Schneider Electric Unveils VMware-Ready Network Shutdown v4.0

Energy management specialist Schneider Electric launched its PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.0 solution, promising to give customers the ability to monitor redundant UPSes with an uninterruptible power supply configuration option.

The new power supply feature is expected to allow users to add increased redundancy for their IT equipment and help IT managers to improve the availability of enterprise systems, according to the announcement. PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.0 is also VMware Ready certified, meaning it can manage the migration of VMware (VMW) virtual machines without the need for additional software.

“Due to the growing trend of virtualization, 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 of Network Management, IT Business at Schneider Electric, in a statement. “PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.0’s seamless integration, migration and shutdown capabilities give IT managers the peace of mind that their entire virtualized and physical IT infrastructure is protected from potential power events or outages—no matter their location.”

Network Shutdown v4.0 will allow IT managers to control where specific virtual machines are migrated to by allowing them to specify target hosts within their virtual clusters, according to the company. And in an effort to make the solution as approachable as possible for managers of varying skill levels, Network Shutdown v4.0 includes an easy setup wizard and integration with both VMware vCenter and Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager, in addition to a centralized management console for UPS and Host configuration.

PowerChute Network Shutdown v4.0 can be downloaded directly from Schneider Electric and is also available via the VMware Solution Exchange.