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 root@192.168.3.125 ‘cat >> /etc/ssh/keys-root/authorized_keys’
  now automated login should work on ubuntu server
    ssh root@192.168.3.125 (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 root@192.168.3.125 "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

Actually you may be onto something here...I think there was something with ssh-ing into the host with the key.
Please let me know if it works, just out of curiousity.