Cisco UCS provides two methods for making global modifications to the BIOS settings on servers in an Cisco UCS domain. You can create one or more BIOS policies that include a specific grouping of BIOS settings that match the needs of a server or set of servers, or you can use the default BIOS settings for a specific server platform.
Both the BIOS policy and the default BIOS settings for a server platform enable you to fine tune the BIOS settings for a server managed by Cisco UCS Manager.
Depending upon the needs of the data center, you can configure BIOS policies for some service profiles and use the BIOS defaults in other service profiles in the same Cisco UCS domain, or you can use only one of them. You can also use Cisco UCS Manager to view the actual BIOS settings on a server and determine whether they are meeting current needs.
Note
Cisco UCS Manager pushes BIOS configuration changes through a BIOS policy or default BIOS settings to the Cisco Integrated Management Controller
(CIMC) buffer. These changes remain in the buffer and do not take effect until the server is rebooted.
We recommend that you verify the support for BIOS settings in the server that you want to configure. Some settings, such as Mirroring Mode and Sparing Mode for RAS Memory, are not supported by all Cisco UCS servers.
The following table lists the main server BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:
Name
Description
Reboot on BIOS Settings Change
set reboot-on-update
When the server is rebooted after you change one or more BIOS settings.
yes—If you enable this setting, the server is rebooted according to the maintenance policy in the server's service profile. For example, if the maintenance policy requires user acknowledgment, the server is not rebooted and the BIOS changes are not applied until a user acknowledges the pending activity.
no—If you do not enable this setting, the BIOS changes are not applied until the next time the server is rebooted, whether as a result of another server configuration change or a manual reboot.
Quiet Boot
set quiet-boot-config quiet-boot
What the BIOS displays during Power On Self-Test (POST). This can be one of the following:
disabled—The BIOS displays all messages and Option ROM information during boot.
enabled—The BIOS displays the logo screen, but does not display any messages or Option ROM information during boot.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Post Error Pause
set post-error-pause-config post-error-pause
What happens when the server encounters a critical error during POST. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The BIOS continues to attempt to boot the server.
enabled—The BIOS pauses the attempt to boot the server and opens the Error Manager when a critical error occurs during POST.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Resume Ac On Power Loss
set resume-ac-on-power-loss-config resume-action
How the server behaves when power is restored after an unexpected power loss. This can be one of the following:
stay-off—The server remains off until manually powered on.
last-state—The server is powered on and the system attempts to restore its last state.
reset—The server is powered on and automatically reset.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Front Panel Lockout
set front-panel-lockout-config front-panel-lockout
Whether the power and reset buttons on the front panel are ignored by the server. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The power and reset buttons on the front panel are active and can be used to affect the server.
enabled—The power and reset buttons are locked out. The server can only be reset or powered on or off from the CIMC GUI.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
ACPI10 Support
set acpi10-support-config acpi10-support
Whether the BIOS publishes the ACPI 1.0 version of FADT in the Root System Description table. This version may be required for compatibility with OS versions that only support ACPI 1.0. This can be one of the following:
disabled—ACPI 1.0 version is not published.
enabled—ACPI 1.0 version is published.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Processor BIOS Settings
The following table lists the processor BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:
Name
Description
Turbo Boost
set intel-turbo-boost-config turbo-boost
Whether the processor uses Intel Turbo Boost Technology, which allows the processor to automatically increase its frequency if it is running below power, temperature, or voltage specifications. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not increase its frequency automatically.
enabled—The processor utilizes Turbo Boost Technology if required.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Enhanced Intel Speedstep
set enhanced-intel-speedstep-config speed-step
Whether the processor uses Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology, which allows the system to dynamically adjust processor voltage and core frequency. This technology can result in decreased average power consumption and decreased average heat production. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor never dynamically adjusts its voltage or frequency.
enabled—The processor utilizes Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology and enables all supported processor sleep states to further conserve power.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
We recommend that you contact your operating system vendor to make sure the operating system supports this feature.
Hyper Threading
set hyper-threading-config hyper-threading
Whether the processor uses Intel Hyper-Threading Technology, which allows multithreaded software applications to execute threads in parallel within each processor. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not permit hyperthreading.
enabled—The processor allows for the parallel execution of multiple threads.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
We recommend that you contact your operating system vendor to make sure the operating system supports this feature.
Core Multi Processing
set core-multi-processing-config multi-processing
Sets the state of logical processor cores in a package. If you disable this setting, Hyper Threading is also disabled. This can be one of the following:
all—Enables multi processing on all logical processor cores.
1 through 10—Specifies the number of logical processor cores that can run on the server. To disable multi processing and have only one logical processor core running on the server, select 1.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
We recommend that you contact your operating system vendor to make sure the operating system supports this feature.
Execute Disabled Bit
set execute-disable bit
Classifies memory areas on the server to specify where where application code can execute. As a result of this classification, the processor disables code execution if a malicious worm attempts to insert code in the buffer. This setting helps to prevent damage, worm propagation, and certain classes of malicious buffer overflow attacks. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not classify memory areas.
enabled—The processor classifies memory areas.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
We recommend that you contact your operating system vendor to make sure the operating system supports this feature.
Virtualization Technology (VT)
set intel-vt-config vt
Whether the processor uses Intel Virtualization Technology, which allows a platform to run multiple operating systems and applications in independent partitions. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not permit virtualization.
enabled—The processor allows multiple operating systems in independent partitions.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Note
If you change this option, you must power cycle the server before the setting takes effect.
Direct Cache Access
set direct-cache-access-config access
Allows processors to increase I/O performance by placing data from I/O devices directly into the processor cache. This setting helps to reduce cache misses. This can be one of the following:
disabled—Data from I/O devices is not placed directly into the processor cache.
enabled—Data from I/O devices is placed directly into the processor cache.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Processor C State
set processor-c-state-configc-state
Whether the system can enter a power savings mode during idle periods. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The system remains in high performance state even when idle.
enabled—The system can reduce power to system components such as the DIMMs and CPUs.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
We recommend that you contact your operating system vendor to make sure the operating system supports this feature.
Processor C1E
set processor-c1e-configc1e
Allows the processor to transition to its minimum frequency upon entering C1. This setting does not take effect until after you have rebooted the server. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The CPU continues to run at its maximum frequency in C1 state.
enabled—The CPU transitions to its minimum frequency. This option saves the maximum amount of power in C1 state.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Processor C3 Report
set processor-c3-report-config processor-c3-report
Whether the processor sends the C3 report to the operating system. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not send the C3 report.
acpi-c2—The processor sends the C3 report using the ACPI C2 format.
acpi-c3—The processor sends the C3 report using the ACPI C3 format.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
On the B440 server, the BIOS Setup menu uses enabled and disabled for these options. If you specify acpi-c2 or acpi-c2, the server sets the BIOS value for that option to enabled.
Processor C6 Report
set processor-c6-report-config processor-c6-report
Whether the processor sends the C6 report to the operating system. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not send the C6 report.
enabled—The processor sends the C6 report.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Processor C7 Report
set processor-c7-report-config processor-c7-report
Whether the processor sends the C7 report to the operating system. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not send the C7 report.
enabled—The processor sends the C7 report.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
CPU Performance
set cpu-performance-config cpu-performance
Sets the CPU performance profile for the server. This can be one of the following:
enterprise—All prefetchers and data reuse are disabled.
high-throughput—All prefetchers are enabled, and data reuse is disabled.
hpc—All prefetchers and data reuse are enabled. This setting is also known as high performance computing.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Max Variable MTRR Setting
set max-variable-mtrr-setting-config processor-mtrr
Allows you to select the number of MTRR variables. This can be one of the following:
auto-max—The BIOS uses the default value for the processor.
8—The BIOS uses the number specified for the variable MTRR.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Package C State Limit
set package-c-state-limit-config package-c-state-limit
The amount of power available to the server components when they are idle. This can be one of the following:
c0—The server provides all server components with full power at all times. This option maintains the highest level of performance and requires the greatest amount of power.
c1—When the CPU is idle, the system slightly reduces the power consumption. This option requires less power than C0 and allows the server to return quickly to high performance mode.
c3—When the CPU is idle, the system reduces the power consumption further than with the C1 option. This requires less power than C1 or C0, but it takes the server slightly longer to return to high performance mode.
c6—When the CPU is idle, the system reduces the power consumption further than with the C3 option. This option saves more power than C0, C1, or C3, but there may be performance issues until the server returns to full power.
no-limit—The server may enter any available C state.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Intel Directed I/O BIOS Settings
The following table lists the Intel Directed I/O BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:
Name
Description
VT for Directed IO
set intel-vt-directed-io-config vtd
Whether the processor uses Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d). This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not use virtualization technology.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Note
This option must be enabled if you want to change any of the other Intel Directed I/O BIOS settings.
Interrupt Remap
set intel-vt-directed-io-config interrupt-remapping
Whether the processor supports Intel VT-d Interrupt Remapping. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not support remapping.
enabled—The processor uses VT-d Interrupt Remapping as required.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Coherency Support
set intel-vt-directed-io-config coherency-support
Whether the processor supports Intel VT-d Coherency. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not support coherency.
enabled—The processor uses VT-d Coherency as required.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
ATS Support
set intel-vt-directed-io-config ats-support
Whether the processor supports Intel VT-d Address Translation Services (ATS). This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not support ATS.
enabled—The processor uses VT-d ATS as required.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Pass Through DMA Support
set intel-vt-directed-io-config passthrough-dma
Whether the processor supports Intel VT-d Pass-through DMA. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The processor does not support pass-through DMA.
enabled—The processor uses VT-d Pass-through DMA as required.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
RAS Memory BIOS Settings
The following table lists the RAS memory BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:
Name
Description
Memory RAS Config
set memory-ras-config ras-config
How the memory reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) is configured for the server. This can be one of the following:
maximum performance—System performance is optimized.
mirroring—System reliability is optimized by using half the system memory as backup.
lockstep—If the DIMM pairs in the server have an identical type, size, and organization and are populated across the SMI channels, you can enable lockstep mode to minimize memory access latency and provide better performance. Lockstep is enabled by default for B440 servers.
sparing—System reliability is enhanced with a degree of memory redundancy while making more memory available to the operating system than mirroring.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
NUMA
set numa-config numa-optimization
Whether the BIOS supports NUMA. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The BIOS does not support NUMA.
enabled—The BIOS includes the ACPI tables that are required for NUMA-aware operating systems. If you enable this option, the system must disable Inter-Socket Memory interleaving on some platforms.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Mirroring Mode
set memory-mirroring-mode mirroring-mode
Memory mirroring enhances system reliability by keeping two identical data images in memory.
This option is only available if you choose the mirroring option for Memory RAS Config. It can be one of the following:
inter-socket—Memory is mirrored between two Integrated Memory Controllers (IMCs) across CPU sockets.
intra-socket—One IMC is mirrored with another IMC in the same socket.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Sparing Mode
set memory-sparing-mode sparing-mode
Sparing optimizes reliability by holding memory in reserve so that it can be used in case other DIMMs fail. This option provides some memory redundancy, but does not provide as much redundancy as mirroring. The available sparing modes depend on the current memory population.
This option is only available if you choose sparing option for Memory RAS Config. It can be one of the following:
dimm-sparing—One DIMM is held in reserve. If a DIMM fails, the contents of a failing DIMM are transferred to the spare DIMM.
rank-sparing—A spare rank of DIMMs is held in reserve. If a rank of DIMMs fails, the contents of the failing rank are transferred to the spare rank.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
LV DDR Mode
set lv-dimm-support-config lv-ddr-mode
Whether the system prioritizes low voltage or high frequency memory operations. This can be one of the following:
power-saving-mode—The system prioritizes low voltage memory operations over high frequency memory operations. This mode may lower memory frequency in order to keep the voltage low.
performance-mode—The system prioritizes high frequency operations over low voltage operations.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Serial Port BIOS Settings
The following table lists the serial port BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:
Name
Description
Serial Port A
set serial-port-a-config serial-port-a
Whether serial port A is enabled or disabled. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The serial port is disabled.
enabled—The serial port is enabled.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
USB BIOS Settings
The following table lists the USB BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:
Name
Description
Make Device Non Bootable
set usb-boot-configmake-device-non-bootable
Whether the server can boot from a USB device. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The server can boot from a USB device.
enabled—The server cannot boot from a USB device.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
USB System Idle Power Optimizing Setting
set usb-system-idle-power-optimizing-setting-configusb-idle-power-optimizing
Whether the USB System Idle Power Optimizing setting is used to reduce USB EHCI idle power consumption. Depending upon the value you choose, this setting can have an impact on performance. This can be one of the following:
high-performance—The USB System Idle Power Optimizing setting is disabled, because optimal performance is preferred over power savings.
Selecting this option can significantly improve performance. We recommend you select this option unless your site has server power restrictions.
lower-idle-power—The USB System Idle Power Optimizing setting is enabled, because power savings are preferred over optimal performance.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
USB Front Panel Access Lock
set usb-front-panel-access-lock-configusb-front-panel-lock
USB front panel lock is configured to enable or disable the front panel access to USB ports. This can be one of the following:
disabled
enabled
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
PCI Configuration BIOS Settings
The following table lists the PCI configuration BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:
Name
Description
Max Memory Below 4G
set max-memory-below-4gb-config max-memory
Whether the BIOS maximizes memory usage below 4GB for an operating system without PAE support, depending on the system configuration. This can be one of the following:
disabled—Does not maximize memory usage. Choose this option for all operating systems with PAE support.
enabled—Maximizes memory usage below 4GB for an operating system without PAE support.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Memory Mapped IO Above 4Gb Config
set memory-mapped-io-above-4gb-config memory-mapped-io
Whether to enable or disable memory mapped I/O of 64-bit PCI devices to 4GB or greater address space. Legacy option ROMs are not able to access addresses above 4GB. PCI devices that are 64-bit compliant but use a legacy option ROM may not function correctly with this setting enabled. This can be one of the following:
disabled—Does not map I/O of 64-bit PCI devices to 4GB or greater address space.
enabled—Maps I/O of 64-bit PCI devices to 4GB or greater address space.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Boot Options BIOS Settings
The following table lists the boot options BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:
Name
Description
Boot Option Retry
set boot-option-retry-config retry
Whether the BIOS retries NON-EFI based boot options without waiting for user input. This can be one of the following:
disabled—Waits for user input before retrying NON-EFI based boot options.
enabled—Continually retries NON-EFI based boot options without waiting for user input.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Intel Entry SAS RAID
set intel-entry-sas-raid-config sas-raid
Whether the Intel SAS Entry RAID Module is enabled. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The Intel SAS Entry RAID Module is disabled.
enabled—The Intel SAS Entry RAID Module is enabled.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Intel Entry SAS RAID Module
set intel-entry-sas-raid-config sas-raid-module
How the Intel SAS Entry RAID Module is configured. This can be one of the following:
it-ir-raid—Configures the RAID module to use Intel IT/IR RAID.
intel-esrtii—Configures the RAID module to use Intel Embedded Server RAID Technology II.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Onboard SCU Storage Support
set onboard-sas-storage-config onboard-sas-ctrl
Whether the onboard software RAID controller is available to the server. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The software RAID controller is not available.
enabled—The software RAID controller is available.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Server Management BIOS Settings
The following tables list the server management BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:
General Settings
Name
Description
Assert Nmi on Serr
set assert-nmi-on-serr-config assertion
Whether the BIOS generates a non-maskable interrupt (NMI) and logs an error when a system error (SERR) occurs. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The BIOS does not generate an NMI or log an error when a SERR occurs.
enabled—The BIOS generates an NMI and logs an error when a SERR occurs. You must enable this setting if you want to enable Assert Nmi on Perr.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Assert Nmi on Perr
set assert-nmi-on-perr-config assertion
Whether the BIOS generates a non-maskable interrupt (NMI) and logs an error when a processor bus parity error (PERR) occurs. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The BIOS does not generate an NMI or log an error when a PERR occurs.
enabled—The BIOS generates an NMI and logs an error when a PERR occurs. You must enable Assert Nmi on Serr to use this setting.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
OS Boot Watchdog Timer
set os-boot-watchdog-timer-config os-boot-watchdog-timer
Whether the BIOS programs the watchdog timer with a predefined timeout value. If the operating system does not complete booting before the timer expires, the CIMC resets the system and an error is logged. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The watchdog timer is not used to track how long the server takes to boot.
enabled—The watchdog timer tracks how long the server takes to boot. If the server does not boot within the predefined length of time, the CIMC resets the system and logs an error.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
This feature requires either operating system support or Intel Management software.
OS Boot Watchdog Timer Timeout Policy
set os-boot-watchdog-timer-policy-config os-boot-watchdog-timer-policy
What action the system takes if the watchdog timer expires. This can be one of the following:
power-off—The server is powered off if the watchdog timer expires during OS boot.
reset—The server is reset if the watchdog timer expires during OS boot.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
This option is only available if you enable the OS Boot Watchdog Timer.
OS Boot Watchdog Timer Timeout
set os-boot-watchdog-timer-timeout-config os-boot-watchdog-timer-timeout
What timeout value the BIOS uses to configure the watchdog timer. This can be one of the following:
5-minutes—The watchdog timer expires 5 minutes after the OS begins to boot.
10-minutes—The watchdog timer expires 10 minutes after the OS begins to boot.
15-minutes—The watchdog timer expires 15 minutes after the OS begins to boot.
20-minutes—The watchdog timer expires 20 minutes after the OS begins to boot.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
This option is only available if you enable the OS Boot Watchdog Timer.
Console Redirection Settings
Name
Description
Console Redirection
set console-redir-config console-redir
Allows a serial port to be used for console redirection during POST and BIOS booting. After the BIOS has booted and the operating system is responsible for the server, console redirection is irrelevant and has no effect. This can be one of the following:
disabled—No console redirection occurs during POST.
serial-port-a—Enables serial port A for console redirection during POST. This option is valid for blade servers and rack-mount servers.
serial-port-b—Enables serial port B for console redirection and allows it to perform server management tasks. This option is only valid for rack-mount servers.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Note
If you enable this option, you also disable the display of the Quiet Boot logo screen during POST.
Flow Control
set console-redir-config flow-control
Whether a handshake protocol is used for flow control. Request to Send / Clear to Send (RTS/CTS) helps to reduce frame collisions that can be introduced by a hidden terminal problem. This can be one of the following:
none—No flow control is used.
rts-cts—RTS/CTS is used for flow control.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Note
This setting must match the setting on the remote terminal application.
BAUD Rate
set console-redir-config baud-rate
What BAUD rate is used for the serial port transmission speed. If you disable Console Redirection, this option is not available. This can be one of the following:
9600—A 9600 BAUD rate is used.
19200—A 19200 BAUD rate is used.
38400—A 38400 BAUD rate is used.
57600—A 57600 BAUD rate is used.
115200—A 115200 BAUD rate is used.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Note
This setting must match the setting on the remote terminal application.
Terminal Type
set console-redir-config terminal-type
What type of character formatting is used for console redirection. This can be one of the following:
pc-ansi—The PC-ANSI terminal font is used.
vt100—A supported vt100 video terminal and its character set are used.
vt100-plus—A supported vt100-plus video terminal and its character set are used.
vt-utf8—A video terminal with the UTF-8 character set is used.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
Note
This setting must match the setting on the remote terminal application.
Legacy OS Redirect
set console-redir-config legacy-os-redir
Whether redirection from a legacy operating system, such as DOS, is enabled on the serial port. This can be one of the following:
disabled—The serial port enabled for console redirection is hidden from the legacy operating system.
enabled— The serial port enabled for console redirection is visible to the legacy operating system.
platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.
BIOS Policy
The BIOS policy is a policy that automates the configuration of BIOS settings for a server or group of servers. You can create global BIOS policies available to all servers in the root organization, or you can create BIOS policies in sub-organizations that are only available to that hierarchy.
To use a BIOS policy, do the following:
Create the BIOS policy in Cisco UCS Manager.
Assign the BIOS policy to one or more service profiles.
Associate the service profile with a server.
During service profile association, Cisco UCS Manager modifies the BIOS settings on the server to match the configuration in the BIOS policy. If you do not create and assign a BIOS policy to a service profile, the server uses the default BIOS settings for that server platform.
Default BIOS Settings
Cisco UCS Manager includes a set of default BIOS settings for each type of server supported by Cisco UCS. The default BIOS settings are available only in the root organization and are global. Only one set of default BIOS settings can exist for each server platform supported by Cisco UCS. You can modify the default BIOS settings, but you cannot create an additional set of default BIOS settings.
Each set of default BIOS settings are designed for a particular type of supported server and are applied to all servers of that specific type which do not have a BIOS policy included in their service profiles.
Unless a Cisco UCS implementation has specific needs that are not met by the server-specific settings, we recommend that you use the default BIOS settings that are designed for each type of server in the Cisco UCS domain.
Cisco UCS Manager applies these server platform-specific BIOS settings as follows:
The service profile associated with a server does not include a BIOS policy.
The BIOS policy is configured with the platform-default option for a specific setting.
You can modify the default BIOS settings provided by Cisco UCS Manager. However, any changes to the default BIOS settings apply to all servers of that particular type or platform. If you want to modify the BIOS settings for only certain servers, we recommend that you use a BIOS policy.
Creating a BIOS Policy
Note
Cisco UCS Manager pushes BIOS configuration changes through a BIOS policy or default BIOS settings to the Cisco Integrated Management Controller
(CIMC) buffer. These changes remain in the buffer and do not take effect until the server is rebooted.
We recommend that you verify the support for BIOS settings in the server that you want to configure. Some settings, such as Mirroring Mode and Sparing Mode for RAS Memory, are not supported by all Cisco UCS servers.
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope orgorg-name
Enters org mode for the specified organization. To enter the default org mode, type / as the org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org # create bios-policypolicy-name
Creates a BIOS policy with the specified policy name, and enters org BIOS policy mode.
Step 3
Configure the BIOS settings.
For the CLI commands, descriptions and information about the options for each BIOS setting, see the following topics:
We recommend that you verify the support for BIOS settings in the server that you want to configure. Some settings, such as Mirroring Mode and Sparing Mode for RAS Memory, are not supported by all Cisco UCS servers.
Unless a Cisco UCS implementation has specific needs that are not met by the server-specific settings, we recommend that you use the default BIOS settings that are designed for each type of server in the Cisco UCS domain.
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope system
Enters system mode.
Step 2
UCS-A /system # scope server-defaults
Enters server defaults mode.
Step 3
UCS-A /system/server-defaults # show platform
(Optional) Displays platform descriptions for all servers.
Enters server defaults mode for the server specified. For the platform-description argument, enter the server description displayed by the show platform command using the following format: "vendor" modelrevision.
Tip
You must enter the vendor exactly as shown in the show platform command, including all punctuation marks.
This policy allows you to determine whether IPMI commands can be sent directly to the server, using the IP address. For example, you can send commands to retrieve sensor data from the CIMC. This policy defines the IPMI access, including a username and password that can be authenticated locally on the server, and whether the access is read-only or read-write.
You must include this policy in a service profile and that service profile must be associated with a server for it to take effect.
Configuring an IPMI Access Profile
Before You Begin
Obtain the following:
Username with appropriate permissions that can be authenticated by
the operating system of the server
Password for the username
Permissions associated with the username
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name.
After entering the set password command, you are prompted to enter and confirm the password. For security purposes, the password that you type does not appear in the CLI.
Step 5
UCS-A /org/ipmi-access-profile/ipmi-user # set privilege{admin | readonly}
Specifies whether the endpoint user has administrative or read-only privileges.
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example creates an IPMI access profile named ReadOnly, creates an endpoint user named bob, sets the password and the privileges for bob, and commits the transaction:
UCS-A# scope org /
UCS-A /org # create ipmi-access-profile ReadOnly
UCS-A /org/ipmi-access-profile* # create ipmi-user bob
UCS-A /org/ipmi-access-profile/ipmi-user* # set password
Enter a password:
Confirm the password:
UCS-A /org/ipmi-access-profile/ipmi-user* # set privilege readonly
UCS-A /org/ipmi-access-profile/ipmi-user* # commit-buffer
UCS-A /org/ipmi-access-profile/ipmi-user #
What to Do Next
Include the IPMI profile in a
service profile
and/or template.
Deleting an IPMI Access Profile
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name.
After entering the set password command, you are prompted to enter and confirm the password. For security purposes, the password that you type does not appear in the CLI.
Step 5
UCS-A /org/ipmi-access-profile/ipmi-user # set privilege{admin | readonly}
Specifies whether the endpoint user has administrative or read-only privileges.
This policy configures any optional SAS local drives that have been
installed on a server through the onboard RAID controller of the local drive.
This policy enables you to set a local disk mode for all servers that are associated with a service profile that includes the local disk configuration policy.
The local disk modes include the following:
No Local Storage—For a diskless
server or a SAN only configuration. If you select this option, you cannot
associate any
service profile
which uses this policy with a server that has a local disk.
RAID 0 Striped—Data is striped across all disks in the array, providing fast throughput. There is no data redundancy, and all data is lost if any disk fails.
RAID 1 Mirrored—Data is written to two disks, providing complete data redundancy if one disk fails. The maximum array size is equal to the available space on the smaller of the two drives.
Any Configuration—For a server
configuration that carries forward the local disk configuration without any
changes.
No RAID—For a server
configuration that removes the RAID and leaves the disk MBR and payload
unaltered.
RAID 5 Striped Parity—Data is striped across all disks in the array. Part of the capacity of each disk stores parity information that can be used to reconstruct data if a disk fails. RAID 5 provides good data throughput for applications with high read request rates.
RAID 6 Striped Dual Parity—Data is striped across all disks in the array and two parity disks are used to provide protection against the failure of up to two physical disks. In each row of data blocks, two sets of parity data are stored.
RAID10 Mirrored and Striped— RAID 10 uses mirrored pairs of disks to provide complete data redundancy and high throughput rates.
You must include this policy in a
service profile,
and that
service profile
must be associated with a server for the policy to take effect.
Guidelines for all Local Disk Configuration Policies
Before you create a local disk configuration policy, consider the following guidelines:
No Mixed HDDs and SSDs
Do not include HDDs and SSDs in a single server or RAID configuration.
Do Not Assign a Service Profile with the Default Local Disk Configuration Policy from a B200 M1 or M2 to a B200 M3
Due to the differences in the RAID/JBOD support provided by the storage controllers of B200 M1 and M2 servers and those of the B200 M3 server, you cannot assign or re-assign a service profile that includes the default local disk configuration policy from a B200M1 or M2 server to a B200 M3 server.
The default local disk configuration policy includes those with Any Configuration or JBOD configuration.
Impact of Upgrade from a Release Prior to Release 1.3(1i)
An upgrade from an earlier Cisco UCS firmware release to release 1.3(1i) or higher has the following impact on the Protect Configuration property of the local disk configuration policy the first time servers are associated with service profiles after the upgrade:
Unassociated Servers
After you upgrade the Cisco UCS domain, the initial server association proceeds without configuration errors whether or not the local disk configuration policy matches the server hardware. Even if you enable the Protect Configuration property, Cisco UCS does not protect the user data on the server if there are configuration mismatches between the local disk configuration policy on the previous service profile and the policy in the new service profile.
Note
If you enable the Protect Configuration property and the local disk configuration policy encounters mismatches between the previous service profile and the new service profile, all subsequent service profile associations with the server are blocked.
Associated Servers
Any servers that are already associated with service profiles do not reboot after the upgrade. Cisco UCS Manager does not report any configuration errors if there is a mismatch between the local disk configuration policy and the server hardware.
When a service profile is disassociated from a server and a new service profile associated, the setting for the Protect Configuration property in the new service profile takes precedence and overwrites the setting in the previous service profile.
Guidelines for Local Disk Configuration Policies Configured for RAID
No Mixed HDDs and SSDs
Do not include HDDs and SSDs in a single RAID configuration.
Do Not Use the Any Configuration Mode on Servers with MegaRAID Storage Controllers
If a blade server or rack-mount server in a Cisco UCS domain includes a MegaRAID storage controller, do not configure the local disk configuration policy in the service profile for that server with the Any Configuration mode. If you use this mode for servers with a MegaRAID storage controller, the installer for the operating system cannot detect any local storage on the server.
If you want to install an operating system on local storage on a server with a MegaRAID storage controller, you must configure the local disk configuration policy with a mode that creates a RAID LUN (RAID volume) on the server.
Server May Not Boot After RAID1 Cluster Migration if Any Configuration Mode Specified in Service Profile
After RAID1 clusters are migrated, you need to associate a service profile with the server. If the local disk configuration policy in the service profile is configured with Any Configuration mode rather than RAID1, the RAID LUN remains in "inactive" state during and after association. As a result, the server cannot boot.
To avoid this issue, ensure that the service profile you associate with the server contains the identical local disk configuration policy as the original service profile before the migration and does not include the Any Configuration mode.
Configure RAID Settings in Local Disk Configuration Policy for Servers with MegaRAID Storage Controllers
If a blade server or integrated rack-mount server has a MegaRAID controller, you must configure RAID settings for the drives in the Local Disk Configuration policy included in the service profile for that server.
If you do not configure your RAID LUNs before installing the OS, disk discovery failures might occur during the installation and you might see error messages such as “No Device Found.”
Do Not Use JBOD Mode on Servers with MegaRAID Storage Controllers
Do not configure or use JBOD mode or JBOD operations on any blade server or integrated rack-mount server with a MegaRAID storage controllers. JBOD mode and operations are not intended for nor are they fully functional on these servers.
Maximum of One RAID Volume and One RAID Controller in Integrated Rack-Mount Servers
A rack-mount server that has been integrated with Cisco UCS Manager can have a maximum of one RAID volume irrespective of how many hard drives are present on the server.
All the local hard drives in an integrated rack-mount server must be connected to only one RAID Controller. Integration with Cisco UCS Manager does not support the connection of local hard drives to multiple RAID Controllers in a single rack-mount server. We therefore recommend that you request a single RAID Controller configuration when you order rack-mount servers to be integrated with Cisco UCS Manager.
In addition, do not use third party tools to create multiple RAID LUNs on rack-mount servers. Cisco UCS Manager does not support that configuration.
Maximum of One RAID Volume and One RAID Controller in Blade Servers
A blade server can have a maximum of one RAID volume irrespective of how many drives are present in the server. All the local hard drives must be connected to only one RAID controller. For example, a B200 M3 server has an LSI controller and an Intel Patsburg controller, but only the LSI controller can be used as a RAID controller.
In addition, do not use third party tools to create multiple RAID LUNs on blade servers. Cisco UCS Manager does not support that configuration.
Number of Disks Selected in Mirrored RAID Should Not Exceed Two
If the number of disks selected in the Mirrored RAID exceed two, RAID 1 is created as a RAID 10 LUN. This issue can occur with the Cisco UCS B440 M1 and B440 M2 servers.
B420 M3 Server Does Not Support All Configuration Modes
The B420 M3 server does not support the following configuration modes in a local disk configuration policy:
No RAID
RAID 6 Striped Dual Parity
In addition, the B420 M3 does not support JBOD modes or operations.
Creating a Local Disk Configuration Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A#
scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter
the root organization mode, type
/ as the
org-name.
Specifies the mode for the local disk configuration policy.
Step 5
UCS-A /org/local-disk-config-policy #
set protect
{yes | no}
Specifies whether the server retains the configuration in the local disk configuration policy even if the server is disassociated from the service profile.
Caution
Protect Configuration becomes non-functional if one or more disks in the server are defective or faulty.
When a service profile is disassociated from a server and a new service profile associated, the setting for the Protect Configuration property in the new service profile takes precedence and overwrites the setting in the previous service profile.
Note
If you disassociate the server from a service profile with this option enabled and then associate it with a new service profile that includes a local disk configuration policy with different properties, the server returns a configuration mismatch error and the association fails.
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter
the root organization mode, type
/ as the
org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org # show local-disk-config-policypolicy-name
Displays the local disk policy. If you have not configured a local disk policy, the local disk configuration (created by the create local-disk-config command) displays.
Displays the local disk definition (set by the create local-disk-config command). If the serial over LAN definition is not set, and if a policy is set (using the set local-disk-config-policy command), then the policy will be displayed.
The following example shows how to display local disk policy information for a local disk configuration policy called DiskPolicy7:
UCS-A# scope org /
UCS-A /org # show local-disk-config-policy DiskPolicy7
Local Disk Config Policy:
Name: DiskPolicy7
Mode: Raid 1 Mirrored
Description:
Protect Configuration: Yes
Deleting a Local Disk Configuration Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name.
This policy determines what happens to local data and to the BIOS settings on a server during the discovery process and when the server is disassociated from a service profile. Depending upon how you configure a scrub policy, the following can occur at those times:
Disk Scrub
One of the following occurs to the data on any local drives on disassociation:
If enabled, destroys all data on any local drives
If disabled, preserves all data on any local drives, including local storage configuration
BIOS Settings Scrub
One of the following occurs to the BIOS settings when a service profile containing the scrub policy is disassociated from a server:
If enabled, erases all BIOS settings for the server and and resets them to the BIOS defaults for that server type and vendor
If disabled, preserves the existing BIOS settings on the server
Creating a Scrub Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A#
scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter
the root organization mode, type
/ as the
org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org #
create scrub-policypolicy-name
Creates a scrub policy with the specified policy name, and enters
organization scrub policy mode.
Step 3
UCS-A /org/scrub-policy #
set descrdescription
(Optional)
Provides a description for the scrub policy.
Note
If your description includes spaces, special characters, or
punctuation, you must begin and end your description with quotation marks. The
quotation marks will not appear in the description field of any
show command output.
Step 4
UCS-A /org/scrub-policy #
set disk-scrub{no |
yes}
Disables or enables disk scrubbing on servers using this scrub
policy as follows:
If enabled, destroys all data on any local drives
If disabled, preserves all data on any local drives, including local storage configuration
Step 5
UCS-A /org/scrub-policy #
set bios-settings-scrub{no |
yes}
Disables or enables BIOS settings scrubbing on servers using this scrub
policy as follows:
If enabled, erases all BIOS settings for the server and and resets them to the BIOS defaults for that server type and vendor
If disabled, preserves the existing BIOS settings on the server
Step 6
UCS-A /org/scrub-policy #
commit-buffer
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example creates a scrub policy named ScrubPolicy2,
enables disk scrubbing on servers using the scrub policy, and commits the
transaction:
UCS-A# scope org /
UCS-A /org # create scrub-policy ScrubPolicy2
UCS-A /org/scrub-policy* # set descr "Scrub disk but not BIOS."
UCS-A /org/scrub-policy* # set disk-scrub yes
UCS-A /org/scrub-policy* # set bios-settings-scrub no
UCS-A /org/scrub-policy* # commit-buffer
UCS-A /org/scrub-policy #
Deleting a Scrub Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org # delete scrub-policypolicy-name
Deletes the specified scrub policy.
Step 3
UCS-A /org # commit-buffer
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example deletes the scrub policy named ScrubPolicy2 and commits the transaction:
This policy sets the configuration for the serial over LAN connection
for all servers associated with
service profiles
that use the policy. By default, the serial over LAN connection is disabled.
If you implement a serial over LAN policy, we recommend that you also
create an IPMI profile.
You must include this policy in a
service profile
and that
service profile
must be associated with a server for it to take effect.
Configuring a Serial over LAN Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A#
scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter
the root organization mode, type
/ as the
org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org #
create sol-policypolicy-name
Creates a serial over LAN policy and enters organization serial over LAN
policy mode.
Step 3
UCS-A /org/sol-policy #
set descrdescription
(Optional)
Provides a description for the policy.
Note
If your description includes spaces, special characters, or
punctuation, you must begin and end your description with quotation marks. The
quotation marks will not appear in the description field of any
show command output.
Disables or enables the serial over LAN policy. By default, the serial over LAN policy is
disabled; you must enable it before it can be applied.
Step 6
UCS-A /org/sol-policy #
commit-buffer
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example creates a serial over LAN policy named Sol9600, provides a
description for the policy, sets the speed to 9,600 baud, enables the policy,
and commits the transaction:
UCS-A# scope org /
UCS-A /org* # create sol-policy Sol9600
UCS-A /org/sol-policy* # set descr "Sets serial over LAN policy to 9600 baud."
UCS-A /org/sol-policy* # set speed 9600
UCS-A /org/sol-policy* # enable
UCS-A /org/sol-policy* # commit-buffer
UCS-A /org/sol-policy #
Viewing a Serial over LAN Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter
the root organization mode, type
/ as the
org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org # show sol-policypolicy-name
Displays the serial over LAN definition (set by the create sol-config command). If the serial over LAN definition is not set, and if a policy is set (using the set sol-policy command), then the policy will be displayed.
The following example shows how to display serial over LAN information for a serial over LAN policy called Sol9600:
UCS-A# scope org /
UCS-A /org # show sol-policy Sol9600
SOL Policy:
Full Name: Sol9600
SOL State: Enable
Speed: 9600
Description:
Deleting a Serial over LAN Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A#
scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter
the root organization mode, type
/ as the
org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org #
delete sol-policypolicy-name
Deletes the specified serial over LAN policy.
Step 3
UCS-A /org #
commit-buffer
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example deletes the serial over LAN policy named Sol9600 and commits
the transaction:
Cisco UCS Manager uses this policy to determine how to configure a new server. If you create a server autoconfiguration policy, the following occurs when a new server starts:
The qualification in the server autoconfiguration policy is executed against the server.
If the server meets the required qualifications, the server is associated with a service profile created from the service profile template configured in the server autoconfiguration policy. The name of that service profile is based on the name given to the server by Cisco UCS Manager.
The service profile is assigned to the organization configured in the server autoconfiguration policy.
Configuring a Server Autoconfiguration Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A#
scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter
the root organization mode, type
/ as the
org-name.
Creates a server autoconfiguration policy with the specified
policy name, and enters organization server autoconfiguration policy mode.
Step 3
UCS-A /org/server-autoconfig-policy #
set descrdescription
(Optional)
Provides a description for the policy.
Note
If your description includes spaces, special characters, or
punctuation, you must begin and end your description with quotation marks. The
quotation marks will not appear in the description field of any
show command output.
Step 4
UCS-A /org/server-autoconfig-policy #
set destination orgorg-name
(Optional)
Specifies the organization for which the server is to be used.
Step 5
UCS-A /org/server-autoconfig-policy #
set qualifierserver-qual-name
(Optional)
Specifies server pool policy qualification to use for qualifying
the server.
Step 6
UCS-A /org/server-autoconfig-policy #
set templateprofile-name
(Optional)
Specifies a service profile template to use for creating a service
profile instance for the server.
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example creates a server autoconfiguration policy named
AutoConfigFinance, provides a description for the policy, specifies finance as
the destination organization, ServPoolQual22 as the server pool policy
qualification, and ServTemp2 as the service profile template, and commits the
transaction:
UCS-A# scope org /
UCS-A /org* # create server-autoconfig-policy AutoConfigFinance
UCS-A /org/server-autoconfig-policy* # set descr "Server Autoconfiguration Policy for Finance"
UCS-A /org/server-autoconfig-policy* # set destination org finance
UCS-A /org/server-autoconfig-policy* # set qualifier ServPoolQual22
UCS-A /org/server-autoconfig-policy* # set template ServTemp2
UCS-A /org/server-autoconfig-policy* # commit-buffer
UCS-A /org/server-autoconfig-policy #
Deleting a Server Autoconfiguration Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A#
scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter
the root organization mode, type
/ as the
org-name.
This discovery policy determines how the system reacts when you add a new server. If you create a server discovery policy, you can control whether the system conducts a deep discovery when a server is added to a chassis, or whether a user must first acknowledge the new server. By default, the system conducts a full discovery.
If you create a server discovery policy, the following occurs when a new server starts:
The qualification in the server discovery policy is executed against the server.
If the server meets the required qualifications, Cisco UCS Manager applies the following to the server:
Depending upon the option selected for the action, either discovers the new server immediately or waits for a user to acknowledge the new server
Applies the scrub policy to the server
Configuring a Server Discovery Policy
Before You Begin
If you plan to associate this
policy with a server pool, create server pool policy qualifications.
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A#
scope org /
Enters the root organization mode.
Note
Chassis discovery policies can only be accessed from the root
organization.
Step 2
UCS-A /org #
create server-disc-policypolicy-name
Creates a server discovery policy with the specified policy name,
and enters org server discovery policy mode.
Step 3
UCS-A /org/server-disc-policy #
set action{diag |
immediate |
user-acknowledged}
Specifies when the system will attempt to discover new servers.
Provides a description for the server discovery policy.
Note
If your description includes spaces, special characters, or
punctuation, you must begin and end your description with quotation marks. The
quotation marks will not appear in the description field of any
show command output.
Step 5
UCS-A /org/server-disc-policy #
set qualifierqualifier
(Optional)
Uses the specified server pool policy qualifications to associates
this policy with a server pool.
Step 6
UCS-A /org/server-disc-policy #
set scrub-policy
Specifies the scrub policy to be used by this policy. The scrub
policy defines whether the disk drive on a server should be scrubbed clean upon
discovery.
Step 7
UCS-A /org/server-disc-policy #
commit-buffer
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example creates a server discovery policy named
ServDiscPolExample, sets it to immediately discover new servers, provides a
description for the policy, specifies the server pool policy qualifications and
scrub policy, and commits the transaction:
UCS-A# scope org /
UCS-A /org # create server-disc-policy ServDiscPolExample
UCS-A /org/server-disc-policy* # set action immediate
UCS-A /org/server-disc-policy* # set descr "This is an example server discovery policy."
UCS-A /org/server-disc-policy* # set qualifier ExampleQual
UCS-A /org/server-disc-policy* # set scrub-policy NoScrub
UCS-A /org/server-disc-policy # commit-buffer
What to Do Next
Include the server discovery
policy in a
service profile
and/or template.
Deleting a Server Discovery Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org # Delete server-disc-policypolicy-name
Deletes the specified server discovery policy.
Step 3
UCS-A /org/server-disc-policy # commit-buffer
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example deletes the server discovery policy named ServDiscPolExample and commits the transaction:
This policy is invoked during the server discovery process to create a service profile for the server. All service profiles created from this policy use the values burned into the blade at manufacture. The policy performs the following:
Analyzes the inventory of the server
If configured, assigns the server to the selected organization
Creates a service profile for the server with the identity burned into the server at manufacture
You cannot migrate a service profile created with this policy to another server.
Configuring a Server Inheritance Policy
A blade server or rack-mount server with a VIC adapter, such as the Cisco UCS M81KR Virtual Interface Card, does not have server identity values burned into the server hardware at manufacture. As a result, the identity of the adapter must be derived from default pools. If the default pools do not include sufficient entries for one to be assigned to the server, service profile association fails with a configuration error.
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A#
scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter
the root organization mode, type
/ as the
org-name.
Creates a server inheritance policy with the specified policy
name, and enters organization server inheritance policy mode.
Step 3
UCS-A /org/server-inherit-policy #
set descrdescription
(Optional)
Provides a description for the policy.
Note
If your description includes spaces, special characters, or
punctuation, you must begin and end your description with quotation marks. The
quotation marks will not appear in the description field of any
show command output.
Step 4
UCS-A /org/server-inherit-policy #
set destination orgorg-name
(Optional)
Specifies the organization for which the server is to be used.
Step 5
UCS-A /org/server-inherit-policy #
set qualifierserver-qual-name
(Optional)
Specifies server pool policy qualification to use for qualifying
the server.
Step 6
UCS-A /org/server-inherit-policy #
commit-buffer
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example creates a server inheritance policy named
InheritEngineering, provides a description for the policy, specifies
engineering as the destination organization and ServPoolQual22 as the server
pool policy qualification, and commits the transaction:
UCS-A# scope org /
UCS-A /org* # create server-inherit-policy InheritEngineering
UCS-A /org/server-inherit-policy* # set descr "Server Inheritance Policy for Engineering"
UCS-A /org/server-inherit-policy* # set destination org engineering
UCS-A /org/server-inherit-policy* # set qualifier ServPoolQual22
UCS-A /org/server-inherit-policy* # commit-buffer
UCS-A /org/server-inherit-policy #
Deleting a Server Inheritance Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A#
scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter
the root organization mode, type
/ as the
org-name.
This policy is invoked during the server discovery process. It determines what happens if server pool policy qualifications match a server to the target pool specified in the policy.
If a server qualifies for more than one pool and those pools have server pool policies, the server is added to all those pools.
Configuring a Server Pool Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A#
scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter
the root organization mode, type
/ as the
org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org #
create pooling-policypolicy-name
Creates a server pool policy with the specified name, and enters
organization pooling policy mode.
Step 3
UCS-A /org/pooling-policy #
set descrdescription
(Optional)
Provides a description for the server pool policy.
Note
If your description includes spaces, special characters, or
punctuation, you must begin and end your description with quotation marks. The
quotation marks will not appear in the description field of any
show command output.
Step 4
UCS-A /org/pooling-policy #
set poolpool-distinguished-name
Specifies the server pool to use with the server pool policy. You
must specify the full distinguished name for the pool.
Step 5
UCS-A /org/pooling-policy #
set qualifierqualifier-name
Specifies the server pool qualifier to use with the server pool
policy.
Step 6
UCS-A /org/pooling-policy #
commit-buffer
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example creates a server pool policy named ServerPoolPolicy4
and commits the transaction:
UCS-A# scope org /
UCS-A /org # create pooling-policy ServerPoolPolicy4
UCS-A /org/pooling-policy* # set pool org-root/compute-pool-pool3
UCS-A /org/pooling-policy* # set qualifier ServPoolQual8
UCS-A /org/pooling-policy* # commit-buffer
UCS-A /org/pooling-policy #
Deleting a Server Pool Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org # delete pooling-policypolicy-name
Deletes the specified server pool policy.
Step 3
UCS-A /org # commit-buffer
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example deletes the server pool policy named ServerPoolPolicy4 and commits the transaction:
This policy qualifies servers based on the inventory of a server conducted during the discovery process. The qualifications are individual rules that you configure in the policy to determine whether a server meets the selection criteria. For example, you can create a rule that specifies the minimum memory capacity for servers in a data center pool.
Qualifications are used in other policies to place servers, not just by the server pool policies. For example, if a server meets the criteria in a qualification policy, it can be added to one or more server pools or have a service profile automatically associated with it.
You can use the server pool policy qualifications to qualify servers according to the following criteria:
Adapter type
Chassis location
Memory type and configuration
Power group
CPU cores, type, and configuration
Storage configuration and capacity
Server model
Depending upon the implementation, you may configure several policies with server pool policy qualifications including the following:
Autoconfiguration policy
Chassis discovery policy
Server discovery policy
Server inheritance policy
Server pool policy
Creating a Server Pool Policy Qualification
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org # create server-qualserver-qual-name
Creates a server pool qualification with the specified name, and enters organization server qualification mode.
Step 3
UCS-A /org/server-qual # commit-buffer
Commits the transaction to the system configuration.
The following example creates a server pool qualification named ServPoolQual22 and commits the transaction:
Creates an adapter capacity qualification for the specified adapter type and enters organization server qualification adapter capacity qualification mode. The adapter-type argument can be any of the following values:
vNIC/vHBA placement policies are used to determine what types of vNICs or vHBAs can be assigned to the physical adapters on a server. Each vNIC/vHBA placement policy contains four virtual network interface connections (vCons) that are virtual representations of the physical adapters. When a vNIC/vHBA placement policy is assigned to a service profile, and the service profile is associated with a server, the vCons in the vNIC/vHBA placement policy are assigned to the physical adapters.
If you do not include a vNIC/vHBA placement policy in the service profile or you use the default configuration for a server with two adapters, Cisco UCS Manager defaults to the All configuration and equally distributes the vNICs and vHBAs between the adapters.
You can use this policy to assign vNICs or vHBAs to either of the two vCons. Cisco UCS Manager uses the vCon assignment to determine how to assign the vNICs and vHBAs to the physical adapter during service profile association.
All—All configured vNICs and vHBAs can be assigned to the vCon, whether they are explicitly assigned to it, unassigned, or dynamic.
Assigned Only—vNICs and vHBAs must be explicitly assigned to the vCon. You can assign them explicitly through the service profile or the properties of the vNIC or vHBA.
Exclude Dynamic—Dynamic vNICs and vHBAs cannot be assigned to the vCon. The vCon can be used for all static vNICs and vHBAs, whether they are unassigned or explicitly assigned to it.
Exclude Unassigned—Unassigned vNICs and vHBAs cannot be assigned to the vCon. The vCon can be used for dynamic vNICs and vHBAs and for static vNICs and vHBAs that are explicitly assigned to it.
vCon to Adapter Placement
Cisco UCS Manager maps every vCon in a service profile to a physical adapter on the server. How that mapping occurs and how the vCons are assigned to a specific adapter in a server with two adapters depends upon the type of server. You must consider this placement when you configure the vNIC/vHBA placement policy to assign vNICs and vHBAs to vCons.
Note
vCon to adapter placement is not dependent upon the PCIE slot number of the adapter. The adapter numbers used for the purpose of vCon placement are not the PCIE slot numbers of the adapters, but the ID assigned to them during server discovery.
vCon to Adapter Placement for N20-B6620-2 and N20-B6625-2 Blade Servers
In these blade servers, the adapters are numbered left to right, but vCons are numbered right to left. If the server has a single adapter, all vCons are assigned to that adapter. However, if the server has two adapters, the vCons are assigned to the adapters in reverse order, as follows:
Adapter1 is assigned vCon2 and vCon4
Adapter2 is assigned vCon1 and vCon3
vCon to Adapter Placement for All Other Supported Servers
For all other servers supported by Cisco UCS, the vCon assignment depends upon the number of adapters in the server, as follows:
Table 1 vCon to Adapter Placement by Number of Adapters in Server
Number of Adapters
vCon1 Assignment
vCon2 Assignment
vCon3 Assignment
vCon4 Assignment
1
Adapter1
Adapter1
Adapter1
Adapter1
2
Adapter1
Adapter2
Adapter1
Adapter2
3
Adapter1
Adapter2
Adapter3
Adapter2
4
Adapter1
Adapter2
Adapter3
Adapter4
vNIC/vHBA to vCon Assignment
Cisco UCS Manager provides two options for assigning vNICs and vHBAs to vCons through the vNIC/vHBA placement policy: explicit assignment and implicit assignment.
Explicit Assignment of vNICs and vHBAs
With explicit assignment, you specify the vCon and, therefore, the adapter to which a vNIC or vHBA is assigned. Use this assignment option when you need to determine how the vNICs and vHBAs are distributed between the adapters on a server.
To configure a vCon and the associated vNICs and vHBAs for explicit assignment, do the following:
Set the vCon configuration to any of the available options. You can configure the vCons through a vNIC/vHBA placement policy or in the service profile associated with the server. If a vCon is configured for All, you can still explicitly assign a vNIC or vHBA to that vCon.
Assign the vNICs and vHBAs to a vCon. You can make this assignment through the Virtual Host Interface Placement properties of the vNIC or vHBA or in the service profile associated with the server.
If you attempt to assign a vNIC or vHBA to a vCon that is not configured for that type of vNIC or vHBA, Cisco UCS Manager displays a message box to advise you of the configuration error.
During service profile association, Cisco UCS Manager validates the configured placement of the vNICs and vHBAs against the number and capabilities of the physical adapters in the server before assigning the vNICs and vHBAs according to the configuration in the policy. Load distribution is based upon the explicit assignments to the vCons and adapters configured in this policy.
If the adapters do not support the assignment of one or more vNICs or vHBAs, Cisco UCS Manager raises a fault against the service profile.
Note
vCon to adapter assignment occurs in a round-robin order. This order means that vNICs are placed on the adapters in the following order: vcon-1, vcon-3, vcon-2, vcon-4. As a result, under the following circumstances, the PCIE order of vNICs can be different than the explicit assignment configured in Cisco UCS Manager:
In a server with two adapters when vNICs are explicitly assigned to all four vCons.
When a service profile that includes explicit assignment is migrated from a server with a higher number of adapters to one with a lower number of adapters.
Implicit Assignment of vNICs and vHBAs
With implicit assignment, Cisco UCS Manager determines the vCon and, therefore, the adapter to which a vNIC or vHBA is assigned according to the capability of the adapter. Use this assignment option if the adaptor to which a vNIC or vHBA is assigned is not important to your system configuration.
To configure a vCon for implicit assignment, do the following:
Set the vCon configuration to All, Exclude Dynamic, or Exclude Unassigned. You can configure the vCons through a vNIC/vHBA placement policy or in the service profile associated with the server.
Do not set the vCon configuration to Exclude Assigned. Implicit assignment cannot be performed with this setting.
Do not assign any vNICs or vHBAs to a vCon.
During service profile association, Cisco UCS Manager verifies the number and capabilities of the physical adapters in the server and assigns the vNICs and vHBAs accordingly. Load distribution is based upon the capabilities of the adapters, and placement of the vNICs and vHBAs is performed according to the actual order determined by the system. For example, if one adapter can accommodate more vNICs than another, that adapter is assigned more vNICs.
If the adapters cannot support the number of vNICs and vHBAs configured for that server, Cisco UCS Manager raises a fault against the service profile.
Implicit Assignment of vNICs in a Mixed Adapter Environment
The implicit assignment of vNICs functions differently for a server that has mixed adapters, as follows:
A dual slot server that has one VIC adapter and one non-VIC adapter, which have different capabilities. For example, a server that contains a Cisco UCS M81KR Virtual Interface Card and a Cisco UCS CNA M71KR-E adapter.
A configuration that includes both dynamic vNICs and static vNICs.
When you assign vNICs implicitly for a dual slot server that has one VIC adapter and non-VIC adapter, Cisco UCS Manager typically assigns one vNIC to each adapter. The remaining vNICs are assigned according to the relative capabilities of the adapters. The following are examples of the relative capabilities of some of the supported adapters:
Cisco UCS M81KR Virtual Interface Card (128 vNICs) and Cisco UCS CNA M71KR-E Adapter (2 vNICs) have a 64:1 capability ratio
Cisco UCS M81KR Virtual Interface Card and Cisco UCS CNA M72KR-E have a 64:1 capability ratio
Cisco UCS CNA M72KR-E and Cisco UCS CNA M72KR-E have a 1:1 capability ratio
Cisco UCS M82-8P Virtual Interface Card and Cisco UCS CNA M71KR-E adapter have a 128:1 capability ratio
Cisco UCS M82-8P Virtual Interface Card and Cisco UCS M81KR Virtual Interface Card have a 2:1 capability ratio.
For example, a Cisco UCS M81KR Virtual Interface Card can handle up to 128 vNICs, while a Cisco UCS CNA M71KR-E can only handle 2 vNICs. This difference gives those adapters a 64:1 ratio. If a dual slot blade server has one of each and you choose to allow implicit assignment of vNICs by Cisco UCS Manager, the load balancing ratio assigns the majority of the vNICs to the Cisco UCS M81KR Virtual Interface Card, as follows:
Total Number of vNICs
vNICs Assigned to Cisco UCS M81KR Virtual Interface Card
vNICs Assigned to Cisco UCS CNA M71KR-E Adapter
20
19
1
130
128
2
Note
Exceptions to this implicit assignment occur if you configure the vNICs for fabric failover and if you configure dynamic vNICs for the server.
For a configuration that includes vNIC fabric failover where one adapter does not support vNIC failover, Cisco UCS Manager implicitly assigns all vNICs which have fabric failover enabled to the adapter that supports them. If the configuration only includes vNICs that are configured for fabric failover, no vNICs are implicitly assigned to the adapter which does not support them. If some vNICs are configured for fabric failover and some are not, Cisco UCS Manager assigns all failover vNICs to the adapter which supports them and a minimum of one non-failover vNIC to the adapter which does not support them, according to the ratio above.
For a configuration that includes dynamic vNICs, the same implicit assignment would occur. Cisco UCS Manager assigns all dynamic vNICs to the adapter that supports them. However, with a combination of dynamic vNICs and static vNICs, at least one static vNIC is assigned to the adapter that does not support dynamic vNICs.
Configuring a vNIC/vHBA Placement Policy
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A#
scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org # create vcon-policypolicy-name
Creates the specified vNIC/vHBA placement profile and enters organization vcon policy mode.
Step 3
UCS-A /org/vcon-policy # set descrdescription
(Optional)
Provides a description for the vNIC/vHBA Placement Profile.
Note
If your description includes spaces, special characters, or
punctuation, you must begin and end your description with quotation marks. The
quotation marks will not appear in the description field of any
show command output.
Configure the vCons through a vNIC/vHBA placement policy or in the service profile with one of the following values:
Assigned Only
Exclude Dynamic
Exclude Unassigned
If a vCon is configured for All, you can still explicitly assign a vNIC or vHBA to that vCon. However, you have less control with this configuration.
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the organization which contains the service profile whose vNICs you want to explicitly assign to a vCon. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org # scope service-profileprofile-name
Enters organization service profile mode for the specified service.
Step 3
UCS-A /org/service-profile # scope vnicvnic-name
Enters organization service profile mode for the specified vnic.
Configure the vCons through a vNIC/vHBA placement policy or in the service profile with one of the following values:
Assigned Only
Exclude Dynamic
Exclude Unassigned
If a vCon is configured for All, you can still explicitly assign a vNIC or vHBA to that vCon. However, you have less control with this configuration.
Procedure
Command or Action
Purpose
Step 1
UCS-A# scope orgorg-name
Enters organization mode for the organization which contains the service profile whose vHBAs you want to explicitly assign to a vCon. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name.
Step 2
UCS-A /org # scope service-profileprofile-name
Enters organization service profile mode for the specified service.
Step 3
UCS-A /org/service-profile # scope vhbavhba-name
Enters organization service profile mode for the specified vHBA.