About This Guide

Introduction

Cisco Intersight offers flexible deployment either as Software as a Service (SaaS) on Intersight.com or running on your premises as Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance. The virtual appliance provides the benefits of Cisco Intersight while allowing more flexibility for those with additional data locality and security requirements. The Cisco Intersight connected Virtual Appliance software can be deployed on premises, allowing users to take advantage of the SaaS functionality. The Private Virtual Appliance can be deployed on premises with further security restrictions.

Cisco Intersight Assist helps you add endpoint devices to Cisco Intersight. A datacenter could have multiple devices that do not connect directly with Cisco Intersight. Any device that is supported by Cisco Intersight but does not connect directly with it, will need a connection mechanism. Cisco Intersight Assist provides that connection mechanism, and helps you add devices into Cisco Intersight.

The guide provides an overview of how to install and set up Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance and Cisco Intersight Assist in your environment.

New and Changed Information

The following table provides an overview of the significant updates for the new features and functionality documented in this guide.

Table 1. New and Changed Features and Functionality

When Updated

Feature/Funtionality

Description

Where Documented

September 30, 2025

Launch a Linux bash shell in a read-only environment

Updated content to include information about the new option 10 that is now available in the maintenance shell.

Maintenance Shell for Intersight Virtual Appliance and Intersight Assist

Grace period for Connected Virtual Appliance software updates in automatic mode

Updated task to include information on how to customize the grace period for Connected Virtual Appliance software updates in automatic mode.

Updating Intersight Connected Virtual Appliance

June 17, 2025

Four-node setup (includes multi-node for HA and metrics node)

Updated the task to include information on how to configure an advantage tier metrics node in a three-node setup as well as four-node setup.

Updated the task for four-node setup.

Configuring a Multi-Node Cluster for Increased Metrics Scalability in Intersight Virtual Appliance

IP Address and Hostname Requirements

Register Intersight Assist to Intersight Virtual Appliance

Added new task to provide information on how to set up Intersight Assist to register to Intersight Virtual Appliance.

Setting Up Intersight Assist (Registering to Intersight Virtual Appliance)

LDAP/AD Configuration

Updated existing task for specifying multiple LDAP servers within a single configuration.

Configuring LDAP Settings

Account Settings

Updated existing task for configuring a default authentication method.

Configuring Account Settings

April 2025

Configuring Email Notifications for Intersight Virtual Appliance Software Updates

Added a new task for configuring email notifications for software updates.

Configuring Email Notifications for Intersight Virtual Appliance Software Updates

March 2025

Metrics Node

Added a new task that provides information on how to configure an advantage tier metrics node.

Added a new task about provides information on how to reconnect metrics node.

Added a new topic that provides information on how to change the IPv4 Address of the metrics node.

Updated the existing "IP Address and Hostname Requirements" section for two-node setup.

Configuring a Multi-Node Cluster for Increased Metrics Scalability in Intersight Virtual Appliance

Reconnecting Metrics Node in the Multi-Node Cluster

Changing the IPv4 Address of Metrics Node in the Multi-Node Cluster

IP Address and Hostname Requirements

LDAP/AD Configuration

Updated the existing task for the "Test LDAP Settings" feature.

Configuring LDAP Settings

SMTP Configuration

Updated the existing task for the "Test SMTP Settings" feature.

Configuring SMTP Settings for Email Notifications

October 2024

Nutanix AHV

Added a new task that provides information on how to install Intersight Virtual Appliance on Nutanix AHV

Installing Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance on Nutanix AHV

Intersight Virtual Appliance Console UI

Created a new topic that provides information about the appliance Console UI

Intersight Virtual Appliance Console UI

Add Node Errors and Possible Resolutions

Created a new topic that includes information about errors encountered while adding nodes in a multi-node cluster configuration and possible resolutions for them.

Troubleshooting Add Node Issues During Multi-node Cluster Configuration

August 2024

Appliance Patch Release Version 1.1.0-1

Added a new topic that includes information about patch releases in Intersight Virtual Appliance along with the version scheme for the software releases and patch releases.

Updated the "Updating Intersight Connected Virtual Appliance" and "Updating Intersight Private Virtual Appliance" tasks for the patch release.

Intersight Virtual Appliance Patch Releases

Updating Intersight Connected Virtual Appliance

Updating Intersight Private Virtual Appliance

July 2024

AlmaLinux migration

Added information regarding upgrade behavior due to AlmaLinux migration.

Intersight Virtual Appliance 1.1.0-0 Upgrade Behavior — Impact of CentOS 7 to AlmaLinux 9 Migration

Changing IPv4 address

Created a new topic that provides information on how to change an IPv4 address for a node in a multi-node cluster.

Changing an IPv4 Address for a Node in the Multi-Node Cluster

Appliance software update failure issues

Created a new topic that includes error messages pertaining to appliance software update failures and possible resolutions for them.

Updated the task that includes information on how to replace a node in a multi-node cluster.

Troubleshooting Intersight Virtual Appliance Software Update Failure Issues

Replacing a Node in the Multi-Node Cluster for Intersight Virtual Appliance

March 2024

Metrics Collection

Added information in the table about the supported configuration limits for the Metrics Collection feature.

Supported Configuration

Local users

Updated task to include information on how to add local users.

Adding a User

Reset password of local users

Added a new section that includes information about how to reset the password of local users.

Resetting the Password of Local Users

Lockout local users account

Added a new task that describes the lockout of local users accounts feature.

Updated the table in Step 4 to add the fields required for configuring the lockout of local users account feature.

Locking Out Local Users Accounts

Configuring Password Policy for Local Users

December 2023

Backup Retention

Updated task to include information about the steps to follow for enabling backup retention.

Scheduling Backup

Support for CIFS protocol

Updated task to include information pertaining to support for the CIFS protocol.

Creating a Backup

Backup Retention Scenarios

Added a new table that describes the various backup retention scenarios and the expected outcomes.

Backup Retention Scenarios

Port Requirements

Updated the topic to include port 9094 as a requirement for Intersight Virtual Appliance communication.

Port Requirements

October 2023

Resource requirements for existing appliance deployments.

New task includes information about resource requirements for existing appliance deployments as well as disk size requirements for VMware vSphere installations.

VM Resource Requirements for Existing Appliance Deployments

Configuring External Syslog

Updated the task to include information that it is now possible to configure up to five external syslog servers.

Configuring External Syslog

SSL Certificates

Updated task to include information about switching to a self-signed certificate.

Adding SSL Certificates

Appliance Alarms

Updated information in the table for the appliance alarms.

Alarms

Single Sign-on

Updated the "IdP Requirements" section to include information for multi-node cluster configuration.

Single Sign-On with Intersight Virtual Appliance

July 2023

Collecting a Tech Support Bundle From Intersight Virtual Appliance

Added support for collecting tech support bundles for Intersight Connected Virtual Appliance.

Technical Assistance

Configuring Cisco TAC Support Using a Serial Console

Added new task to configure Cisco TAC Support using a serial console.

Configuring Cisco TAC Support Using a Serial Console

Reserved IP Address Range Requirements

Updated information in this section

Reserved IP Address Range Requirements
February 2023

Multi-Node Cluster Deployment

This feature is currently in Tech Preview. Tech Preview provides a preview of a functionality that is still under development. The Tech Preview features are not intended to be used in production environments. These features, including their GUI and API interfaces, may change between Tech Preview and General Availability.

To provide your feedback for the tech preview, send an email to intersight-tech-preview-feedback@cisco.com

Added a new task that provides information on how to configure a multi-node cluster for Intersight Virtual Appliance.

Configuring a Multi-Node Cluster for Intersight Virtual Appliance

Added a new task that provides information on how to replace a node in the multi-node cluster for Intersight Virtual Appliance.

Replacing a Node in the Multi-Node Cluster for Intersight Virtual Appliance
January 2023 Reserved IP Address Range Requirements Added new section to include information about the requirements for reserved IP address range.

Reserved IP Address Range Requirements
November 2022 Configuring External Syslog Updated the Configuring External Syslog task to include support for exporting all Intersight alarms to the configured external syslog server.

Configuring Syslog
Supported Configuration Limits Updated content to include information for large deployments.

Supported Configuration Limits for Intersight Virtual Appliance
April 2022 Intersight Virtual Appliance Monitoring Added a note in the Intersight Virtual Appliance Monitoring section to specify that UCS C-Series server-related faults are not forwarded by the Connected Virtual Appliance to an external syslog server.

Intersight Virtual Appliance Monitoring
Configuring External Syslog Added a note in the Configuring External Syslog task to specify that UCS C-Series server-related faults are not forwarded by the Connected Virtual Appliance to an external syslog server.

Configuring Syslog
January 2022 High Availability and Disaster Recovery

This guide now includes information about how to leverage High Availability using a vendor-provided solution. It also includes information about disaster recovery using the existing Backup and Restore functionality in Intersight Virtual Appliance as well as other third-party solutions.

High Availability and Disaster Recovery for Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance

December 2021

 Merge the Intersight Assist Getting Started Guide content with the Intersight Virtual Appliance Getting Started Guide

This guide now includes installation and set-up information for both Intersight Virtual Appliance and Intersight Assist.

About Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance

About Cisco Intersight Assist

November 2021

 Configuring Account Settings

Updated the Configuring Account Settings task to include information about the Audit Logs Retention Period field.

Configuring Account Settings

October 2021

 Setting Up Intersight Virtual Appliance

Added new tasks for setting up Intersight Connected Virtual Appliance, Intersight Private Virtual Appliance, and Intersight Assist.

Setting Up Intersight Virtual Appliance

Recovering Intersight Virtual Appliance

Added new tasks that provides information on how to recover Intersight Virtual Appliance.

Recovering Intersight Virtual Appliance

Updating the Intersight Virtual Appliance Software

Added tasks that provide information on how to update Intersight Connected Virtual Appliance and Intersight Private Virtual Appliance.

Updating the Intersight Virtual Appliance Software

July 2021

Enhancement to Intersight Virtual Appliance Settings

Updated the configuring external syslog task to include support for UDP and TCP protocols, in addition to the existing TLS protocol.

Configuring Syslog

Updated the role creation task to include information on configuring the maximum number of concurrent sessions per role.

Adding a Role

May 2021

Enhancement to Intersight Virtual Appliance Settings

Updated the task that provides information on how to download software packages for Intersight Virtual Appliance.

Downloading Software Packages for Intersight Virtual Appliance

Configuring NTP Servers

Updated the task that provides information on how to configure a NTP server.

Configuring NTP

February 2021

Enhancements to Intersight Virtual Appliance Settings

Added a new task that includes information about configuring password policy for local users.

Added a new task that includes information about configuring a banner message for displaying before the login screen.

Configuring Password Policy for Local Users

Configuring a Banner Message for Displaying Before the Login Screen

Installing Appliance on KVM Hypervisor

Added a new task that provides information on how to install Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance on KVM Hypervisor.

Installing Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance and Intersight Assist on KVM Hypervisor

January 2021

Enhancement to Intersight Virtual Appliance Settings

Added a new task that includes information about updating Intersight Intelligence for Intersight Virtual Appliance.

Updating Intersight Intelligence for Intersight Connected Virtual Appliance

October 2020

Enhancement to Intersight Virtual Appliance Settings

Added a new task that includes information about configuring external syslog.

Configuring Syslog

Support for IPv6 for endpoints

Updated this section to include information about configuring IP addresses.

Maintenance Shell for Intersight Virtual Appliance and Intersight Assist

July 2020

Licensing requirements

Updated this section to include licensing requirements for Intersight Private Virtual Appliance.

Licensing Requirements for Intersight Virtual Appliance

Technical assistance

Added a new section that includes information about collecting tech support bundles from Intersight Virtual Appliance.

Technical Assistance

Installing Appliance on Microsoft Hyper-V Server

Added a new task that provides information on how to install Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance on Microsoft Hyper-V Server.

Installing Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance and Intersight Assist on Microsoft Hyper-V Server

Creating Private Appliance Account

Added a new task that provides information about creating a Private Appliance Account for downloading software packages for Intersight Private Virtual Appliance deployments.

Creating an Appliance Account for Downloading Software Packages

Downloading Software Packages

Added a new task that provides information about downloading software packages for Intersight Private Virtual Appliance deployments.

Downloading Software Packages for Intersight Virtual Appliance

Uploading Software Packages

Added a new task that provides information about uploading software packages for Intersight Private Virtual Appliance deployments.

Uploading Software Packages for Intersight Private Virtual Appliance

March 2020

Configuration selection

Added a step to the existing procedure.

Installing Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance and Intersight Assist on VMware vSphere

Supported Configuration Limits for Intersight Virtual Appliance

The newly added Tiny(8 vCPU, 16 Gi RAM) option is applicable for Intersight Assist deployments only.

Supported Configuration Limits for Intersight Virtual Appliance

February 2020

LDAP Configuration

Added support for multiple LDAP domains.

Added support for LDAP/AD configurations without requiring email.

 Configuring LDAP Settings

Change IP address

Added the ability to change IP address of the virtual appliance VM.

Maintenance Shell for Intersight Virtual Appliance and Intersight Assist

January 2020

Organizations

Organizations to support multi-tenancy in an account and the ability to create user-defined roles with system-defined privileges.

Adding a Role, and Adding an Organization

Certificates

Allow user-submitted certificates and ability to create a self-signed certificate.

Certificates

December 2019

Supported Configuration Limits for Intersight Virtual Appliance

Intersight Virtual Appliance can be deployed in Small or Medium deployment sizes to support 2000 or 5000 servers.

Supported Configuration Limits for Intersight Virtual Appliance

Graceful reboot of the Appliance VM

Intersight Virtual Appliance can be gracefully rebooted from the Intersight Appliance Diagnostic Tool.

Intersight Appliance Diagnostic Tool

July 2019

Alerts based on Cloud Connection

Enhanced messages to alert users about cloud connectivity and impact of a disrupted connection.

Cloud Connection for Intersight Connected Virtual Appliance
Intersight Appliance Diagnostic tool A console-based diagnostic tool that helps in troubleshooting and addressing misconfiguration or networking issues during the appliance installation. Troubleshooting

June 2019

Support for DHCP

Enables the appliance to obtain IP addresses from the DHCP server running on the same network to avoid using static IP addresses.

Installing Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance

Scheduling Backup

Schedules a full state periodic backup of the data in the appliance based on a schedule and saves the backed-up data on a remote server.

Scheduling Backup