Installing the Server

Preparing for Installation

This section contains the following topics:

Installation Warnings and Guidelines


Note

Before you install, operate, or service a server, review the Regulatory Compliance and Safety Information 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

Warning

To prevent the system from overheating, do not operate it in an area that exceeds the maximum recommended ambient temperature of: 35° C (95° 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

Warning

This unit is intended for installation in restricted access areas. A restricted access area can be accessed only through the use of a special tool, lock, and key, or other means of security.

Statement 1017

Caution

To ensure proper airflow it is necessary to rack the servers using rail kits. Physically placing the units on top of one another or “stacking” without the use of the rail kits blocks the air vents on top of the servers, which could result in overheating, higher fan speeds, and higher power consumption. We recommend that you mount your servers on rail kits when you are installing them into the rack because these rails provide the minimal spacing required between the servers. No additional spacing between the servers is required when you mount the units using rail kits.


Caution

Avoid uninterruptible power supply (UPS) types that use ferroresonant technology. These UPS types can become unstable with systems such as the Cisco UCS, which can have substantial current draw fluctuations from fluctuating data traffic patterns.

When you are installing a server, use the following guidelines:

  • Plan your site configuration and prepare the site before installing the server.

  • Ensure that there is adequate space around the server to allow for accessing the server and for adequate airflow. The airflow in this server is from front to back.

  • Ensure that the air-conditioning meets the thermal requirements listed in the Environmental Specifications.

  • Ensure that the cabinet or rack meets the requirements listed in the Rack Requirements.

  • Ensure that the site power meets the power requirements listed in the Power Specifications. If available, you can use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect against power failures.

Rack Requirements

The rack must be of the following type:

  • A standard 19-in. (48.3-cm) wide, four-post EIA rack, with mounting posts that conform to English universal hole spacing, per section 1 of ANSI/EIA-310-D-1992.

  • The rack-post holes can be square 0.38-inch (9.6 mm), round 0.28-inch (7.1 mm), #12-24 UNC, or #10-32 UNC when you use the Cisco-supplied slide rails.

  • The minimum vertical rack space per server must be one rack unit (RU), equal to 1.75 in. (44.45 mm).

Supported Cisco Slide Rail Kits

The server supports the following rail kit:

  • Cisco part UCSC-RAILB-M4= (ball-bearing slide rail kit)

Rack Installation Tools Required

The slide rails sold by Cisco Systems for this server do not require tools for installation.

Slide Rail and Cable Management Arm Dimensions

The slide rails for this server have an adjustment range of 24 to 36 inches (610 to 914 mm).

The optional cable management arm (CMA) adds additional length requirements:

  • The additional distance from the rear of the server to the rear of the CMA is 5.4 inches (137.4 mm).

  • The total length of the server including the CMA is 35.2 inches (894 mm).

Installing 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

Procedure

Step 1

Attach the inner rails to the sides of the server:

  1. Align an inner rail with one side of the server so that the three keyed slots in the rail align with the three pegs on the side of the server.

  2. Set the keyed slots over the pegs, and then slide the rail toward the front to lock it in place on the pegs. The front slot has a metal clip that locks over the front peg.

  3. Install the second inner rail to the opposite side of the server.

Figure 1. Attaching the Inner Rail to the Side of the Server

1

Front of server

2

Locking clip on front of inner rail
Step 2

Open the front securing plate on both slide-rail assemblies. The front end of the slide-rail assembly has a spring-loaded securing plate that must be open before you can insert the mounting pegs into the rack-post holes.

On the outside of the assembly, push the green-arrow button toward the rear to open the securing plate.

Figure 2. Front Securing Mechanism, Inside of Front End

1

Front mounting pegs

3

Securing plate shown pulled back to the open position

2

 Rack post between mounting pegs and opened securing plate

-
Step 3

Install the outer slide rails into the rack:

  1. Align one slide-rail assembly front end with the front rack-post holes that you want to use.

    The slide rail front-end wraps around the outside of the rack post and the mounting pegs enter the rack-post holes from the outside-front.

    Note 
    The rack post must be between the mounting pegs and the open securing plate.

  2. Push the mounting pegs into the rack-post holes from the outside-front.

  3. Press the securing plate release button, marked PUSH. The spring-loaded securing plate closes to lock the pegs in place.

  4. Adjust the slide-rail length, and then push the rear mounting pegs into the corresponding rear rack-post holes. The slide rail must be level front-to-rear.

    The rear mounting pegs enter the rear rack-post holes from the inside of the rack post.

  5. Attach the second slide-rail assembly to the opposite side of the rack. Ensure that the two slide-rail assemblies are at the same height and are level front-to-back.

  6. Pull the inner slide rails on each assembly out toward the rack front until they hit the internal stops and lock in place.
Step 4

Insert the server into the slide rails:

Caution 
This server can weigh up to 60 pounds (27 kilograms) when fully loaded with components. We recommend that you use a minimum of two people or a mechanical lift when lifting the server. Attempting this procedure alone could result in personal injury or equipment damage.

  1. Align the rear ends of the inner rails that are attached to the server sides with the front ends of the empty slide rails on the rack.

  2. Push the inner rails into the slide rails on the rack until they stop at the internal stops.

  3. Slide the inner-rail release clip toward the rear on both inner rails, and then continue pushing the server into the rack until its front slam-latches engage with the rack posts.

Figure 3. Inner-Rail Release Clip

1

Inner-rail release clip

3

Outer slide rail attached to rack post

2

Inner rail attached to server and inserted into outer slide rail

-
Step 5

(Optional) Secure the server in the rack more permanently by using the two screws that are provided with the slide rails. Perform this step 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 a 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.

Installing the Cable Management Arm (Optional)


Note
The cable management arm (CMA) is reversible left-to-right. To reverse the CMA, see Reversing the Cable Management Arm (Optional) before installation.

Procedure

Step 1

With the server pushed fully into the rack, slide the CMA tab of the CMA arm that is farthest from the server onto the end of the stationary slide rail that is attached to the rack post. Slide the tab over the end of the rail until it clicks and locks.

Figure 4. Attaching the CMA to the Rear Ends of the Slide Rails

1

CMA tab on arm farthest from server attaches to end of stationary outer slide rail.

3

CMA tab on width-adjustment slider attaches to end of stationary outer slide rail.

2

 CMA tab on arm closest to the server attaches to end of inner slide rail attached to server.

4

Rear of server
Step 2

Slide the CMA tab that is closest to the server over the end of the inner rail that is attached to the server. Slide the tab over the end of the rail until it clicks and locks

Step 3

Pull out the width-adjustment slider that is at the opposite end of the CMA assembly until it matches the width of your rack.
Step 4

Slide the CMA tab that is at the end of the width-adjustment slider onto the end of the stationary slide rail that is attached to the rack post. Slide the tab over the end of the rail until it clicks and locks.

Step 5

Open the hinged flap at the top of each plastic cable guide and route your cables through the cable guides as desired.

Reversing the Cable Management Arm (Optional)

Procedure

Step 1

Rotate the entire CMA assembly 180 degrees, left-to-right. The plastic cable guides must remain pointing upward.
Step 2

Flip the tabs at the ends of the CMA arms so that they point toward the rear of the server.
Step 3

Pivot the tab that is at the end of the width-adjustment slider. Depress and hold the metal button on the outside of the tab and pivot the tab 180 degrees so that it points toward the rear of the server.

Figure 5. Reversing the CMA

1

CMA tab on end of width-adjustment slider

2

Metal button on outside of tab

Initial Server Setup


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.

Server Default Settings

The server is shipped with these default settings:

  • The NIC mode is Shared LOM EXT.

    Shared LOM EXT mode enables the 1-Gb/10-Gb Ethernet ports and the ports on any installed Cisco virtual interface card (VIC) to access the Cisco Integrated Management Interface (Cisco IMC).

  • The NIC redundancy is Active-Active. All Ethernet ports are utilized simultaneously.

  • DHCP is enabled.

  • IPv4 is enabled.

Connection Methods

There are two methods for connecting to the system for initial setup:

  • Local setup—Use this procedure if you want to connect a keyboard and monitor directly to the system for setup. This procedure can use a KVM cable (Cisco PID N20-BKVM) or the ports on the rear of the server.

  • Remote setup—Use this procedure if you want to perform setup through your dedicated management LAN.


    Note
    To configure the system remotely, you must have a DHCP server on the same network as the system. Your DHCP server must be preconfigured with the range of MAC addresses for this server node. The MAC address is printed on a label that is on the pull-out asset tag on the front panel. This server node 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.

This section contains the following topics:

Connecting to the Server Locally For Setup

This procedure requires the following equipment:

  • VGA monitor

  • USB keyboard

  • Either the supported Cisco KVM cable (Cisco PID N20-BKVM); or a USB cable and VGA DB-15 cable

Procedure

Step 1

Attach a power cord to each power supply in your server, and then attach each power cord to a grounded power outlet.

Wait for approximately two minutes to let the server boot to standby power during the first bootup. You can verify system power status by looking at the system Power Status LED on the front panel. The system is in standby power mode when the LED is amber.

Step 2

Connect a USB keyboard and VGA monitor to the server using one of the following methods:

  • Connect an optional KVM cable (Cisco PID N20-BKVM) to the KVM connector on the front panel. Connect your USB keyboard and VGA monitor to the KVM cable.

  • Connect a USB keyboard and VGA monitor to the corresponding connectors on the rear panel.
Step 3

Open the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility:

  1. Press and hold the front panel power button for four seconds to boot the server.

  2. During bootup, press F8 when prompted to open the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility.

    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 Strong Password feature is enabled.

    The following are the requirements for Strong Password:

    • The password can have minimum 8 characters; maximum 14 characters.

    • The password must not contain the user’s name.

    • The password must contain characters from three of the following four categories:

      • English uppercase letters (A through Z)

      • English lowercase letters (a through z)

      • Base 10 digits (0 through 9)

      • Non-alphabetic characters !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, -, _, =, “

Connecting to the Server Remotely For Setup

This procedure requires the following equipment:

  • One RJ-45 Ethernet cable that is connected to your management LAN.

Before you begin


Note
To configure the system remotely, you must have a DHCP server on the same network as the system. Your DHCP server must be preconfigured with the range of MAC addresses for this server node. The MAC address is printed on a label that is on the pull-out asset tag on the front panel. This server node 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.

Procedure

Step 1

Attach a power cord to each power supply in your server, and then attach each power cord to a grounded power outlet.

Wait for approximately two minutes to let the server boot to standby power during the first bootup. You can verify system power status by looking at the system Power Status LED on the front panel. The system is in standby power mode when the LED is amber.

Step 2

Plug your management Ethernet cable into the dedicated management port on the rear panel.

Step 3

Allow your preconfigured DHCP server to assign an IP address to the server node.
Step 4

Use the assigned IP address to access and log in to the Cisco IMC for the server node. Consult with your DHCP server administrator to determine the IP address.

Note 
The default user name for the server is admin. The default password is password.
Step 5

From the Cisco IMC Server Summary page, click Launch KVM Console. A separate KVM console window opens.

Step 6

From the Cisco IMC Summary page, click Power Cycle Server. The system reboots.

Step 7

Select the KVM console window.

Note 
The KVM console window must be the active window for the following keyboard actions to work.
Step 8

When prompted, press F8 to enter the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility. This utility opens in the KVM console window.

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 Strong Password feature is enabled.

The following are the requirements for Strong Password:

  • The password can have minimum 8 characters; maximum 14 characters.

  • The password must not contain the user’s name.

  • The password must contain characters from three of the following four categories:

    • English uppercase letters (A through Z)

    • English lowercase letters (a through z)

    • Base 10 digits (0 through 9)

    • Non-alphabetic characters !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, -, _, =, “

Updating the BIOS and Cisco IMC Firmware


Caution

When you upgrade the BIOS firmware, you must also upgrade the Cisco IMC firmware to the same version or the server does not boot. Do not power off the server until the BIOS and Cisco IMC firmware are matching or the server does not boot.

Cisco provides the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility to assist with simultaneously upgrading the BIOS, Cisco IMC, and other firmware to compatible levels.

Accessing the System BIOS

Procedure

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.

Smart Access Serial

This server supports the Smart Access Serial feature. This feature allows you to switch between host serial and Cisco IMC CLI.

  • This feature has the following requirements:

    • A serial cable connection, which can use either the RJ-45 serial connector on the server rear panel, or a DB-9 connection when using the KVM cable (Cisco PID N20-BKVM) on the front-panel KVM console connector.

    • Console redirection must be enabled in the server BIOS.

    • Terminal type must be set to VT100+ or VTUFT8.

    • Serial-over-LAN (SOL) must be disabled (SOL is disabled by default).

  • To switch from host serial to Cisco IMC CLI, press Esc+9.

    You must enter your Cisco IMC credentials to authenticate the connection.

  • To switch from Cisco IMC CLI to host serial, press Esc+8.


    Note

    You cannot switch to Cisco IMC CLI if the serial-over-LAN (SOL) feature is enabled.

  • After a session is created, it is shown in the CLI or web GUI by the name serial.