The documentation set for this product strives to use bias-free language. For the purposes of this documentation set, bias-free is defined as language that does not imply discrimination based on age, disability, gender, racial identity, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. Exceptions may be present in the documentation due to language that is hardcoded in the user interfaces of the product software, language used based on RFP documentation, or language that is used by a referenced third-party product. Learn more about how Cisco is using Inclusive Language.
This chapter describes how to install the server, and it includes the following sections:
Note Before you install, operate, or service a server, review the Regulatory Compliance and Safety Information for Cisco UCS C-Series Servers for important safety information.
Warning IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
This warning symbol means danger. You are in a situation that could cause bodily injury. Before you work on any equipment, be aware of the hazards involved with electrical circuitry and be familiar with standard practices for preventing accidents. Use the statement number provided at the end of each warning to locate its translation in the translated safety warnings that accompanied this device.
Statement 1071
Tip Keep the shipping container in case the server requires shipping in the future.
Note The chassis is thoroughly inspected before shipment. If any damage occurred during transportation or any items are missing, contact your customer service representative immediately.
To inspect the shipment, follow these steps:
Step 1 Remove the server from its cardboard container and save all packaging material.
Step 2 Compare the shipment to the equipment list provided by your customer service representative and Figure 2-1. Verify that you have all items.
Step 3 Check for damage and report any discrepancies or damage to your customer service representative. Have the following information ready:
Figure 2-1 Shipping Box Contents
This section provides information about preparing for server installation, and it includes the following topics:
Warning To prevent the system from overheating, do not operate it in an area that exceeds the maximum recommended ambient temperature of: 40° C (104° F).
Statement 1047
Warning The plug-socket combination must be accessible at all times, because it serves as the main disconnecting device.
Statement 1019
Warning This product relies on the building’s installation for short-circuit (overcurrent) protection. Ensure that the protective device is rated not greater than: 250 V, 15 A.
Statement 1005
Warning Installation of the equipment must comply with local and national electrical codes.
Statement 1074
When you are installing a server, use the following guidelines:
This section provides the requirements for the standard open racks.
The rack must be of the following type:
This section describes how to install the server in a rack.
Warning To prevent bodily injury when mounting or servicing this unit in a rack, you must take special precautions to ensure that the system remains stable. The following guidelines are provided to ensure your safety:
This unit should be mounted at the bottom of the rack if it is the only unit in the rack.
When mounting this unit in a partially filled rack, load the rack from the bottom to the top with the heaviest component at the bottom of the rack.
If the rack is provided with stabilizing devices, install the stabilizers before mounting or servicing the unit in the rack. Statement 1006
To install the slide rails and the server into a rack, follow these steps:
Step 1 Open the front securing latch (see Figure 2-2). The end of the slide-rail assembly marked “FRONT” has a spring-loaded securing latch that must be open before you can insert the mounting pegs into the rack-post holes.
a. On the rear side of the securing-latch assembly, hold open the clip marked “PULL.”
b. Slide the spring-loaded securing latch away from the mounting pegs.
c. Release the clip marked “PULL” to lock the securing latch in the open position.
Figure 2-2 Front Securing Latch
Step 2 Install the slide rails onto the rack:
a. Position a slide-rail assembly inside the two left-side rack posts (see Figure 2-3).
Use the “FRONT” and “REAR” markings on the slide-rail assembly to orient the assembly correctly with the front and rear rack posts.
b. Position the front mounting pegs so that they enter the desired front rack-post holes from the front.
Note The mounting pegs that protrude through the rack-post holes are designed to fit round or square holes, or smaller #10-32 round holes when the mounting peg is compressed. If your rack has #10-32 rack-post holes, align the mounting pegs with the holes and then compress the spring-loaded pegs to expose the #10-32 inner peg.
c. Expand the length-adjustment bracket until the rear mounting pegs protrude through the desired holes in the rear rack post.
Use your finger to hold the rear securing latch open when you insert the rear mounting pegs to their holes. When you release the latch, it wraps around the rack post and secures the slide-rail assembly.
Figure 2-3 Attaching a Slide-Rail Assembly
d. Attach the second slide-rail assembly to the opposite side of the rack. Ensure that the two slide-rail assemblies are level and at the same height with each other.
e. Pull the inner slide rails on each assembly out toward the rack front until they hit the internal stops and lock in place.
Step 3 Insert the server into the slide rails:
Note The inner rails are pre-attached to the sides of the server at the factory. You can order replacement inner rails if these are damaged or lost (Cisco PID UCSC-RAIL1-I).
a. Align the inner rails that are pre-attached to the server sides with the front ends of the empty slide rails.
b. Push the server into the slide rails until it stops at the internal stops.
c. Push in the plastic release clip on each inner rail (labelled PUSH), and then continue pushing the server into the rack until its front latches engage the rack posts.
Step 4 Optional: Secure the server in the rack more permanently by using the two screws provided. This might be desirable if you plan to move the rack with servers installed.
With the server fully pushed into the slide rails, open a hinged slam-latch lever on the front of the server and insert the screw through the hole that is under the lever. The screw threads into the static part of the rail on the rack post and prevents the server from being pulled out. Repeat for the opposite slam latch.
Figure 2-4 Optional Securing Screws
Step 5 Optional: Attach the cable management arm (CMA) to the rear of the slide rails:
Note The CMA is designed for mounting on either the right or left slide rails. These instructions describe an installation to the rear of the right slide rails, as viewed from the rear of server.
a. Slide the plastic clip on the inner CMA arm over the flange on the mounting bracket that attached to the side of the server. See Figure 2-5.
Note Whether you are mounting the CMA to the left or right slide rails, be sure to orient the engraved marking, “UP” so that it is always on the upper side of the CMA. See Figure 2-5.
b. Slide the plastic clip on the outer CMA arm over the flange on the slide rail. See Figure 2-5.
c. Attach the CMA retaining bracket to the left slide rail. Slide the plastic clip on the bracket over the flange on the end of the left slide rail. See Figure 2-5.
Figure 2-5 Attaching the Cable Management Arm (Rear of Server Shown)
Step 6 Continue with the “Initial Server Setup” section.
Note This section describes how to power on the server, assign an IP address, and connect to server management when using the server in standalone mode. To use the server in UCS integration, specific cabling and settings are required. See Installation for Cisco UCS Integration.
The server is shipped with these default settings:
Shared LOM EXT mode enables the 1-Gb Ethernet ports and the ports on any installed Cisco virtual interface card (VIC) to access the Cisco Integrated Management Interface (Cisco IMC). If you want to use the 10/100 dedicated management ports to access the Cisco IMC, you can connect to the server and change the NIC mode as described in Step 4 of the following procedure.
Use the following procedure to perform initial setup of the server:
Step 1 Attach a supplied power cord to each power supply in your server, and then attach the power cord to a grounded AC power outlet. See the Power Specifications for power specifications.
Wait for approximately two minutes to let the server boot in standby power during the first bootup.
You can verify power status by looking at the Power Status LED (see Figure 1-1):
Note During bootup, the server beeps once for each USB device that is attached to the server. Even if there are no external USB devices attached, there is a short beep for each virtual USB device such as a virtual floppy drive, CD/DVD drive, keyboard, or mouse. A beep is also emitted if a USB device is hot-plugged or hot-unplugged during BIOS power-on self test (POST), or while you are accessing the BIOS Setup utility or the EFI shell.
Step 2 Connect a USB keyboard and VGA monitor by using the supplied KVM cable connected to the KVM connector on the front panel (see Figure 1-1).
Note Alternatively, you can use the VGA and USB ports on the rear panel. However, you cannot use the front panel VGA and the rear panel VGA at the same time. If you are connected to one VGA connector and you then connect a video device to the other connector, the first VGA connector is disabled.
Step 3 Open the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility:
a. Press the Power button to boot the server. Watch for the prompt to press F8.
b. During bootup, press F8 when prompted to open the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility. Note the differences between versions of Cisco IMC firmware:
– In Cisco IMC 2.0(1) and later, there are two windows for this utility that you can switch between by pressing F1 or F2 (see Figure 2-6 for sample windows). The IPv4 and IPv6 protocols and dynamic domain name system (DDNS) are supported. You can also define a host name and a DDNS domain.
– In Cisco IMC earlier than release 2.0(1), there is only one window for this utility. Only the IPv4 protocol is supported. DDNS is not supported.
Note The first time that you enter the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility, you are prompted to change the default password. The default password is password.
The following are the requirements for a strong password:
– English uppercase letters (A through Z).
– English lowercase letters (a through z).
– Base 10 digits (0 through 9).
– Non-alphabetic characters !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, -, _, =, “
Figure 2-6 Cisco IMC Configuration Utility Window 1 and Window 2 (Cisco IMC 2.0(1) and Later)
Step 4 Set NIC mode and NIC redundancy:
a. Set the NIC mode to your choice for which ports to use to access the CIMC for server management (see Figure 1-3 for identification of the ports):
In this mode, DHCP replies are returned to both the shared LOM ports and the Cisco card ports. If the system determines that the Cisco card connection is not getting its IP address from a Cisco UCS Manager system because the server is in standalone mode, further DHCP requests from the Cisco card are disabled. Use the Cisco Card NIC mode if you want to connect to the CIMC through a Cisco card in standalone mode.
Note The Cisco Card NIC mode is currently supported only with a Cisco UCS VIC that is installed in PCIe slot 1. See also Special Considerations for Cisco UCS Virtual Interface Cards.
b. Use this utility to change the NIC redundancy to your preference. This server has three possible NIC redundancy settings:
– None—The Ethernet ports operate independently and do not fail over if there is a problem.
– Active-standby—If an active Ethernet port fails, traffic fails over to a standby port.
– Active-active—All Ethernet ports are utilized simultaneously. See NIC Modes and NIC Redundancy Settings for more information.
Step 5 Choose whether to enable DHCP for dynamic network settings, or to enter static network settings.
Note Before you enable DHCP, your DHCP server must be preconfigured with the range of MAC addresses for this server. The MAC address is printed on a label on the rear of the server. This server has a range of six MAC addresses assigned to the Cisco IMC. The MAC address printed on the label is the beginning of the range of six contiguous MAC addresses.
Note In Cisco IMC 2.0(1) and later, you can choose whether to use IPv4 or IPv6 IP addresses by checking either the IPv4 or IPv6 check box.
The static IPv4 and IPv6 settings include:
For IPv6, valid values are 1–127.
For IPv6, if you do not know the gateway, you can set it as none by typing :: (two colons).
For IPv6, you can set this as none by typing :: (two colons).
Step 6 Optional: Use this utility to make VLAN settings.
Step 7 Continue with the next action based on which release of Cisco IMC your server is running:
Step 8 Optional: Set a host name for the server.
Step 9 Optional: Enable dynamic DNS and set a dynamic DNS (DDNS) domain.
Step 10 Optional: If you select the Factory Default check box, the server will be set back to the factory defaults.
Step 11 Optional: Set a default user password.
Step 12 Optional: Enable auto-negotiation of port settings or set the port speed and duplex mode manually.
Note Auto-negotiation is applicable only when you use the Dedicated NIC mode. Auto-negotiation sets the port speed and duplex mode automatically based on the switch port to which the server is connected. If you disable auto-negotiation, you must set the port speed and duplex mode manually.
Step 13 Optional: Reset port profiles and the port name.
Step 14 Press
F5
to refresh the settings you made. You might have to wait about 45 seconds until the new settings appear and the message,
Network settings configured
is displayed before you reboot the server in the next step.
Step 15 Press F10 to save your settings and reboot the server.
Note If you chose to enable DHCP, the dynamically assigned IP and MAC addresses are displayed on the console screen during bootup.
Step 16 Connect to the CIMC for server management. Connect Ethernet cables from your LAN to the server, using the ports that you selected by your NIC Mode setting in Step 4. The Active-active and Active-passive NIC redundancy settings require you to connect to two ports.
Step 17 Use a browser and the IP address of the CIMC to connect to the CIMC Setup Utility. The IP address is based upon the settings that you made in Step 4 (either a static address or the address assigned by your DHCP server).
Note The default user name for the server is admin. The default password is password.
To manage the server, see the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Configuration Guide or the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server CLI Configuration Guide for instructions on using those interfaces. The links to these documents are in the C-Series documentation roadmap:
http://www.cisco.com/go/unifiedcomputing/c-series-doc
This server has the following NIC mode settings that you can choose from:
In this mode, DHCP replies are returned to both the shared LOM ports and the Cisco card ports. If the system determines that the Cisco card connection is not getting its IP address from a Cisco UCS Manager system because the server is in standalone mode, further DHCP requests from the Cisco card are disabled. If the system determines that the Cisco card connection is getting its IP address from a Cisco UCS Manager system, the reply has parameters that automatically move the server to UCSM mode.
Note The Cisco Card NIC mode is currently supported only with a Cisco UCS VIC that is installed in PCIe slot 1. See also Special Considerations for Cisco UCS Virtual Interface Cards.
This server has the following NIC redundancy settings that you can choose from:
The active/active setting uses Mode 5 or Balance-TLB (adaptive transmit load balancing). This is channel bonding that does not require any special switch support. The outgoing traffic is distributed according to the current load (computed relative to the speed) on each slave. Incoming traffic is received by the current slave. If the receiving slave fails, another slave takes over the MAC address of the failed receiving slave.
This section includes information about the system BIOS and it includes the following sections:
The server uses firmware obtained from and certified by Cisco. Cisco provides release notes with each firmware image. There are several methods for updating the firmware:
See the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility Quick Reference Guide for your firmware level at the documentation roadmap link below.
Note Your system firmware must be at minimum level 1.2 to use the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility. If your firmware is prior to level 1.2, you must use the methods below to update the BIOS and CIMC firmware individually.
See the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server BIOS Upgrade Guide .
See the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Configuration Guide.
See the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server CLI Configuration Guide.
For links to the documents listed above, see the documentation roadmap at the following URL:
To change the BIOS settings for your server, follow these steps. Detailed instructions are also printed on the BIOS screens.
Step 1 Enter the BIOS setup utility by pressing the F2 key when prompted during bootup.
Note The version and build of the current BIOS are displayed on the Main page of the utility.
Step 2 Use the arrow keys to select the BIOS menu page.
Step 3 Highlight the field to be modified by using the arrow keys.
Step 4 Press Enter to select the field that you want to change, and then modify the value in the field.
Step 5 Press the right arrow key until the Exit menu screen is displayed.
Step 6 Follow the instructions on the Exit menu screen to save your changes and exit the setup utility (or Press F10 ). You can exit without saving changes by pressing Esc .
This section includes the following topics:
See Figure 2-7. The block of headers is shown in red. The individual headers are shown in the magnified view. The pin numbering is the same for all headers in the block (pin 1 is the pin farthest from the chassis wall).
Figure 2-7 Service Header Locations
Depending on which stage the BIOS becomes corrupted, you might see different behavior.
Note As indicated by the message shown above, there are two procedures for recovering the BIOS. Try procedure 1 first, then if that does not recover the BIOS, use procedure 2.
Note The server must have CIMC version 1.4(6) or later to use these procedures.
Step 1 Download the BIOS update package and extract it to a temporary location.
Step 2 Copy the contents of the extracted recovery folder to the root directory a USB thumb drive. The recovery folder contains the recovery.cap file that is required in this procedure.
Note The recovery.cap file must be in the root directory of the USB thumb drive. Do not rename this file. The USB thumb drive must be formatted with either FAT16 or FAT32 file systems.
Step 3 Insert the USB thumb drive into a USB port on the server.
Step 5 Return the server to main power mode by pressing the Power button on the front panel.
The server boots with the updated BIOS boot block. When the BIOS detects a valid recovery.cap file on the USB thumb drive, it displays this message:
Step 6 Wait for server to complete the BIOS update, then remove the USB thumb drive from the server.
Note During the BIOS update, the CIMC will shut down the server and the screen will be blank for about 10 minutes. Do not unplug the power cords during this update. The CIMC will power on the server after the update is complete.
See Figure 2-7 for the location of the J41 header.
Step 1 Download the BIOS update package and extract it to a temporary location.
Step 2 Copy the contents of the extracted recovery folder to the root directory a USB thumb drive. The recovery folder contains the recovery.cap file that is required in this procedure.
Note The recovery.cap file must be in the root directory of the USB thumb drive. Do not rename this file. The USB thumb drive must be formatted with either FAT16 or FAT32 file systems.
Step 3 Power off the server as described in Shutting Down and Powering Off the Server.
Step 4 Disconnect all power cords from the power supplies.
Step 5 Slide the server out the front of the rack far enough so that you can remove the top cover. You might have to detach cables from the rear panel to provide clearance.
Step 6 Remove the top cover as described in Removing and Replacing the Server Top Cover.
Step 7 Move the shorting jumper to pins 2 and 3 of the J41 header (see Figure 2-7).
Step 8 Reconnect AC power cords to the server. The server powers up to standby power mode.
Step 9 Insert the USB thumb drive that you prepared in Step 2 into a USB port on the server.
Step 10 Return the server to main power mode by pressing the Power button on the front panel.
The server boots with the updated BIOS boot block. When the BIOS detects a valid recovery.cap file on the USB thumb drive, it displays this message:
Step 11 Wait for server to complete the BIOS update, then remove the USB thumb drive from the server.
Note During the BIOS update, the CIMC will shut down the server and the screen will be blank for about 10 minutes. Do not unplug the power cords during this update. The CIMC will power on the server after the update is complete.
Step 12 After the server has fully booted, power off the server again and disconnect all power cords.
Step 13 Move the jumper back to the default pins 1 and 2 of the J41 header.
Note If you do not move the jumper, after recovery completion you see the prompt, Please remove the recovery jumper.
Step 14 Replace the top cover, replace the server in the rack, replace power cords and any other cables, then power on the server by pressing the Power button.
See Figure 2-7 for the location of this header. You can jumper this header to clear the user-defined BIOS administrator password.
Step 1 Power off the server as described in Shutting Down and Powering Off the Server.
Step 2 Disconnect all power cords from the power supplies.
Step 3 Slide the server out the front of the rack far enough so that you can remove the top cover. You might have to detach cables from the rear panel to provide clearance.
Step 4 Remove the top cover as described in Removing and Replacing the Server Top Cover.
Step 5 Remove the plastic air dam that sits over the header location.
Step 6 Move the shorting jumper to pins 2 and 3 of the J40 header (see Figure 2-7).
Step 7 Reinstall the top cover and reconnect AC power cords to the server. The server powers up to standby power mode, indicated when the Power LED on the front panel is amber.
Step 8 Return the server to main power mode by pressing the Power button on the front panel. The server is in main power mode when the Power LED is green.
Note You must allow the entire server, not just the service processor, to reboot to main power mode to complete the reset. This is because the state of the jumper cannot be determined without the host CPU running.
Step 9 Press the Power button to shut down the server to standby power mode, and then remove AC power cords from the server to remove all power.
Step 10 Remove the top cover from the server.
Step 11 Move the shorting jumper from header pins 2 and 3, back to its default position on pins 1 and 2.
Note If you do not move the jumper, the password is cleared every time that you power-cycle the server.
Step 12 Replace the plastic air dam that sits over the header location.
Step 13 Replace the top cover, replace the server in the rack, replace power cords and any other cables, then power on the server by pressing the Power button.
See Figure 2-7 for the location of this header. You can jumper this header to clear the server’s CMOS settings in the case of a system hang. For example, if the server hangs because of incorrect settings and does not boot, use this jumper to invalidate the settings and reboot with defaults.
Step 1 Power off the server as described in Shutting Down and Powering Off the Server.
Step 2 Disconnect all power cords from the power supplies.
Step 3 Slide the server out the front of the rack far enough so that you can remove the top cover. You might have to detach cables from the rear panel to provide clearance.
Step 4 Remove the top cover as described in Removing and Replacing the Server Top Cover.
Step 5 Remove the plastic air dam that sits over the header location.
Step 6 Move the shorting jumper to pins 2 and 3 of the J37 header (see Figure 2-7).
Step 8 Move the shorting jumper from header pins 2 and 3, back to its default position on pins 1 and 2.
Note If you do not move the jumper, the CMOS settings are reset to the default every time that you power-cycle the server.
Step 9 Replace the plastic air dam that sits over the header location.
Step 10 Replace the top cover, replace the server in the rack, replace power cords and any other cables, then power on the server by pressing the Power button.