Overview

This chapter includes the following sections:

Overview of the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Servers

The new web GUI of the Cisco Integrated Management Controller is compatible with these server models:

  • Cisco UCS C220 M8 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C240 M8 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C225 M8 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C245 M8 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C220 M7 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C240 M7 Rack-Mount Server

The Cisco UCS C-Series rack-mount servers include the following models:

  • Cisco UCS C220 M8 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C240 M8 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C225 M8 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C245 M8 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C220 M7 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C240 M7 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C220 M6 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C240 M6 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C225 M6 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C245 M6 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C240 SD M5 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C220 M5 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C240 M5 Rack-Mount Server

  • Cisco UCS C480 M5 Rack-Mount Server


Note

To determine which Cisco UCS C-Series rack-mount servers are supported by this firmware release, see the associated Release Notes. The C-Series release notes are available at the following URL:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10739/prod_release_notes_list.html

Overview of the Server Software

The Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server ships with the Cisco Integrated Management Controller (Cisco IMC) firmware.

Cisco IMC Firmware

Cisco IMC is a separate management module built into the motherboard. A dedicated ARM-based processor, separate from the main server CPU, runs the Cisco IMC firmware. The system ships with a running version of the Cisco IMC firmware. You can update the Cisco IMC firmware, but no initial installation is needed.

Server OS

The Cisco UCS C-Series rack server supports operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Oracle and so on. For more information on supported operating systems, see the UCS Hardware and Software Compatibility. You can use Cisco IMC to install an OS on the server using the KVM console and vMedia.


Note

You can access the available OS installation documentation from the Cisco UCS C-Series Servers Documentation Roadmap at http://www.cisco.com/go/unifiedcomputing/c-series-doc.

Server Ports

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

Table 1. Server Ports

Port Name

Port Number

LDAP Port 1

389

LDAP Port 2

389

LDAP Port 3

389

LDAP Port 4

3268

LDAP Port 5

3268

LDAP Port 6

3268

SSH Port

22

HTTP Port

80

HTTPS Port

443

SMTP Port

25

KVM Port

2068

Intersight Management Port

8889

Intersight Cloud Port

8888

SOL SSH Port

2400

SNMP Port

161

SNMP Traps

162

External Syslog

514

Cisco Integrated Management Controller

The Cisco IMC is the management service for the C-Series servers. Cisco IMC runs within the server.


Note

The Cisco IMC management service is used only when the server is operating in Standalone Mode. If your C-Series server is integrated into a UCS system, you must manage it using UCS Manager. For information about using UCS Manager, see the configuration guides listed in the Cisco UCS B-Series Servers Documentation Roadmap at http://www.cisco.com/go/unifiedcomputing/b-series-doc.

Management Interfaces

You can use a web-based GUI or SSH-based CLI or an XML-based API to access, configure, administer, and monitor the server. Almost all tasks can be performed in either interface, and the results of tasks performed in one interface are displayed in another. However, you cannot do the following:

  • Use Cisco IMC GUI to invoke Cisco IMC CLI.

  • View a command that has been invoked through Cisco IMC CLI in Cisco IMC GUI.

  • Generate Cisco IMC CLI output from Cisco IMC GUI.

Tasks You Can Perform in Cisco IMC

You can use Cisco IMC to perform the following chassis management tasks:

  • Power on, power off, power cycle, reset and shut down the server

  • Toggle the locator LED

  • Configure the server boot order

  • View server properties and sensors

  • Manage remote presence

  • Create and manage local user accounts, and enable remote user authentication through Active Directory

  • Configure network-related settings, including NIC properties, IPv4, VLANs, and network security

  • Configure communication services, including HTTP, SSH, IPMI Over LAN, and SNMP

  • Manage certificates

  • Configure platform event filters

  • Update Cisco IMC firmware

  • Monitor faults, alarms, and server status

  • Set time zone and view local time

  • Install and activate Cisco IMC firmware

  • Install and activate BIOS firmware

You can use Cisco IMC to perform the following server management tasks:

  • Manage remote presence

  • Create and manage local user accounts, and enable remote user authentication through Active Directory

  • Configure network-related settings, including NIC properties, IPv4, VLANs, and network security

  • Configure communication services, including HTTP, SSH, IPMI Over LAN, and SNMP

  • Manage certificates

  • Configure platform event filters

  • Update Cisco IMC firmware

  • Monitor faults, alarms, and server status

  • Set time zone and view local time

No Operating System or Application Provisioning or Management

Cisco IMC provisions servers, and as a result, exists below the operating system on a server. Therefore, you cannot use it to provision or manage operating systems or applications on servers. For example, you cannot do the following:

  • Deploy an OS, such as Windows or Linux

  • Deploy patches for software, such as an OS or an application

  • Install base software components, such as anti-virus software, monitoring agents, or backup clients

  • Install software applications, such as databases, application server software, or web servers

  • Perform operator actions, including restarting an Oracle database, restarting printer queues, or handling non-Cisco IMC user accounts

  • Configure or manage external storage on the SAN or NAS storage

Overview of the Cisco IMC User Interface

The Cisco IMC user interface is a web-based management interface for Cisco C-Series servers. The web user interface is developed using HTML5 with the eXtensible Widget Framework (XWT) framework. You can launch the user interface and manage the server from any remote host that meets the following minimum requirements:

OS Version

Browser

Browser Version
MAC OS 14.2.1 (23C71) Google Chrome Version 122.0.6261.129 (Official Build) (x86_64)
MAC OS 14.2.1 (23C71) Mozilla Firefox 123.0.1
MAC OS 14.2.1 (23C71) Safari Version 17.2.1 (19617.1.17.11.12)
Windows 11 Google Chrome Version 122.0.6261.131 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Windows 11 Microsoft Edge Version 122.0.2365.92 (Official build) (64-bit)
Windows 11 Google Chrome Version 123.0.6312.59 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Windows 11 Firefox 124.0.1 (64-bit)
Windows 11 Firefox 24.0.1
Windows 11 Chrome 123.0.6312.58[(Official Build) (64-bit)]
Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS Mozilla Firefox 125.0.2(64-bit)

For the latest set of browser specifications, see Release Notes for Cisco UCS Rack Server Software.


Note

In case you lose or forget the password that you use to log in to Cisco IMC, see the password recovery instructions in the Cisco UCS C-Series server installation and service guide for your server. This guide is available from the Cisco UCS C-Series Servers Documentation Roadmap at http://www.cisco.com/go/unifiedcomputing/c-series-doc.

Navigation and Apps

The Cisco Integrated Management Controller GUI menu bar comprises of the following Apps drop-down list:

Dashboard App

The Dashboard App displays the following information:

  • Server Details—Displays the server details like Product name, Serial Number, and so on. Also allows you to view BIOS summary, boot order, and actions.

  • CIMC Information—Displays Cisco IMC information like IP address, MAC address, and so on. Also allows you to view and update time zone.

  • Chassis Status—Displays the overall server component status. Also allows you to view the fault summary page.

  • Processor and Memory summary—Displays the server CPUs and Memory summary and allows you to view the CPU and Memory details.

  • Storage summary—Displays the controllers, physical drives, and virtual drives summary.

  • Networking summary—Displays the adapters, host interfaces, external interfaces summary.

  • Interactive KVM Console—Allows you to perform KVM server action.

  • Quick Actions—Allows you to quickly access links to perform actions such as creating RAID volume, creating virtual NIC interface, creating new user, creating virtual HBA interface, Uploading firmware, Generating technical logs, Importing/Exporting Cisco IMC configuration, and Monitoring performance.

  • Server Actions—Allows you to perform server power and system actions.

System App

The System App contains the following tabs:

  • General tab—Server properties, Chassis status, Cisco Integrated Management Controller (Cisco IMC) information, and Server Utilization.

  • Inventory tab—CPU, memory, PCI adapters, power supplies, cisco VIC adapters, network adapters, storage, SAS expander, and TPM.

  • Sensors tab— Power Supply, Fan, Temperature, Voltage, Current, LEDs, and Storage

  • Backplane Management tab—Involves monitoring and configuring the operational status and modes of various slots within a network device.

  • Power Management tab—Power Cap Configuration and Power Monitoring.

  • Faults and Logs tab—Fault summary, Fault history, System Event Log, Cisco IMC Log, and logging controls.

Compute App

The ComputeApp contains the following information about the server:

  • BIOS—The installed BIOS firmware version and BIOS profile configuration, server boot order configuration, I/O, Server management, Security, Processor, Memory, Power or Performance.

    • Tokens

    • Boot Order

    • Profiles

    • Secure Boot Certificate Management

  • Remote Management—Virtual KVM, Virtual Media, and Serial over LAN.

Networking App

The Networking App shows the following information under Cisco VIC Adapters:

  • General—Adapter card properties, firmware, external ethernet interfaces, and actions to export or import configurations, and reset status.

  • DCE Interfaces—External Ethernet interfaces information such as port, admin speed, MAC address, link state.

  • vNIC Interfaces—Host Ethernet interfaces information such as name, CDN, MAC address, MTU and individual vNIC properties.

  • vHBA Interfaces—Host fibre channel interfaces information such as name, WWPN, WWNN, boot, uplink, port profile, channel number, and individual vHBA properties.

Storage App

The Storage App contains the following menus:

  • Controllers

    • Controller Info—General and settings information about the raid controller.

    • Physical Drive Info—General physical drive and corresponding RAID information.

    • Virtual Drive Info—General virtual drive and corresponding RAID information.

  • Cisco FlexMMC—General information about storage for IMC images and user files. Allows you to upload files to IMC images partition and user files partition.

Administration App

The Administration App contains the following menus:

  • User Management—Local User Management, LDAP, Session Management, and TACACS+.

  • Networking—Network properties and network settings.

  • Communication Services—HTTP, SSH, XML API, Redfish Properties, IPMI over LAN Properties, SNMP tab includes SNMP Properties, User Settings, and Trap Destinations, and Mail Alert tab includes SNTP Properties and SMTP Recipients.

    • Communication Services—HTTP Properties, SSH Properties, XML API Properties, Redfish Properties, Serial over LAN, TLS Configuration, and IPMI over LAN Properties

    • SNMP—SNMP Properties, User Settings, and Trap Destinations

    • Mail Alert—SMTP Properties and SMTP Recipients

  • Security Management—Certificate Management, Security Key Management, Security Configuration, and MCTP SPDM.

  • Event Management—Enable/Disable Platform Event Filters and Reset Event Filters

  • Firmware Management— Cisco IMC and BIOS firmware information and management.

  • Utilities—Last Technical Support Data Export, Cisco IMC Last Reset, Cisco IMC Configuration Import/Export,Inventory Data, VIC Adapter Import/Export, Factory Default Status, Front Panel USB.

  • Device Connector—Cisco Intersight management and network settings.

Menubar

Table 2. Toolbar

Name

Description

App drop-down list

Allows you to select the desired App from the list.

Information icon

Allows you to view Cisco IMC version information.

Help icon

Allows you to launch online help.

Faults Summary icon

Displays details about various faults that happened over a period of time. For more information, see

Tasks Notification icon

Allows you to view the different task statuses.

Cisco IMC info

Shows the following information:

  • Login user role

  • Cisco IMC hostname

  • Logout button

  • Dark/Light theme toggle button—Allows you to change between light and dark theme for the UI.

Cisco Integrated Management Controller Online Help Overview

Beginning with the release 4.3(5), Cisco Integrated Management Controller (Cisco IMC) software GUI has the following Apps in the menu bar:

  • Dashboard App

  • System App

  • Compute App

  • Networking App

  • Storage App

  • Administration App

This help system describes the fields and dialog boxes on each Cisco IMC GUI page for each app.

To access the page help, click the Help icon in the menu bar.

Logging into Cisco IMC

Procedure

Step 1

In your web browser, type or select the web link for Cisco IMC.

Step 2

If a security dialog box displays, do the following:

  1. (Optional) Check the check box to accept all content from Cisco.

  2. Click Yes to accept the certificate and continue.

Step 3

In the log in window, enter your username and password.

Tip

 

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 IMC 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.

Logging out of Cisco IMC

Procedure

Step 1

In the upper right of Cisco IMC, click the server information area and click Log Out from the drop-down dialog box.

Logging out returns you to the Cisco IMC log in page.

Step 2

(Optional) Log back in or close your web browser.