /dev/null 2>&1 &"

echo "finished shutting ESXI down..." | ${WALL}

# exit code 99 - apccontrol stops after this script, so no shutdown of this host. this is for testing purposes
# exit code 0 - apccontrol continues with shutdown after this script
exit 99

shutdown_esxi.sh

#/bin/sh
 
##########################################################################################################################
#courtesy of http://www.c-note.dk/2011/12/04/wmware-esxi-suspend-all-guests/
#
#copy this file somewhere to datastore
#e.g. ‘/vmfs/volumes/myDataStore/scripts/’
#
# looks which vm's are running, sends them into suspend, waits until suspending-process is finished, then powers off esxi
# completely
##########################################################################################################################
 
VMS=`vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms | grep -v Vmid | awk '{print $1}'`
for VM in $VMS ; do
  PWR=`vim-cmd vmsvc/power.getstate $VM | grep -v "Retrieved runtime info"`
  if [ "$PWR" == "Powered on" ] ; then
    name=`vim-cmd vmsvc/get.config $VM | grep -i "name =" | awk '{print $3}' | head -1 | cut -d "\"" -f2`
    echo "Powered on: $name"
    echo "Suspending: $name"
    vim-cmd vmsvc/power.suspend $VM > /dev/null &
  fi
done
 
while true ; do
  RUNNING=0
  for VM in $VMS ; do
    PWR=`vim-cmd vmsvc/power.getstate $VM | grep -v "Retrieved runtime info"`
    if [ "$PWR" == "Powered on" ] ; then
      echo "Waiting..."
      RUNNING=1
    fi
  done
  if [ $RUNNING -eq 0 ] ; then
    echo "Gone..."
    break
  fi
  sleep 1
done
 
echo "Now we shutdown the host..."
/sbin/shutdown.sh && /sbin/poweroff

Thanks, it is really helpful.
I have another appoach, run apcaccess in ESXI to get UPS status from apcupsd host.

1. Download apcupsd debian package: https://packages.debian.org/search?keywords=apcupsd (Try different version to match libc version of your esxi, bullseye works for my esxi 7)
2. Extract the apcaccess binary file from the package. (Google "how to extract deb file"), I used https://convertio.co/deb-tgz/
3. Save apcaccess to /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/scripts/ of Esxi host.
4. To get UPS status run /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/scripts/apcaccess -h X.X.X.X:3551 which X.X.X.X is the host ip connected to UPS with USB running apcupsd. (You may need to enable wold in firewall rule to allow outgoing)
5. Write a script to poll UPS status and shutdown, for example:
   #!/bin/sh
TLF=`/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/scripts/apcaccess -h 10.0.0.6:3551|grep TIMELEFT |awk '{print $3}'`
TL=${TLF%.*}
#Call shutdown script if time left is less than 10 min
if [ $TL -lt 10 ]
then
echo UPS $TL min left, shutdown in 1 mins
sleep 1m
/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/scripts/shutdown_esxi.sh
#else
#echo $TL min left
fi

6. vi /var/spool/cron/crontabs/root , add the below line * * * * * /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/scripts/pollups.sh > /tmp/pollups.out 2>&1 7. Stop and start crond

kill `cat /var/run/crond.pid`
/usr/lib/vmware/busybox/bin/busybox crond