bin/jboss-admin.sh --connect --controller=<hostname>:9999 --command=:shutdown
where hostname is a resolvable hostname or IP address that matches the server's management interface.
The --controller=xxx part is independent of the --connect and --command=:shutdown bits; it's a general purpose way of telling the CLI the address:port of the process to connect to. E.g. starting an interactive shell and then connecting works:
bin bstansberry$ ./jboss-admin.sh --controller=192.168.0.1:9999
You are disconnected at the moment. Type 'connect' to connect to the server or 'help' for the list of supported commands.
[disconnected /] connect
Connected to standalone controller at 192.168.200.12:9999
[standalone@192.168.200.12:9999 /]
That example is a bit arbitrary; just meant to show --controller as a param to jboss-admin.sh is independent of the --connect param. A more normal way to connect would be to either pass both on the command line:
./jboss-admin.sh --connect --controller=192.168.0.1:9999
or to launch the interactive CLI unconnected and then pass the host:port as a param to the connect command:
bin bstansberry$ ./jboss-admin.sh
You are disconnected at the moment. Type 'connect' to connect to the server or 'help' for the list of supported commands.
[disconnected /] connect 192.168.200.12:9999
Connected to standalone controller at 192.168.200.12:9999
[standalone@192.168.200.12:9999 /]
Note that in all examples above the ":9999" part is not required. If the :<port> bit isn't provided the CLI assumes :9999.
We'll work on getting this better documented in the Admin Guide.