AutoShutdownManager Energy Saving Solution incl. Shutdown and Restart, Time rules, Kids access protection and much more
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 Auto Shutdown Manager - Functionality:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Idle timer

Define how long the PC can run in idle mode.

High CPU or HDD utilization indicate some activities and so can be configured to prevent shutdown.

The monitor displays all events that prevented shutdown in the past.

 

 

See more details in the manual

 

 

 

Functions and descriptions :

 

 

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Access time control - here as an example as PC time control for kids.

This feature can be configured per user.

This means, if you work on the PC, it might be OFF, for other people, it could be set ON..

You can configure the settings individually per User , so different settings can be configured per user.

 

See more details in the manual

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Network – configuration:

Only needed if you run a server - or if your PC acts as a server, e.g. for multimedia access via the  network.

If you also want to install the Auto Shutdown Manager on your server- strongly recommended – than you can configure the server to wait until all clients are down, before it brings the machine down.

In the upper half of the screen shot, you can see the client part, so where is the server you want to keep up running, the port number etc.

In the lower part, you configure the Auto Shutdown Manager as a server. This means, you can check if other machines are running, and as long as they do - Auto Shutdown Manager wouldn’t bring the machine down.

Normally, you don’t need to enter the client addresses on the server. This will be done automatically for all networked windows clients that run the Auto Shutdown Manager. But in addition, you can enter additional addresses of other TCP/IP enabled equipment, such as Pinnacle Showcenter or DreamBox for example that can be indentified via PING .

In this case, the Auto Shutdown Manager would keep the server running as long as you watch a film,, pictures or hear music  in the living room, for example.

See more details in the manual

 

 

 

Appications:

It may make sense to prevent Shutdown if specific applications or functions are running. For example if PowerPoint is in Presentation Mode or if some internet downloads are going on. Use jokers * for more flexibility.

 

See more details in the manual

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Performance Counters :

Advanced performance counters "APCs" are used to configure more complex situations such as monitoring of IO throughput of specific tasks, processor utilization by specific tasks etc. A good example to use APC is e.g. DVD burning - and all other software - that stays opened even the job is done. In this case the APC can be used to monitor activities behind the scene, like IO or processor consumption – and prevent shutdown if a certain level is being reached. After the job , the machine will be powered off, if all other mechanisms also allow it.

As some performance counters are producing value spikes periodically, several samples are taken and calculate to get an avarage value. It can take up to 90 seconds for the avarage calculation. It's all done automatically, you just can observe the current value for some time while the performance counter is active and then set to none active. The value in between is the save limit.

For example, take the process Winamp.exe if installed on your PC or another process that you prefer.
Set the Counter:
Process -> winamp.exe -> IO Other Bytes/sec.
Now play a song and watch the current value for 10 seconds or so. It'll be somewhere between 800 and 3000 in most cases (depends on PC).

Now stop playing the song and watch the value again. After a few seconds It will go down to between 0 and 100. So if you set a limit of e.g. 500, In this case AutoShutdownManager will not shutdown the PC while the player is playing songs. Once the player stops playing, the value will go down below 500 and so AutoShutdownManager could bring the PC down.
Be patient when using performance counters. It can take a few seconds to see the value moving.

See more details in the manual

 

 

 

 

Scheduled Tasks :

To unwanted avoid shutdowns if the next schedule task would wake up the machine within a specified time. For example, this function would prevent the shutdown , if a process was scheduled to wake up the machine in the next x minutes.

See more details in the manual

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VMWare :

Virtual machines can be automatically suspended before shutdown and automatically restarted after startup. This increases the overall stability and automates this administrative task.

See more details in the manual

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Protocol for up/down times analysis:

Protocol writer for up/down times analysis .

The protocol is stored in a simple file so the data can be used for more complex analysis.

 

See more details in the manual

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time based Rules :

For the time when the PC should stay on, select the rule DISABLE AUTO SHUTDOWN MODE and set the timing you wish it to be available.
If you want to switch back again to automatic mode then select the rule ENABLE AUTO SHUTDOWN MODE and set another timing for it. AutoShutdownManager overtakes the control back again and checks all defined conditions and rules (like network clients on, TV-Recording on or very soon, user is active, Backup in 5 minutes, DVD recording is going on, an internet download is going on, etc....) and brings the machine down as soon as all conditions do allow it.
In this scenario, you could configure the PCs to wake up every working day (MO-FR) at 7am and stay powered on between 7am-12pm and 1pm-5pm for example. You can set all other times to AUTOMATIC Mode or even set a rule to hard power-off on Friday evening for security reasons.

All rules can be defined per power mode individually (AC or DC). This helps e.g. to prevent long term runs if the machine is on batteries.

 

See more details in the manual

 

 

 

 

General settings :

Here are some other settings like:

Auto-Reboot: automatically reboot the machine after a certain number of hibernations or standbys. This can be useful for stability reasons on servers as some machines are getting unstable after tens or hundreds of standbys or hibernates without being rebooted from time to time. This functionality requires that a user is being automatically login-in after a restart.

Automatically shutdown if no users are logged on. This is often the case when users just log off and forget to shutdown.

The Keep Screen on function prevents the screen saver or power management to switch off the screen, as long as the machine is running. This may make sense for PC used as Displays etc.

See more details in the manual

 

 

 

 
 

Some Awards:

 

AutoShutdownManager

Save environment, save energy, save equipment, save money, protect your kids, increase security

 

AutoShutdownManager is a professional, network enabled Power Management tool that helps to reduce up to 80% of power consumption of Laptops, Tablets,  PCs and Servers running Microsoft Windows 2000, 2003, XP, Server 2008 and Vista (32 and 64 Bit) by bringing the machines down in a controlled and managed way. On the other hand it can help to maximize security following the principle: machines that are down can’t be attacked. .

Its interactive interface allows users and administrators to easily setup and configure basic settings and tune the functionality in all details later on demand.

Its functionality was build under the objective of high machine’s stability and less resource consumption for its own operation. To allow execution on remote servers, there is no need for user interaction at any time during runtime.

AutoShutdownManager was architected to fit into most users’ scenarios – including local and remote resources.
There are several examples where AutoShutdownManager can effectively help to safe hardware and energy resources– and so money at the end.

Here are some typical examples why machines are unnecessarily kept powered-On :

  • TV Recording – machines run for days and nights to be available for recording

  • Burning of CDs or DVDs

  • Long internet downloads

  • Disk defragmentation

  • Backup operations

  • Archiving over night

  • Server based multimedia access – servers keep running after the “show”

  • Users just often forget to power off machines

  • Users just log-off instead of shut down

  • Servers keep running even last client was logged-off

  • There are more very good reasons why many PCs and servers are running – sometimes even 24 hours x 7 days

The key objective of AutoShutdownManager is to offer the same functionality and comfort by reducing useless energy consumption.

The supported environment can be as easy as just one PC - up to a fairly complex networked setup.

Key product features:

  • Shut Down and Restart PCs by time or inactivity if the system is really idle for a spec. time.

  • Password protected and encrypted user settings

  • Network ready : Keeps servers running as long as clients are connected

  • Remote Shutdown, Restart, LogOff, Standby, Hibernate of networked clients (New feature in release 2.9.1.8 and higher)

  • Full background execution w/o any user interaction

  • Detailed report about up and down times, power cosumption and savings

  • Daily PC access time limitation – allow defined maximum time per day and the earliest and latest hour the PC can be used. (e.g. for Kid Protection)

  • English and German language version

  • External applications can be executed before shutdown or after startup

  • VMWare handling– virtual machines can be added, deleted, suspended before shutdown and automatically restarted after startup

  • Warning splash screen and PC speaker sound before shutdown

  • Wake On Lan - Wake servers as soon as clients start

  • Auto Logon a defined user

  • Auto Reboot - automatically reboot the Server or Clients by time rules or after a specified number of shut downs.

  • Fully configurable prevention of unwanted shutdowns – such as :

    • CPU utilization

    • Hard disk utilizationNetwork: Clients that are reachable via TCP/IP can be setup to prevent server's shutdown as long as they are running. Possible modes are Ping, Auto-mode, Client/Server to cover most possible setups such as set-top boxes, networked PCs and all other IP enabled equipment.

    • Applications: Running applications like PowerPoint in presentation mode, DVR, TV Software, Backup-Software, etc. can be selected to prevent shutdown while running

    • Advanced performance counters: – APCs are used to configure more complex situations such as monitoring of IO throughput of specific tasks, processor utilization by specific tasks etc. A good example to use APC is e.g. DVD burning - and all other software - that stays opened even the job is done. In this case the APC can be used to monitor activities behind the scene, like IO or processor consumption – and prevent shutdown if a certain level is being reached. After the job , the machine will be powered off, if all other mechanisms also allow it.
    • Planed Tasks: To avoid shutdowns if the next planed task would wake up the machine within a specified time.
    • Active usage of mouse and keyboard
    • Sound and noice analysis

  • Support of all relevant shutdown modes:
    • Power Off

      Restart

    • Standby

    • Hibernate

    • Log off user

    • Shutdown

  • Auto-Reboot: automatically reboot the machine after a certain number of hibernations or standbys. This can be useful for stability reasons on servers as some machines are getting unstable after tens or hundreds of standbys or hibernates without being rebooted from time to time. This functionality requires that a user is being automatically login-in after a restart.

  • Time based Rules

    For the time when the PC should stay on, select the rule DISABLE AUTO SHUTDOWN MODE and set the timing you wish it to be available.
    If you want to switch back again to automatic mode then select the rule ENABLE AUTO SHUTDOWN MODE and set another timing for it. AutoShutdownManager overtakes the control back again and checks all defined conditions and rules (like network clients on, TV-Recording on or very soon, user is active, Backup in 5 minutes, DVD recording is going on, an internet download is going on, etc....) and brings the machine down as soon as all conditions do allow it.
    In this scenario, you could configure the PCs to wake up every working day (MO-FR) at 7am and stay powered on between 7am-12pm and 1pm-5pm for example. You can set all other times to AUTOMATIC Mode or even set a rule to hard power-off on Friday evening for security reasons.

    All rules can be defined per power mode (AC or DC). This helps e.g. to prevent long term runs if the machine is currently on batteries.

  • Automatically shutdown if no users are logged on. Flashes into action as soon as no user is logged in and the windows log-on screen is visible. It often happens that Windows users choose „log off“ instead of shut down by mistake. The computer is shut down after the time that is set in the application for the timer. However during this waiting time, the CPU and hard drive activity is being supervised and compared with the values stored in the application. If one of the two components is being utilized the shutdown is delayed. This may make sense as sometimes Windows applies updates in this mode or is just busy with some other services. As soon as the system has been idle for the configured time, the PC is put into the shutdown mode that was set in the tab GENERAL -> Default Shutdown Mode. Normally this will be Standby or Hibernate.

See more details in the manual

 

 

 

What the experts say about switching on / off computer and monitors

 
 
Manufacturer / Expert
Computers
Monitors
Compaq
Asked if switching their unit off up to six times a day would result in damage to the equipment 		Stated that the modern PC's power switch is a 'soft switch' and that 'inrush' power damage is no longer happening. They recommend turning their PC's off. Asserted that their monitors are built to last many years and frequent switching should not contribute to shorter equipment life.
Department of Industry, Science and Resources
"Office equipment" Web site		 "Modern computers are designed to be switched off when not in use. Indeed, switching off is likely to prolong their lives as the hard disk is less likely to fail if it runs for shorter periods". "If a computer has to stay on (for any reason) the screen (monitor), which uses more than the computer itself, can be switched off when not in use".
Energy Conservation Authority of NZ "Exploding the myths" Web site "Some people still believe it is not a good idea to turn PCs off after use. Here are the answers: 1.Switching a PC off and restarting will NOT damage the hard drive or electronic components. 2.A computer uses NO extra energy on starting up. 3. Screen savers do NOT save energy. 4.PCs and monitors DO use a lot of energy."
Gateway Computers
Asked if switching their unit off up to six times a day would result in damage to the equipment		 Do not believe turning computers on and off four times each day would cause a reduction in normal life. "Unlikely to observe any deterioration of monitor compared to one being left on continuously" "Degausing is beneficial for screen clarity"
Hewlett Packard Asked if switching their unit off up to six times a day would result in damage to the equipment "Switching on and off will do no damage". Advice received from technical support staff was; "Switch off - better off - always" - "it will extend the life of the system and monitor.
IBM Computers
Asked if switching their unit off up to six times a day would result in damage to the equipment 		First response indicated a concern only for thermal stress on the computers CPU. A second respondent said switching it off a number of times each day shouldn't harm it if the correct shutdown procedure is followed. In the USA, this computer giant encourages employees to turn off their machines at night [source: USA dept. of energy]. A computer switch-off campaign will soon be implemented in Sydney's IBM offices. The two representatives contacted agreed that monitors should be turned off, even for short periods to prevent early
NEC
Asked if switching their unit off up to six times a day would result in damage to the equipment 		"In any appliance, constant switching on and off will result in possible mechanical or electronic failure. Computers prefer to be left on all the time". Would not recommend switching off for non-use periods of less than 1/2 hour. "No problems foreseen"
Optima Computers Asked if switching their unit off up to six times a day would result in damage to the equipment Stated that they had "no reservations whatsoever" with turning computers on and off six times each day. The switched-mode power supplies they use do not allow high in-rush currents, which have the potential to stress electronic components. They also disable the inbuilt power management system because of the potential incompatibility between hardware and user software. Comments regarding computers also apply to their monitors - "No reservations whatsoever"

Samsung
Asked if switching their unit off up to six times a day would result in damage to the equipment

 Would not recommend turning the computer on and off more than 4-5 times each day. "The hard disk drive would be worn out sooner" Two opposing opinions received (1) "No harm to monitor as this is their normal operation - same as TV's. Leaving monitors on continuously is abnormal." (2) "In general, an average life-span is certain for any electronic device. Every time you switch the monitor back on there is an impact to related components, for instance, the switched mode IC in the power supply circuit"
University of California Lawrence Berkeley Lab for US Dept. of Energy "Power down the system at night and on weekends. This option will save energy and extend the life of your computer. It is a common myth that turning computer off and on is bad for it. Research on current technology shows an improvement in system life when the equipment is turned off, since heat and mechanical stress are the two leading causes of computer failure. On older equipment there was concern about power cycling stress (particularly on hard disks) but this is no longer true". "If you are really conscientious, you can turn off your monitor anytime you will be away from your desk for at least half an hour".
University of Tasmania Information Technology Services "Most experts agree that turning PC equipment off at night or a few times a day will not appreciably affect its useful life. Electronic equipment life is a function of operating hours and heat. Both of these factors are reduced when equipment is switched off. Modern drives are designed to operate reliably for many thousands of hours including thousands of on/off cycles". "If you must leave your computer (CPU) on while you are not actively working on it, turn off your monitor". "The best screen saver is also the best energy saver, i.e. turn of your computer when you are not using

Source: http://www.energy.unsw.edu.au/unswitch/experts.html

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Find more details in the manual