- Preface
- New and Changed Information
- Overview of Cisco Unified Computing System
- Overview of Cisco UCS Manager
- Overview of Cisco UCS Manager GUI
- Configuring the Fabric Interconnects
- Configuring Ports and Port Channels
- Configuring Communication Services
- Configuring Authentication
- Configuring Organizations
- Configuring Role-Based Access Control
- Configuring DNS Servers
- Configuring System-Related Policies
- Managing Licenses
- Managing Virtual Interfaces
- Registering Cisco UCS Domains with Cisco UCS Central
- LAN Uplinks Manager
- VLANs
- Configuring LAN Pin Groups
- Configuring MAC Pools
- Configuring Quality of Service
- Configuring Network-Related Policies
- Configuring Upstream Disjoint Layer-2 Networks
- Configuring Named VSANs
- Configuring SAN Pin Groups
- Configuring WWN Pools
- Configuring Storage-Related Policies
- Configuring Fibre Channel Zoning
- Configuring Server-Related Pools
- Setting the Management IP Address
- Configuring Server-Related Policies
- Configuring Server Boot
- Deferring Deployment of Service Profile Updates
- Service Profiles
- Configuring Storage Profiles
- Managing Power in Cisco UCS
- Managing Time Zones
- Managing the Chassis
- Managing Blade Servers
- Managing Rack-Mount Servers
- Starting the KVM Console
- CIMC Session Management
- Managing the I/O Modules
- Backing Up and Restoring the Configuration
- Recovering a Lost Password
New and Changed Information
This chapter includes the following sections:
New and Changed Information for this Release
The following table provides an overview of the significant changes to this guide for this current release. The table does not provide an exhaustive list of all changes made to the configuration guides or of the new features in this release. For information about new supported hardware in this release, see the Cisco UCS B-Series Servers Documentation Roadmap available at the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/go/unifiedcomputing/b-series-doc.
Feature |
Description |
Where Documented |
---|---|---|
Cisco UCS C-Series Server Integration through Direct Connect |
Enables you to directly connect Cisco UCS C-Series rack servers to the fabric interconnect without using a FEX. |
This feature is documented in Cisco UCS C-Series Server Integration with Cisco UCS Manager 2.2. The C-Series integration guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-c-series-rack-mount-ucs-managed-server-software/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
Activating board controller firmware on Cisco UCS C-Series M3 Rack Servers |
Cisco UCS C-Series M3 rack servers have board controller firmware which controls many server functions such as eUSBs and I/O connectors. You can activate board controller firmware on these rack servers. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides:
The firmware configuration guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
Firmware Automatic Synchronization Server policy |
Enables you to determine when and how firmware versions on recently discovered servers must be upgraded. With this policy, you can upgrade firmware versions of recently discovered unassociated servers to match with the firmware version specified in the default host firmware pack. You can also specify if the firmware upgrade process should run immediately after the server is discovered or at a later point in time. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides:
The firmware configuration guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
IPv6 Addressing |
Enables you to configure the following with IPv6 addresses: |
|
Inband Management Support |
Enables you to configure inband addresses, two IPv4 and two IPv6, for each CIMC. Enables you to configure inband VLAN groups, service profiles and service profile templates. |
|
Enhanced Boot Order |
Enables you to select either legacy or UEFI boot mode. With UEFI boot mode on Cisco UCS M3 blade and rack servers, you can add second-level devices to your boot order, and enable secure boot. |
|
Local Storage Monitoring |
Enables you to monitor status information on local storage that is physically attached to a blade or rack server. This includes RAID controllers, physical drives and drive groups, virtual drives, RAID controller batteries (BBU), Transportable Flash modules (TFM) and super-capacitors, FlexFlash controllers, and SD cards. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides: The system monitoring guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
Local SD Card Monitoring and FlexFlash Support |
Enables support for internal Secure Digital (SD) memory cards. You can enable FlexFlash in a local disk policy, configure new SD cards in a RAID pair with a FlexFlash scrub policy, and boot from the HV partition on an SD card. |
|
TPM Inventory |
Enables monitoring of Trusted Platform Module (TPM), including whether TPM is present, enabled, or activated. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides: The system monitoring guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
UDLD Support |
Enables UniDirectional Link Detection (UDLD) that monitors the physical configuration of the cables and detects when a unidirectional link exists. |
|
VMQ Connection Policy |
Enables you to configure a VMQ connection policy for a vNIC. VMQ provides improved network performance to the entire management operating system. |
|
DIMM Blacklisting Support |
Monitors memory test execution messages, and blacklists any DIMMs that encounter memory errors in the DIMM SPD data. This allows the host to map out any DIMMs that encounter uncorrectable ECC errors. |
|
DIMM Correctable Error Handling |
Enables you to reset the correctable and uncorrectable memory errors on all the DIMMs in a server. |
|
Two-factor Authentication |
Enables you to configure more secure access to Cisco UCS Manager by implementing a password plus token login scheme for RADIUS and TACACS+ provider groups when coupled with third-party authentication software. |
|
KVM Direct Access |
Enables users to directly access blade and rack servers using a web browser. Only out-of-band IPv4 management interface addresses are supported for KVM Direct access. |
|
VM-FEX Integration for Hyper-V SRIOV |
Cisco UCS Manager and Microsoft SCVMM integration extends the VM-FEX technology to the Microsoft virtualization platform. The architecture allows Cisco UCS Manager to configure the networking objects that Microsoft SCVMM uses to set up its networking stacks. Microsoft SCVMM consumes the networking objects that are created by Cisco UCSM and deploys them on the Microsoft Hyper-V host that hosts the VMs. Hyper-V uses SR-IOV technology to deploy virtual connections. SR-IOV support in Release 2.2 enriches the management plane integration with Microsoft SCVMM and provides a centralized VM network management for the Hyper-V hosts. The deployment leverages the SR-IOV technology that is available on the Cisco UCS VIC adapters and enables the fabric interconnects to be VM-aware. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides:
The VM-FEX configuration guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
Feature |
Description |
Where Documented |
---|---|---|
Netflow Monitoring |
Enables you to collect IP traffic data from netflow capable routers. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides: The system monitoring guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
LACP |
Enables you to use the link aggregation control protocol (LACP) policy to provide additional control over link aggregation groups. |
|
Wear Level Monitoring |
Enables you to monitor the life span of solid state drives on certain Cisco UCS blade servers. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides: The system monitoring guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
CIMC Security Enhancements |
Enables you to restrict remote connectivity and use vMedia encryption. |
|
Graphics Card Monitoring |
Enables you to view the properties of graphics cards and controllers on certain Cisco UCS rack servers. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides: The system monitoring guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
Auto Install Firmware Enhancements |
Enables you to view a list of warnings and potential issues before upgrading. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides:
The VM-FEX configuration guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
KVM Enhancements |
Redesign of virtual KVM console now allows menu access to all functions, including virtual media. |
|
Scriptable vMedia Support |
Enables you to mount virtual media from a remote file location and is available through CLI and WebGUI CIMC interfaces. This feature supports multiple share types including NFS, CIFS, HTTP and HTTPS. |
|
Community VLAN Support |
Enables you to create community VLANs on Fabric Interconnects and maintain multiple community VLANs under a given primary VLAN. Also provides support for promiscuous access and truck modes along with community access for server vNICs. |
Feature |
Description |
Where Documented |
---|---|---|
Anonymous Reporting |
Enables you to retrieve anonymous reports from the SMTP server. This feature can be enabled even when call home is disabled. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides: The system monitoring guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
DIMM Blacklisting Support |
Now supports Cisco C-Series rack server. |
|
C-Direct Rack Licenses |
Now C-Direct rack licenses are supported on the ports that are connected to the rack servers. |
|
CIMC Secure Boot |
Allows only Cisco signed firmware images to be installed and run on the Cisco C-Series rack servers. |
|
UEFI Secure Boot |
Now supports Cisco C-Series rack server. |
|
FX3S Controller |
Updated controller for SD cards allows you to reset the controller, format the SD cards, and enable automatic synchronization of your paired SD cards. |
|
Stateless offload for Overlay Networks (NVGRE) |
Enables you to create Ethernet adapter policies for checksum offloads using NVGRE. |
Configuring an Ethernet Adapter Policy to Enable Stateless Offloads with NVGRE |
Stateless offloads for Overlay Networks (VXLAN) |
Enables you to create Ethernet adapter policies for checksum offloads using VXLAN. |
Configuring an Ethernet Adapter Policy to Enable Stateless Offloads with VXLAN |
Feature |
Description |
Where Documented |
---|---|---|
RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE) Support for Microsoft SMB Direct. |
Enables communication between any two hosts in the same Ethernet broadcast domain. RoCE delivers superior performance compared to traditional network socket implementations because of lower latency, lower CPU utilization and higher utilization of network bandwidth. Microsoft SMB Direct with RoCE is supported only on Windows 2012 R2. |
|
LLDP Support for Fabric Interconnect vEthernet Interfaces |
When using Cisco ACI, LAN uplinks are connected to ACI leaf nodes. Cisco UCS Manager Release 2.2.4 allows you to enable and disable LLDP on a vEthernet interface. |
Configuring Link Layer Discovery Protocol for Fabric Interconnect vEthernet Interfaces |
Policy-Based Port Error Handling |
If Cisco UCS Manager detects any errors on active NI ports, and if the error-disable feature is enabled, Cisco UCS Manager automatically disables the respective FI port that is connected to the NI port that had errors. |
|
Advanced Local Storage Configuration |
This enhancement enabled you to do the following:
|
|
Automatic Internal Backup |
Creates an automatic, full state, internal backup file when the infrastructure firmware is being upgraded. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guide: The firmware configuration guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
Fabric Interconnect Traffic Evacuation |
During upgrade, enables you to evacuate a Fabric Interconnect to ensure that there is no traffic flowing through the Fabric Interconnect from all servers attached to it through an IOM or FEX. |
|
IOM Acknowledgment |
Enables you to acknowledge specific IOMs in a chassis. |
|
Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Support |
Allows you to enable and disable TPM and TXT. Cisco UCS M4 blade and rack-mount servers include support for TPM and TXT. |
|
Consistent Device Naming (CDN) Support |
Allows Ethernet interfaces to be named in a consistent manner. CDN is supported only on Windows 2012 R2. |
|
Scriptable vMedia Enhancements |
Variable mapped file name—Enables you either manually specify the file name of the vMedia mount image or automatically assign it the name of the service profile with which the vMedia policy is associated. CIFS authentication protocol support—Enables you to select the protocol to be used for authentication when you use CIFS as the protocol for communicating with the remote server. |
|
SNMP Host Name Enhancement |
Enables the use of a fully qualified domain name of an IPv4 address as the SNMP host name while creating an SNMP trap. |
|
Server Pool Policy Qualification Enhancement |
Enables you to specify the storage disk type as HDD, SSD or unspecified when creating a server pool policy qualification. |
|
Support for Service Profile Migration with UEFI Boot Mode |
When a service profile is migrated from one server to another server, the BIOS on the destination server continues to load the boot loader information and boot in UEFI boot mode. |
|
NVGRE with IPv6 and VMQ Support |
Provides the ability to enable VMQ and NVGRE offloading on the same vNIC. |
|
usNIC Support with Intel MPI |
Provides the environment setup and installation guidance to use Cisco usNIC with Open and Intel® MPI technologies. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides:
|
Feature |
Description |
Where Documented |
---|---|---|
Firmware Upgrade Checks the VIF/Interface Status After Fabric Interconnect Reboot |
Cisco UCS Manager displays any service that is not re-established after the last reboot of a fabric interconnect. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides:
The firmware configuration guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
vNIC Redundancy Pair |
Supports two vNICs/vHBAs that are being configured with a common set of parameters through the vNIC/vHBA template pair. |
|
Locator LED support for server hard-disks |
Identifies the location a specific disk inserted in a blade or rack server using the local locator LED. |
|
Reset Peer I/O Modules to Factory Defaults |
Enables reboot of an I/O module that is unreachable through its peer I/O module. |
|
vNIC template CDN Source |
Enables selection of the Consistent Naming Device (CDN) Source as the vNIC Name, which in turn can either be customized or derived from the vNIC instance. |
|
PCH SSD Controller Definition |
Cisco UCS Manager Platform Controller Hub (PCH) Solid State Drive (SSD) Controller Definition provides a local storage configuration in storage profiles where you can configure all the disks in a single RAID or in a JBOD disk array. |
|
Host Firmware Package Enhancement |
Allows exclusion of the firmware of specific components from a host firmware package either when creating a new host firmware package or when modifying an existing host firmware package. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides:
The firmware configuration guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
EFI Shell as a Boot Device |
Enables creation of a boot policy with an EFI Shell as the boot device. Booting from an EFI Shell prevents loss of data and provides more options to script, debug, and control various booting scenarios. EFI Shell is supported as a boot device only in the Uefi boot mode. |
|
Multicast Hardware Hash |
Enables all links between the IOM and the fabric interconnect in a port channel to be used for multicast traffic when multicast hardware hashing is enabled. |
Feature |
Description |
Where Documented |
---|---|---|
Next Boot |
The maintenance policy now provides an On Next Boot option. This option is used in combination with either User Ack or Timer Automatic. |
|
Graceful shutdown |
When you acknowledge a server reboot using the graceful shut down options or a change in the service profile that requires the server reboot, Cisco UCS Manager waits until the time specified time in the maintenance policy before performing a hard shut down. |
|
Health monitoring of end points |
Provides enhanced health monitoring of end points for fabric interconnects, IOMs, FEXes, blade servers, and rack servers. |
This feature is documented in the following configuration guides: The system monitoring guides can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html |
Power synchronization between servers and their associated service profiles |
Provides a global (default) power sync policy to synchronize the power state between the associated service profiles and the servers when the desired power state of the service profile differs from the actual power state of the server. |
|
Factory reset of blade servers |
You can now reset a blade server to its factory settings. By default, the factory reset operation does not affect storage drives and flexflash drives. This is to prevent any loss of data. |
|
Support for 160 LDAP group maps |
Cisco UCS Manager now supports a maximum of 160 LDAP group maps. |