Lights-Out for Windows Server Solutions 2011/2012
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Monitoring How-To

A detailed explanation how to use monitoring in Lights-Out to control the server runtime in combination with calendar tasks.

Description

This first section explains how monitoring, delay time and standard action are used to control the server runtime.

Basic functionality without calendar tasks

Lights-Out monitors each selected source and creates one total value (technically a disjunction). As long as this total value is present (in our example yellow), the server is running. When Lights-Out detects no more activity, a timer is started (green). When the delay time has elapsed, the standard action is executed and the server goes into standby (or shuts down). 

 

Any new activity during the delay time will stop the timer. In our example client 1 (dark red) is up again and stops the timer (green). So be careful with the delay time value. When you set a very long time, your server may never go to sleep. 

 

Using a calendar task without action

This next section explains how calendar tasks work together with monitoring. A calendar task with a runtime is handled in the same way as any other source, it signals activity. Use a task (here dark blue) to define periods where your server must be up and running

 

Using a calendar task with an end action

A calendar task with an end action may override the standard action. The delay time applies in the same way as to any other activity. 

Task ends during other activity 

When the calendar task ends during other activity, the end action is simply ignored and discarded (first case, dark blue). 

Task is the only activity 

The second task is the only activity, so when that task ends, the task action is compared against the standard action. The action with higher priority is then executed. So a task action with higher priority may override the standard action. This can be used to schedule a nightly reboot. 

Action priority  

Action 
Priority 
Do Nothing 
lowest 
Suspend 
lower 
Hibernate 
normal 
Shut down 
higher 
Reboot 
highest 

Using a calendar task with a forced end action

A forced end action will override all 3 settings, the delay time, the activity of most sources and the standard action. A forced action is executed immediately! A backup operation, a disk operation and remote access can't be interrupted by a forced end action. The sleep now command from the console or from the client context menu is executed as a forced action as well. 

 

Monitored Source 
Forced action possible? 
Windows Home Server Computers (Clients) 
yes 
Network devices 
yes 
Backup or disk operation 
no 
Remote access 
no 
Files 
yes 
Processes 
yes 
CPU load 
yes 
Network load 
yes 
Console Session 
yes 
Shared folders and files 
yes 
User feedback

When an action is executed you see a balloon message on the client: 

 

When a forced action is ignored because of a veto from backup or remote access, you see this message: 

 

Group
Copyright (c) Martin Rothschink, AxoNet Software GmbH 2008-2015
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