[TriLUG] Remote Power Control

[Steve Litt]

On Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:03:39 -0400, Ron Young said:
> All,
> 
> I have a CentOS 5.8 machine at home and a couple of other computers
> running windoze, ubuntu, etc.  I would like the ability to remotely
> power them off via the internet as I have no land-line phone.  I
> assume I could port forward to some device like a pdu using my
> router...I only want to power off the computers - the routers could
> stay running.
> 
> The reason  -  when I am away for an extended period, my Nest
> thermostat saves me energy by letting the temp in the house go up to
> 80.  That would run my computers very hot in their little cabinet.
> So I would like to power them off when I leave and then remotely
> power them back up when I need them.  Of course when I am finished
> using them remotely I can shutdown / init 0 them.
> 
> One other bit...I can power up the other machines from the first
> Centos box that my router forwards ssh to.   So if I could remotely
> WOL the linux box, I may be all set come to think about it.
> 
> Any ideas and thoughts are appreciated.

Properly configured Linux boxes can power themselves down when you shut
them down. Powering them down by turning off their electricity isn't
the kindest thing you can do to the filesystems.

The trick is remotely turning them back on again.

I'm wondering if you're better off remotely hybernating them and taking
them off hybernation. I'm pretty sure hybernation powers down the hard
disks, puts the CPUs in a very low power state, and at least on my
laptops, turns off all fans.

SteveT

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