Installing the Node

Preparing for Installation

This chapter describes how to install the node in a rack and perform initial setup.

Installation Warnings and Guidelines


Note

Before you install, operate, or service a node, review the Regulatory Compliance and Safety Information for Cisco UCS C-Series Servers 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 nodes 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 nodes, which could result in overheating, higher fan speeds, and higher power consumption. We recommend that you mount your nodes on rail kits when you are installing them into the rack because these rails provide the minimal spacing required between the nodes. No additional spacing between the nodes 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 Cisco HyperFlex, which can have substantial current draw fluctuations from fluctuating data traffic patterns.

When you are installling a node, use the following guidelines:

  • Plan your site configuration and prepare the site before installing the node. See the Cisco Site Preparation Guide for the recommended site planning tasks.

  • Ensure that there is adequate space around the node to allow for accessing the node and for adequate airflow. The airflow in this node 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 node must be two rack units (RUs), equal to 3.5 in. (88.9 mm).

Supported Cisco Slide Rail Kits

The node supports the following rail kit options:

  • Cisco part UCSC-RAILB-M6= (ball-bearing slide rail kit)

  • Cisco part UCSC-CMAF-M6= (cable management arm)

Rack Installation Tools Required

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

Slide Rail and Cable Management Arm Dimensions

The slide rails for this node 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 node to the rear of the CMA is 5.4 inches (137.4 mm).

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

Installing the Node in a Rack

This section describes how to install the node in a rack using the rack kits that are sold by Cisco.


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

Inner and outer rails are shipped as an assembled unit. Separate the inner and the outer rail:

  1. Slide the internal rail out till it hits the internal stop.

  2. Slide the spring loaded locking button in the direction of the arrow (shown on the button) to release it from the outer rail and pull the rail out at the same time.

Step 2

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

Inner rail
Step 3

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 4

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. See Front Securing Mechanism, Inside of Front End.

    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 align the slide-rail assembly rear end with 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. Push the locking lever inwards and at the same time push the rear mounting pegs in the corresponding rear rack post holes.

  6. Once the mounting pegs are in place, release the locking lever.

  7. 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.

  8. Pull the inner slide rails on each assembly out toward the rack front until they hit the internal stops and lock in place.
Step 5

Insert the server into the slide rails:

Caution 

This server can weigh up to 40 pounds (18 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 the 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

-

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 node pushed fully into the rack, slide the CMA tab of the CMA arm that is farthest from the node 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 node 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 node attaches to end of inner slide rail attached to node.

4

Rear of node
Step 2

Slide the CMA tab that is closest to the node over the end of the inner rail that is attached to the node. 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 node.
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 node.

Figure 5. Reversing the CMA

1

CMA tab on end of width-adjustment slider

2

Metal button on outside of tab

Initial Node Setup


Note
This section describes how to power on the node, assign an IP address, and connect to node management when using the node in standalone mode.

Server Default Settings

The node is shipped with these default settings:

  • If the node does not have any VIC card, the default NIC mode is Dedicated. If the node has a VIC card in MLOM slot, or Riser 1 or Riser 2, then the default NIC mode is Cisco Card, but the VIC precedence first goes to MLOM, then Riser 1, and then Riser 2.

    If you want to use the dedicated management ports to access Cisco IMC, you can connect to the node and change the NIC mode as described in Setting Up the System With the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility.

  • In Dedicated mode, NIC redundancy is set to None. In Cisco Card mode, the NIC redundancy is set to Active-Active. All Ethernet ports are utilized simultaneously.

  • DHCP is enabled.

  • IPv4 and IPv6 are 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 the VGA and USB ports on the front of the node.

  • 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 node. The MAC address is printed on a label that is on the pull-out asset tag on the front panel. This 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.

Connecting to the Server Locally For Setup

This procedure requires the following equipment:

  • VGA monitor

  • USB keyboard

  • Supported 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 AC power outlet.

If you are using DC power supplies, see Installing DC Power Supplies (First Time Installation).

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 mouse, and VGA monitor to the corresponding connectors on the front 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. Strong Password feature is enabled.

    Following are the requirements for Strong Password:

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

    • The password must not contain the user 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 !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, -, _, =, “

Step 4

Continue with Setting Up the System With the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility.

Connecting to the Server Remotely For Setup

This procedure requires the following equipment:

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

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 AC power outlet.

If you are using DC power supplies, see Installing DC Power Supplies (First Time Installation).

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 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. Strong Password feature is enabled.

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 !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, -, _, =, “

Step 9

Continue with Setting Up the System With the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility.

Setting Up the System With the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility

Before you begin

The following procedure is performed after you connect to the system and open the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility.

Procedure

Step 1

Set the NIC mode to choose which ports to use to access Cisco IMC for server management:

  • Dedicated (default)—The dedicated management port is used to access Cisco IMC. You must select the None NIC redundancy setting in the following step.

  • Cisco Card—The ports on an installed Cisco HX Virtual Interface Card (VIC) are used to access the Cisco IMC. You must select either the Active-Active or Active-standby NIC redundancy setting in the following step.

    See also the required VIC Slot setting below.

  • VIC Slot—Only if you use the Cisco Card NIC mode, you must select this setting to match where your VIC is installed. The choices are Riser1, Riser2, or MLOM.

    • For servers with PCIe Riser 1A and 1A combination:

      • If you select Riser1, you must install the VIC in slot 2.

      • If you select Riser2, you must install the VIC in slot 5.

    • If you select MLOM, you must install an mLOM-style VIC in the mLOM slot.
Step 2

Set the NIC redundancy to your preference. This server has three possible NIC redundancy settings:

  • None—The ports operate independently and do not fail over if there is a problem. This setting can be used only with the Dedicated NIC mode.

  • Active-standby—If an active port fails, traffic fails over to a standby port. Cisco Card modes can each use either Active-standby or Active-active settings.

  • Active-active (default)—All ports are utilized simultaneously. Cisco Card modes can each use either Active-standby or Active-active settings.

Step 3

Choose whether to enable DHCP for dynamic network settings, or to enter static network settings.

Note 

Before you enable DHCP, you must preconfigure your DHCP server with the range of MAC addresses for this server. The MAC address is printed on a label on the rear of the server. This server has a range of six MAC addresses assigned to Cisco IMC. The MAC address printed on the label is the beginning of the range of six contiguous MAC addresses.

The static IPv4 and IPv6 settings include the following:

  • The Cisco IMC IP address.

    For IPv6, valid values are 1 - 127.

  • The gateway.

    For IPv6, if you do not know the gateway, you can set it as none by entering :: (two colons).

  • The preferred DNS server address.

    For IPv6, you can set this as none by entering :: (two colons).
Step 4

(Optional) Make VLAN settings.
Step 5

Press F1 to go to the second settings window, then continue with the next step.

From the second window, you can press F2 to switch back to the first window.

Step 6

(Optional) Set a hostname for the server.
Step 7

(Optional) Enable dynamic DNS and set a dynamic DNS (DDNS) domain.
Step 8

(Optional) If you check the Factory Default check box, the server reverts to the factory defaults.
Step 9

(Optional) Set a default user password.

Note 

The factory default username for the server is admin. The default password is password.

Step 10

(Optional) Enable auto-negotiation of port settings or set the port speed and duplex mode manually.

Note 

Auto-negotiation is applicable only when you use the Dedicated NIC mode. Auto-negotiation sets the port speed and duplex mode automatically based on the switch port to which the server is connected. If you disable auto-negotiation, you must set the port speed and duplex mode manually.

Step 11

(Optional) Reset port profiles and the port name.
Step 12

Press F5 to refresh the settings that you made. You might have to wait about 45 seconds until the new settings appear and the message, Network settings configured is displayed before you reboot the server in the next step.

Step 13

Press F10 to save your settings and reboot the server.

Note 

If you chose to enable DHCP, the dynamically assigned IP and MAC addresses are displayed on the console screen during bootup.

What to do next

Use a browser and the IP address of the Cisco IMC to connect to the Cisco IMC management interface. The IP address is based upon the settings that you made (either a static address or the address assigned by your DHCP server).

Note

The factory default username for the server is admin. The default password is password.

To manage the server, see the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Configuration Guide or the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server CLI Configuration Guide for instructions on using those interfaces for your Cisco IMC release. The links to the configuration guides are in the Configuration Guides.

NIC Mode and NIC Redundancy Settings

Table 1. Valid NIC Redundancy Settings For Each NIC Mode

NIC Mode

Valid NIC Redundancy Settings

Dedicated

None

Cisco Card

Active-active

Active-standby

This server has the following NIC mode settings that you can choose from:

  • Dedicated—The dedicated management port is used to access Cisco IMC. You must select the None NIC redundancy setting in the following step.

  • Cisco Card—The ports on an installed Cisco HX Virtual Interface Card (VIC) are used to access the Cisco IMC. You must select either the Active-Active or Active-standby NIC redundancy setting in the following step.

    See also the required VIC Slot setting below.

  • VIC Slot—Only if you use the Cisco Card NIC mode, you must select this setting to match where your VIC is installed. The choices are Riser1, Riser2, or Flex-LOM (the mLOM slot).

    • For servers with PCIe Riser 1A and 1A combination:

      • If you select Riser1, you must install the VIC in slot 2.

      • If you select Riser2, you must install the VIC in slot 5.

    • If you select MLOM, you must install an mLOM-style VIC in the mLOM slot.

This server has the following NIC redundancy settings that you can choose from:

  • None—The ports operate independently and do not fail over if there is a problem. This setting can be used only with the Dedicated NIC mode.

  • Active-standby—If an active port fails, traffic fails over to a standby port. Cisco Card modes can each use either Active-standby or Active-active settings.

  • Active-active (default)—All ports are utilized simultaneously. Cisco Card modes can each use either Active-standby or Active-active settings.

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.

The server uses firmware obtained from and certified by Cisco. Cisco provides release notes with each firmware image. There are several possible methods for updating the firmware:

  • Recommended method for firmware update: Use the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility to simultaneously upgrade the Cisco IMC, BIOS, and component firmware to compatible levels.

    See the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility Quick Reference Guide for your firmware release at the documentation roadmap link below.

  • You can upgrade the Cisco IMC and BIOS firmware by using the Cisco IMC GUI interface.

    See the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Configuration Guide.

  • You can upgrade the Cisco IMC and BIOS firmware by using the Cisco IMC CLI interface.

    See the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server CLI Configuration Guide.

For links to the documents listed above, see the Cisco UCS C-Series Documentation Roadmap.

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 the RJ-45 serial connector on the server front panel.

    • 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.

Smart Access USB

This server supports the Smart Access USB feature. The board management controller (BMC) in this server can accept a USB mass storage device and access the data on it. This feature allows you to use the front-panel USB device as a medium to transfer data between the BMC and the user without need for network connectivity. This can be useful, for example, when remote BMC interfaces are not yet available, or are not accessible due to network misconfiguration.

  • This feature has the following requirements:

    • Connect a USB keyboard and mouse, and VGA monitor to the corresponding connectors on the front panel.

    • A USB storage device connected to one of the USB 3.0 connectors on the front panel.

    • You can use USB 3.0-based devices, but they will operate at USB 2.0 speed.

    • We recommend that the USB device have only one partition.

    • The file system formats supported are: FAT16, FAT32, MSDOS, EXT2, EXT3, and EXT4. NTFS is not supported.

  • Smart Access USB can be enabled or disabled using any of the BMC user interfaces. For example, you can use the Cisco IMC Configuration Utility that is accessed by pressing F8 when prompted during bootup.

    • Enabled: the front-panel USB device is connected to the BMC.

    • Disabled: the front-panel USB device is connected to the host.

  • In a case where no management network is available to connect remotely to Cisco IMC, a Device Firmware Update (DFU) shell over serial cable can be used to generate and download technical support files to the USB device that is attached to front panel USB port.