Execute preconfiguration tasks

Log in to the appliance's Cisco IMC using the Cisco IMC IP address, user ID, and password you set in Enable browser access to Cisco Integrated Management Controller.

If the login is successful, your browser displays the Cisco Integrated Management Controller Chassis Summary window, as shown below.

Synchronize the appliance's hardware with the Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers you use to manage your network, as follows:

1. From the top-left corner of the Cisco IMC GUI, click the Toggle Navigation icon ().

2. From the Cisco IMC menu, select Admin > Networking, and then choose the NTP Setting tab.

3. Make sure that the NTP Enabled check box is checked and enter up to four NTP server host names or addresses in the numbered Server fields, as shown in the example below.

   

4. Click Save Changes. Cisco IMC validates your entries and then begins to synchronize the time on the appliance's hardware with the time on the NTP servers.

   Note

   • Second-generation Catalyst Center appliances do not use a virtual interface card (VIC). You do not need to configure the network interface card (NIC) that comes installed on your second-generation appliance to support high throughput in Cisco IMC, as this is already enabled by default.

   • Cisco IMC does not support NTP authentication.

Reconfigure your switches to match the high-throughput settings on the appliance, as follows:

1. Using a Secure Shell (SSH) client, log in to the switch to be configured and enter EXEC mode at the switch prompt.

2. Configure the switch port.

   On a Cisco Catalyst switch, enter the following commands. For example:

   MySwitch#Config terminal
   MySwitch(config)#interface tengigabitethernet 1/1/3 
   MySwitch(config-if)#switchport mode access 
   MySwitch(config-if)#switchport access vlan 99 
   MySwitch(config-if)#speed auto 
   MySwitch(config-if)#duplex full 
   MySwitch(config-if)#mtu 1500 
   MySwitch(config-if)#no shut 
   MySwitch(config-if)#end 
   MySwitch(config)#copy running-config startup-config 

   On a Cisco Nexus switch, enter the following commands to disable Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) and priority flow control (PFC). For example:

   N7K2# configure terminal
   N7K2(config)# interface eth 3/4
   N7K2(config-if)# no priority-flow-control mode auto
   N7K2(config-if)# no lldp transmit
   N7K2(config-if)# no lldp receive

   Note the following:

   • These commands are examples only.

   • The switch port on Catalyst Center second-generation appliances must be set to access mode in order to function properly. Trunk mode is not supported, except in VLAN mode.

3. Run the show interface tengigabitethernet portID command and verify that the port is connected, running, and has the correct MTU, duplex, and link-type settings in the command output. For example:

   MySwitch#show interface tengigabitethernet 1/1/3 
   TenGigabitEthernet1/1/3 is up, line protocol is up (connected) 
     Hardware is Ten Gigabit Ethernet, address is XXXe.310.8000 (bia XXX.310.8000)
     MTU 1500 bytes, BW 10000000 Kbit/sec, DLY 10 usec, 
        reliability 255/255, txload 1/255, rxload 1/255 
     Encapsulation ARPA, loopback not set 
     Keepalive not set 
     Full-duplex, 10GB/s, link type is auto, media type is SFP-10Gbase-SR

4. Run the show run interface tengigabitethernet portID command to configure the switch ports where the cables from the Intel X710-DA2 NIC ports are connected. For example:

   MySwitch#show run interface tengigabitethernet 1/1/3 
   Building configuration... 
   Current configuration : 129 bytes 
   ! interface TenGigabitEthernet1/1/3 
    switchport access vlan 99 
    ip device tracking maximum 10 
   end 
   
   MySwitch#

5. Run the show mac address-table interface tengigabitethernet portID command and verify the MAC address from the command output. For example:

   MySwitch#show mac address-table interface tengigabitethernet 1/1/3 
              Mac Address Table 
   ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-- 
   Vlan     Mac Address       Type      Ports 
   ––--     ––––––––––-       –––-      –––-- 
   99       XXXe.3161.1000    DYNAMIC   Te1/1/3 
   Total Mac Addresses for this criterion: 1 
   
   MySwitch#

In the Configured Boot Mode drop-down list, confirm that Legacy (the default mode) is set.

To access the Configure Boot Order tab, do the following:

1. From the top-left corner of the Cisco IMC GUI, click the Toggle Navigation icon ().

2. From the Cisco IMC menu, choose Compute > BIOS > Configure Boot Order.