- Preface
- Overview
- Installing the Server OS
- Managing the Server
- Viewing Server Properties
- Viewing Server Sensors
- Managing Remote Presence
- Managing User Accounts
- Configuring Network-Related Settings
- Managing Network Adapters
- Configuring Communication Services
- Managing Certificates
- Configuring Platform Event Filters
- CIMC Firmware Management
- Viewing Faults and Logs
- Server Utilities
- BIOS Parameters by Server Model
- Index
Server Utilities
This chapter includes the following sections:
- Exporting Technical Support Data
- Rebooting the CIMC
- Clearing the BIOS CMOS
- Recovering from a Corrupted BIOS
- Resetting the CIMC to Factory Defaults
- Exporting and Importing the CIMC Configuration
- Generating Non maskable Interrupts to the Host
Exporting Technical Support Data
Perform this task when requested by the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC). This utility creates a summary report containing configuration information, logs and diagnostic data that will help TAC in troubleshooting and resolving a technical issue.
If any firmware or BIOS updates are in progress, do not export the technical support data until those tasks are complete.
This example creates a technical support data file and transfers the file to a TFTP server:
Server# scope cimc Server /cimc # scope tech-support Server /cimc/tech-support # set remote-ip 192.0.20.41 Server /cimc/tech-support* # set remote-protocol tftp Server /cimc/tech-support *# set remote-path /user/user1/default.tar.gz Server /cimc/tech-support *# commit Server /cimc/tech-support # start Tech Support upload started. Server /cimc/tech-support # show detail Tech Support: Server Address: 192.0.20.41 Path: default.tar.gz Protocol: tftp Username: Password: ******* Progress (%): 5 Status: Collecting Server /cimc/tech-support #
Provide the generated report file to Cisco TAC.
Rebooting the CIMC
On rare occasions, such as an issue with the current running firmware, troubleshooting a server may require you to reboot the CIMC. This procedure is not part of the normal maintenance of a server. After you reboot the CIMC, you are logged off and the CIMC will be unavailable for a few minutes.
 Note |
If you reboot the CIMC while the server is performing power-on self test (POST) or is operating in the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) shell, the server will be powered down until the CIMC reboot is complete. |
| Command or Action | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Server# scope cimc | Enters the CIMC command mode. |
| Step 2 | Server /cimc # reboot | The CIMC reboots. |
This example reboots the CIMC:
Server# scope cimc Server /cimc # reboot
Clearing the BIOS CMOS
On rare occasions, troubleshooting a server may require you to clear the server's BIOS CMOS memory. This procedure is not part of the normal maintenance of a server.
| Command or Action | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Server# scope bios | Enters the bios command mode. |
| Step 2 | Server /bios # clear-cmos | After a prompt to confirm, clears the CMOS memory. |
This example clears the BIOS CMOS memory:
Server# scope bios Server /bios # clear-cmos This operation will clear the BIOS CMOS. Note: Server should be in powered off state to clear CMOS. Continue?[y|n] y Server /bios #
Recovering from a Corrupted BIOS
Note |
This procedure is not available in some server models. |
In addition to this procedure, there are three other methods for recovering from a corrupted BIOS:
- Use the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility (HUU). This is the recommended method.
- Use the CIMC GUI interface.
- If your server model supports it, use the BIOS recovery function of the hardware jumper on the server motherboard. For instructions, see the Cisco UCS Server Installation and Service Guide for your server model.
- You must be logged in as admin to recover from a corrupted BIOS.
- Have the BIOS recovery ISO image ready. You will find the BIOS recovery ISO image under the Recovery folder of the firmware distribution package.
- Schedule some down time for the server because it will be power cycled at the end of the recovery procedure.
| Command or Action | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Server# scope bios | Enters the bios command mode. |
| Step 2 | Server# recover | Launches a dialog for loading the BIOS recovery image. |
This example shows how to recover from a corrupted BIOS:
Server# scope bios Server /bios # recover This operation will automatically power on the server to perform BIOS FW recovery. Continue?[y|N]y
Power cycle or reset the server.
Resetting the CIMC to Factory Defaults
On rare occasions, such as an issue with the current running firmware, troubleshooting a server may require you to reset the CIMC to the factory default. When this happens, all user-configurable settings are reset.
This procedure is not part of the normal server maintenance. After you reset the CIMC, you are logged off and must log in again. You may also lose connectivity and may need to reconfigure the network settings.
When you upgrade from version 1.5(1) to version 1.5(2), the hostname in the CIMC interface is retained as is. However, after upgrading to version 1.5(2), if you do a factory reset, the hostname changes to CXXX-YYYYYY format, where XXX is the model number and YYYYYY is the serial number of the server.
When you downgrade from version 1.5(2) to version 1.5(1), the hostname is retained as is. However, if you do a factory reset, the hostname changes to ucs-cxx-mx format.
| Command or Action | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Server# scope cimc | Enters the CIMC command mode. |
| Step 2 | Server /cimc # factory-default | After a prompt to confirm, the CIMC resets to factory defaults. |
- SSH is enabled for access to the CIMC CLI. Telnet is disabled.
- HTTPS is enabled for access to the CIMC GUI.
- A single user account exists (user name is admin , password is password ).
- DHCP is enabled on the management port.
- The boot order is EFI, CDROM, PXE (using LoM), FDD, HDD.
- KVM and vMedia are enabled.
- USB is enabled.
- SoL is disabled.
This example resets the CIMC to factory defaults:
Server# scope cimc Server /cimc # factory-default This operation will reset the CIMC configuration to factory default. All your configuration will be lost. Continue?[y|N]
Exporting and Importing the CIMC Configuration
Exporting and Importing the CIMC Configuration
To perform a backup of the CIMC configuration, you take a snapshot of the system configuration and export the resulting CIMC configuration file to a location on your network. The export operation saves information from the management plane only; it does not back up data on the servers. Sensitive configuration information such as user accounts and the server certificate are not exported.
You can restore an exported CIMC configuration file to the same system or you can import it to another CIMC system, provided that the software version of the importing system is the same as or is configuration-compatible with the software version of the exporting system. When you import a configuration file to another system as a configuration template, you must modify system-specific settings such as IP addresses and host names. An import operation modifies information on the management plane only.
The CIMC configuration file is an XML text file whose structure and elements correspond to the CIMC command modes.
When performing an export or import operation, consider these guidelines:
- You can perform an export or an import while the system is up and running. While an export operation has no impact on the server or network traffic, some modifications caused by an import operation, such as IP address changes, can disrupt traffic or cause a server reboot.
- You cannot execute an export and an import simultaneously.
Exporting the CIMC Configuration
Note |
For security reasons, this operation does not export user accounts or the server certificate. |
If any firmware or BIOS updates are in progress, do not export the CIMC configuration until those tasks are complete.
Obtain the backup remote server IP address.
| Command or Action | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Server# scope cimc | Enters the CIMC command mode. |
| Step 2 | Server /cimc # scope import-export | Enters the import-export command mode. |
| Step 3 | Server /cimc/import-export # export-config protocol ip-address path-and-filename |
|
To determine whether the export operation has completed successfully, use the show detail command. To abort the operation, type CTRL+C.
This example shows how to back up the CIMC configuration:
Server# scope cimc
Server /cimc # scope import-export
Server /cimc/import-export # export-config tftp 192.0.2.34 /ucs/backups/cimc5.xml
Export config started. Please check the status using "show detail".
Server /cimc/import-export # show detail
Import Export:
Operation: EXPORT
Status: COMPLETED
Error Code: 100 (No Error)
Diagnostic Message: NONE
Server /cimc/import-export #
Importing a CIMC Configuration
If any firmware or BIOS updates are in progress, do not import the CIMC configuration until those tasks are complete.
If you want to restore the SNMP configuration information when you import the configuration file, make sure that SNMP is disabled on this server before you do the import. If SNMP is enabled when you perform the import, CIMC does not overwrite the current values with those saved in the configuration file.
| Command or Action | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Server# scope cimc | Enters the CIMC command mode. |
| Step 2 | Server /cimc # scope import-export | Enters the import-export command mode. |
| Step 3 | Server /cimc/import-export # import-config protocol ip-address path-and-filename |
|
To determine whether the import operation has completed successfully, use the show detail command. To abort the operation, type CTRL+C.
This example shows how to import a CIMC configuration:
Server# scope cimc Server /cimc # scope import-export Server /cimc/import-export # import-config tftp 192.0.2.34 /ucs/backups/cimc5.xml Import config started. Please check the status using "show detail". Server /cimc/import-export #
Generating Non maskable Interrupts to the Host
In some situations, the server might hang and not respond to traditional debug mechanisms. By generating a non maskable interrupt (NMI) to the host, you can create and send a crash dump file of the server and use it to debug the server.
Depending on the type of operating system associated with the server, this task might restart the OS.
| Command or Action | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Server # scope chassis | Enters chassis command mode. |
| Step 2 | Server /chassis # generate-nmi | Generates the crash dump file for the server. To use this command, the server must be powered on, and you must be logged in as an administrator. |
This example shows how to generate NMI signals to the host:
Server # scope chassis Server /chassis # generate-nmi This operation will send NMI to the host and may cause reboot of the OS. OS reboot depends on it's NMI configuration. Do you want to continue? [y|N] y Server /chassis #
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