Cisco Baseboard Management Controller 4.0 GUI Configuration Guide, Release 4.0

Overview of the Cisco UCS C880A M8 Rack Server

The Cisco UCS C880A M8 Rack Server accelerates advanced AI and High-Performance Computing (HPC) workloads in every data center with next-generation NVIDIA HGX B300 NVL8 GPUs.

Based on the NVIDIA HGX platform, the Cisco UCS C880A M8 Rack Server is a high-density, air-cooled rack server designed to power the most demanding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC) workloads. It integrates the NVIDIA HGX platform with eight NVIDIA HGX B300 (SXM) GPUs and is powered by two Intel^® Xeon^® 6^th Gen Processors, making it ideal for real-time Large Language Model (LLM) inference, next-level training performance, and large-volume data processing. The C880A M8 supports customers across the entire AI stack, from large-scale model training and fine-tuning to real-time inferencing and large-volume data processing. It integrates seamlessly into Cisco’s AI strategy, connecting and protecting the AI era by providing robust compute infrastructure. This server expands the Cisco UCS^® dense AI server portfolio, offering a powerful solution for enterprises across various industries, including service providers, financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, life sciences, and automotive. With its advanced architecture, the C880A M8 ensures unparalleled performance, scalability, and enterprise manageability, making it ideal for compute-intensive AI use cases such as large-scale AI model training, fine tuning, and inferencing.

The Cisco UCS C880A M8 Rack Server stands out by integrating the cutting-edge NVIDIA HGX platform with eight NVIDIA B300 (SXM) GPUs. This powerful GPU configuration is at the heart of its capability to deliver next-level performance for the most demanding AI workloads, including large-scale AI model training, fine tuning, and real-time inferencing. The B300 GPUs provide immense parallel processing capabilities and high-speed GPU interconnects, which are critical for accelerating complex deep learning models and large language models. This integration ensures that enterprises can achieve higher token throughput and improve the economics of their AI operations, enabling profitable scaling of LLM and agentic workloads.

Beyond raw power, the Cisco UCS C880A M8 Rack Server is architected specifically to meet the unique demands of AI and HPC. Its design supports real-time large language model Inference, enabling rapid deployment and responsiveness for AI-driven applications. It also excels in next-level training performance, significantly reducing the time required to train complex AI models. Furthermore, its capacity for large-volume data processing makes it an ideal platform for data-science and big-data analytics, including GPU-accelerated ETL processes. This specialized design ensures that organizations can build, optimize, and utilize AI models efficiently, accelerating business growth with scalable and high-performance solutions.

The Cisco UCS C880A M8 Rack Server is a dedicated rack server platform designed to host and accelerate AI and HPC workloads. It supports various operating systems and virtualization platforms typically used in data center environments for AI/HPC deployments. Specific software stack compatibility includes NVIDIA AI Enterprise and NVIDIA NIM (NVIDIA Inference Microservices) for AI application deployment and optimization. For more information, see Cisco UCS C880A M8 Rack Server Data Sheet.

The Cisco UCS C-Series rack server supports operating systems such as Ubuntu, Red Hat Linux, and so on. For more information on supported operating systems, see the UCS Hardware and Software Compatibility. You can use Cisco Baseboard Management Controller 4.0 (Cisco BMC 4.0) to install an OS on the server using the KVM console and vMedia.

Overview of the Server Software

The Cisco Baseboard Management Controller 4.0 (Cisco BMC 4.0) is the management service for the Cisco UCS C880A M8 Rack Server servers. Cisco BMC 4.0 runs within the server.

You can use a web-based GUI, an SSH-based CLI, or a REST API to access, configure, administer, and monitor the server. Each interface offers different capabilities, and the tasks supported by each interface are described in their respective configuration guides.

Logging into Cisco BMC 4.0

Procedure

Step 1	In your web browser, type or select the web link for Cisco BMC 4.0.
Step 2	If a security dialog box displays, do the following: (Optional) (Optional) Check the check box to accept all content from Cisco. Click Yes to accept the certificate and continue.
Step 3	In the log in window, enter your username and password. When logging in for the first time to an unconfigured system, use admin as the username and password as the password. The following situations occur when you login to the Web UI for the first time: You cannot perform any operation until you change default admin credentials on the Cisco BMC 4.0 Web UI. You cannot close or cancel the password change pop-up window and opening it in a tab or refreshing the browser page will continue to display the pop-up window. This pop-up window appears when you login after a factory reset. You cannot choose the word 'password' as your new password. If this creates problems for any scripts you may be running, you could change it to password by logging back into the user management options, but this is ENTIRELY at your own risk. It is not recommended by Cisco.
Step 4	Click Log In.

Navigation and Menu

Upon logging into Cisco BMC 4.0, you are directed to the Dashboard page. Following options are available:

Menu Bar

The top menu bar has the following options:

Table 1. Menu Bar
Name	Description
Hamburger Menu	Allows you to toggle the visibility of a navigation pane, located on the left side of the interface.
Message icon	Displays system messages, alerts, or communications related to the status or operations.
Notification icon	Shows real-time notifications about events, tasks, or changes within the server management system.
Language drop-down	Allows the user to select and change the display language of the user interface.
Sync	Initiates a synchronization process to update data or configurations between the UI and the server.
Refresh	Reloads the current view or data displayed in the UI to show the most up-to-date information from the server.
admin drop-down	Provides access to administrative functions such as user profile settings, logout options, and other system-wide management tools.

Firmware Information

This section provides essential details about the firmware and operational status.

Firmware Version - Displays the current version number of the installed firmware, indicating the software build running on the server hardware.
Build Date - Shows the date and time when the current firmware version was compiled or released.
UpTime - Indicates the total duration (days, hours, minutes) that the server has been continuously operational since the last boot or restart.
MAC Address - Presents the unique Media Access Control address of the primary network interface of the server, used for network identification.
Host Status - Confirms that the server is currently powered on and actively connected to the network, indicating the operational state.
Chassis Identify LED - This control allows you to activate or deactivate a physical LED light on the server chassis, helping to visually locate the specific server in a rack or data center.

Dashboard Control Panel

This section provides an overview of key operational metrics and status indicators for the server.

BMC Up Time - Indicates the total duration (days, hours, minutes) that the Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) has been continuously operational since the last boot or restart.
Pending Deassertions - Displays the number of events or alerts that have been triggered but are awaiting acknowledgment or resolution. Click More info to view further details on these deassertions.
Access Logs - Shows the number of recent entries in the access logs of the server, which record user logins, system changes, and other security-related events. Click More info to access the detailed log entries.
Available GPU - Indicates the number of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) that are currently available for use or allocation within the server. Click More info to view details on the status and configuration of the GPUs.

Sensor Reading Live reading of all sensors

This section provides a real-time overview of all sensor data within the server, categorizing them by their current status.

Critical Sensors - Displays the number of sensors currently reporting critical conditions. This area highlights specific critical readings, such as power consumption for power supply units (PSUs) and fan speeds. Icons for PSU and Fan are available, which, when clicked, provide detailed information about the respective components.
Discrete Sensor States - Shows the total count of sensors that report discrete states.
Normal Sensors - Indicates the total count of sensors operating within their expected normal parameters.
Disabled Sensors - Displays the total count of sensors that are currently disabled and not reporting data.

System Inventory

This section provides a detailed inventory of hardware components, organized into various categories for easy access and management. Each tab offers specific information about the respective system part.

System - Displays general information about the server system, including model, serial number, and overall system status.
Processor - Provides details about installed processors, such as manufacturer, model, core count, and current operating status.
Memory Controller - Shows information related to memory controllers, including status and configuration.
BaseBoard - Presents details about the motherboard, including manufacturer, model, and revision information.
Power - Offers information about power supply units (PSUs), power consumption, and power-related settings.
Thermal - Displays data related to thermal management, including fan status, temperature readings, and cooling configurations.
PCIE Function - Provides details about Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) devices and functions installed in the server.
Storage - Shows information about installed storage devices, such as hard drives, SSDs, and RAID configurations.
Network - Presents details about network interfaces, including MAC addresses, link status, and network configurations.

FRU Field Replacable Units

This section provides detailed information about the Field Replaceable Units (FRUs) installed in the server.

Available FRU Devices - A dropdown list that allows selection of different Field Replaceable Unit (FRU) devices. It displays the FRU Device ID and FRU Device Name for each available unit.
Board Information - This subsection presents comprehensive details about the main board, including manufacturing, identification, and part numbers.
Product Information - This subsection provides detailed identification and manufacturing information for the overall product, including name, serial number, and asset tag.

GPU Information Details for all Graphics Processing Units

This section provides comprehensive information about the Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) installed in the server, detailing both summary and individual GPU specifications.

Available Graphic Boards - This subsection displays summary information for the graphic boards, including the Part Number, Serial Number, Total GPU count, and Available GPU count.
GPU [Index] - Each of these subsections provides detailed specifications for an individual GPU, including its GPU Marketing Name, GPU PCI VID (Vendor ID), GPU PCI DID (Device ID), GPU GUID, VBIOS Version, Inforom Version, and whether the GPU Require Reset.

Firmware Inventory

This section provides a comprehensive list of firmware versions for various components within the server.

DGX - This option filters the firmware inventory to display components specific to DGX systems or related modules.
HGX - This option filters the firmware inventory to display components specific to HGX systems or related modules.

Logs and Reports

This drop-down menu provides access to various logs and reports, offering insights into server events, system activities, and diagnostic information. Each option leads to a dedicated page for viewing the respective log or report.

IPMI Event Log - Accesses the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) event log, which records hardware-related events and alerts.
System Log - Accesses the system log, which contains records of operating system events, application activities, and other system-level messages.
Audit Log - Accesses the audit log, which tracks user actions and system changes for security and compliance purposes.
Video Log - Accesses the video log, which may contain recordings or snapshots of server console output.
POST Code - Accesses information related to Power-On Self-Test (POST) codes, which indicate the status of the server during startup.
Decoded Event Log - Accesses a decoded version of server events, providing more user-friendly interpretations of raw log data.

Settings Configure BMC options

This section provides access to various configuration options for the Baseboard Management Controller (BMC), presented as icons with descriptive text.

Captured BSOD - Click to view or configure settings for captured Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) information.
Date and Time - Click to configure the date, time, and time zone settings for the BMC.
External User Services - Click to configure external authentication and user management services.
KVM Mouse Setting - Click to access settings for Keyboard, Video, and Mouse (KVM) functionality, specifically for mouse behavior.
Log Settings - Click to configure logging behavior, including log levels and retention policies.
Media Redirection Settings - Click to configure settings related to redirecting local media to the server.
Network Settings - Click to configure options for the BMC's network interfaces, including IP addresses and DNS settings.
PAM Order Settings - Click to configure the Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) order for authentication services.
Platform Event Filter - Click to configure filters for platform events, determining which events are logged or trigger alerts.
Services - Click to manage various BMC services, allowing activation or deactivation.
SMTP Settings - Click to configure Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) settings for email notifications.
SSL Settings - Click to configure Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) settings for secure communication.
System Firewall - Click to configure the BMC's internal firewall rules.
User Management - Click to manage user accounts, roles, and permissions for BMC access.
Video Recording - Click to configure settings for video recording of server console sessions.

Remote Control Remote KVM and SOL

This section provides options for remotely controlling the server using KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) and Serial Over LAN (SOL) functionality.

H5Viewer - This feature enables remote graphical access to the server console. Click Remote Session Settings to configure options for the remote session. Click Launch H5Viewer to open the remote KVM console.
Serial Over LAN - This feature provides remote access to the server's serial console. Click Activate to enable Serial Over LAN functionality.

Image Redirection

This section allows for the redirection of local image files to the remote server, facilitating tasks such as operating system installation or firmware updates.

Remote Images - Click this icon to manage or mount remote image files for use by the server.

Host System Diagnostics

This section provides tools and features for diagnosing issues and analyzing system behavior on the host server.

Autonomous Crash Dump - Click to configure or manage the autonomous crash dump feature, which enables the system to automatically capture and save diagnostic information, such as memory dumps, when a system crash occurs, aiding in post-mortem analysis.

Power Control on Host Server

This section allows control over the power state of the host server. You can select from various power actions using radio buttons:

Force Off - Immediately powers off the server without a graceful shutdown process.
Force Restart - Immediately restarts the server without a graceful shutdown process.
Graceful Restart - Initiates a controlled restart of the server, allowing the operating system to shut down properly.
Graceful Shutdown - Initiates a controlled shutdown of the server, allowing the operating system to shut down properly.
On - Powers on the server.
Power Cycle - Performs a complete power off and then power on sequence for the server.

After selecting a power action, click Perform Action to execute the chosen command.

Chassis Identify LED Control on Host Server

This section provides control over the physical Identify LED on the server chassis, which helps in locating the server within a rack or data center.

Users can select from various LED actions using radio buttons under LED Actions:

LED Off - Turns off the chassis Identify LED.
LED Solid ON - Sets the chassis Identify LED to remain continuously lit.
LED Blinking ON - Sets the chassis Identify LED to blink, typically for a specified duration.

The Identify interval in seconds field allows specification of the duration for blinking LED actions.

After selecting an LED action, click Perform Action to execute the chosen command.

Maintenance

This section provides a suite of tools and functionalities for maintaining the server, including backup, restore, and update operations. Each function is accessible via an icon with descriptive text.

Backup/Restore Key upload - Click to manage the upload of encryption keys for backup and restore operations.
Firmware Update - Click to initiate or manage the process of updating server firmware.
Backup Configuration - Click to create a backup of the current server configuration settings.
Preserve Configuration - Click to manage options for preserving configuration settings during system events like firmware updates.
Restore Factory Defaults - Click to reset the server's configuration to its original factory settings.
System Diagnostics - Click to access tools for running diagnostic tests on the server hardware and software.
Restore Configuration - Click to restore the server's configuration from a previously saved backup file.

Dashboard

After logging into the Cisco BMC 4.0 GUI, you are directed to the Dashboard page. From this page, you can quickly access important features and information. Below are the key properties and sections of the Overview page:

BMC Up Time

Indicates the total duration (days, hours, minutes) that the Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) has been continuously operational since the last boot or restart.

Pending Deassertions

Displays the number of events or alerts that have been triggered but are awaiting acknowledgment or resolution. Click More info to view further details.

Table 2. Event Log
Name	Description
Sensor drop-down list	Allows filtering of the event log based on specific sensors, enabling viewing of events related to particular components or types of sensors.
ID column	A unique identifier for each event log entry.
Record Type column	Indicates the type of record, categorizing the nature of the event.
Timestamp column	The date and time when the event occurred.
Generator ID column	Identifies the entity or component that generated the event.
Manufacture ID column	Identifies the manufacturer associated with the event or component.
Sensor Name column	The name of the sensor that reported the event.
Sensor Type column	The category or type of the sensor (e.g., temperature, voltage).
Sensor Num column	A numerical identifier for the specific sensor.
Event Dir column	Indicates the direction of the event, such as asserted or deasserted.
Data column	Raw data associated with the event, often in hexadecimal format.
Description column	A human-readable explanation or summary of the event.

Access Logs

Shows the number of recent entries in the access logs of the server, which record user logins, system changes, and other security-related events. Click More info to access the detailed log entries.

Table 3. Audit Log
Name	Description
Clear Audit Logs button	Click to clear all entries from the audit log, removing historical records of system activities and user actions.
Download Audit Logs button	Click to download a copy of the audit log entries, typically in a file format for external analysis or archiving.
ID column	A unique identifier for each entry in the audit log.
Timestamp column	The date and time when the audited event occurred.
Host column	Identifies the host or system where the audited event took place.
Description column	A detailed description of the audited event, including user actions or system changes.

Available GPU

Indicates the number of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) that are currently available for use or allocation within the server. Click More info to view details on the status and configuration of the GPUs.

Table 4. Available Graphic Boards
Name	Description
Part Number	Identifies the part number of the manufacturer for the graphic board.
Serial Number	A unique serial number assigned to the graphic board for identification.
Total GPU	Indicates the total number of Graphics Processing Units present on the board.
Available GPU	Shows the number of Graphics Processing Units currently available for use or allocation.

Table 5. GPU Information
Name	Description
GPU Marketing Name	The commercial name of the Graphics Processing Unit.
GPU PCI VID	The PCI Vendor ID of the Graphics Processing Unit.
GPU PCI DID	The PCI Device ID of the Graphics Processing Unit.
GPU GUID	A globally unique identifier for the Graphics Processing Unit.
VBIOS Version	The version of the Video BIOS installed on the Graphics Processing Unit.
Inforom Version	The version of the Inforom firmware on the Graphics Processing Unit.
GPU Require Reset	Indicates whether the Graphics Processing Unit requires a reset for certain operations or changes.

Server Ports

Following is a list of server ports and their default port numbers:

Table 6. Server Ports
Port Name	Port Number
HTTPS	443
IPMI	623
KVM/vMedia	443
NTP	123
SSH	22

Bias-Free Language

Book Title

Introduction

Results

Chapter: Introduction