The following are demonstrations of the rshutdown commend - rough shutdown.

By default it shuts down the server in roughly 5 minutes, which can be 
specified by using the "-g secs" grace option. Another useful option is "-N",
which prints out the timing it would have used - without actually shutting 
down the server or waiting.


   # rshutdown -i5 -y

   Shutdown started.    Thu Dec  2 18:22:25 EST 2004

   Broadcast Message from root (pts/1) on mars Thu Dec  2 18:22:25...
   The system mars will be shutdown in 5 minutes

And in 5 minutes or so it shutsdown.


The following demonstrates the timing by using the "-N" print only option,
 
   # rshutdown -N
   
   Shutdown started.    Thu Dec  2 18:09:22 EST 2004
   
   The system mars will be shutdown in 5 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 4 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 3 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 2 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 1 minute
   The system mars will be shutdown in 2 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 1 minute
   THE SYSTEM mars IS BEING SHUT DOWN NOW ! ! !


More often than not, rshutdown runs late,

   # rshutdown -N
   
   Shutdown started.    Thu Dec  2 18:10:33 EST 2004
   
   The system mars will be shutdown in 5 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 6 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 6 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 5 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 4 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 3 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 4 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 3 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 2 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 3 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 2 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 1 minute
   THE SYSTEM mars IS BEING SHUT DOWN NOW ! ! !

Perhaps this timing appears oddly familiar? 


Sometimes rshutdown can give you a big suprise,

   # rshutdown -N
   
   Shutdown started.    Thu Dec  2 18:08:06 EST 2004
   
   The system mars will be shutdown in 5 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 5 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 1 minute
   THE SYSTEM mars IS BEING SHUT DOWN NOW ! ! !



Shutting down in 10 minutes can be really exciting,

   rshutdown -g600 -N

   Shutdown started.    Thu Dec  2 18:26:58 EST 2004

   The system mars will be shutdown in 10 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 9 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 8 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 4 minutes
   THE SYSTEM mars IS BEING SHUT DOWN NOW ! ! !


or not,

   # rshutdown -g600 -N
   
   Shutdown started.    Thu Dec  2 18:27:02 EST 2004

   The system mars will be shutdown in 10 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 10 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 11 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 12 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 11 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 10 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 9 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 10 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 11 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 11 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 10 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 9 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 10 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 9 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 8 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 9 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 8 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 7 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 6 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 7 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 6 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 5 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 4 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 3 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 2 minutes
   The system mars will be shutdown in 1 minute
   The system mars will be shutdown in 1 minute
   THE SYSTEM mars IS BEING SHUT DOWN NOW ! ! !