Create reboot maintenance window

Maintenance windows are programmed periods of time where devices with agents installed can be configured to automatically complete tasks for a number of N-able N-central features to a defined schedule. Once configured, the reboot maintenance window remains in effect for four hours from when it is initiated. You can configure the maintenance window to warn the user of an impending reboot, that the user may delay, should they be in the middle of important work. If there is no delay imposed, the reboot of the device will occur at the end of the four hour countdown.

When running a Hyper-V host/guest, schedule reboots of virtual machines first, then hosts an hour later. This ensures that when including patching maintenance windows, the virtual machines can fully restart before the host reboots.

  1. Click Views > All Devices.
  2. Click the name of a device.
  3. Click the Settings tab, then Maintenance Windows.
  4. Click Add > Scheduled Reboot.
  5. Enter a Name.
  6. Next to Reboot Method, select Allow user to postpone reboot beyond the maintenance window to allow user requested delays for reboot to pass beyond the configured window.
  7. Select Place device in downtime during reboot to transition the selected devices to a Downtime state while it is being re-started.
  8. For Force device out of downtime specify the maximum number of minutes the device can remain in downtime before restarting if the agent has not checked in.

    9. This option enables N-able N-central to alert you if the reboot has failed or otherwise taken longer than expected. If the reboot fails, the device will remain in downtime the maximum time that you specify. After the maximum time elapses, the device will come out of downtime and if the agent has not checked in, notifications will be triggered.

    This is not a scheduled downtime. This is just a safe-guard for the reboot feature.

  9. Set a message that appears on the user's screen to inform them that a reboot will occur, to give them time to save their work.
  10. Check or uncheck the box next to Save current system state. This will shut down and restart the computer with a /g switch in the reboot command, which allows the system to restart any registered applications. If Automatic Restart Sign-On is enabled, the device will automatically sign in and lock based on the last interactive user. After sign in, the device restarts any registered applications.

    11. This option is NOT compatible with a forced reboot. The /f switch is used when the force reboot option is selected, which is incompatible with /g.

  11. Set the schedule when the maintenance window occurs.
  12. Click Save.

N-able N-central saves the reboot maintenance window. At the scheduled time, N-able N-central agents perform the work scheduled reboot.