Chapter 1. New and Changed Information

- What's New in this Guide

What's New in this Guide

The following table provides an overview of the most recent significant changes to this guide. The table does not provide an exhaustive list of all changes made to this guide or of all new features in this release.

For the complete revision history, see the Revision History.

New and Changed Features in Cisco HyperFlex Software Requirements and Recommendations

Release

Description

Date

Where Documented

5.5(1a)

Added UCS 4.2(3j) to the list of qualified FI/Server Firmware for HX 5.5(x)

May 08, 2024

FI/Server Firmware - 5.5(x) Releases

5.0(2g)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 5.0(2g).

April 16, 2024

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

5.0(2g)

Added UCS 4.2(3j) to the list of qualified FI/Server Firmware for HX 5.0(x)

March 20, 2024

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

5.0(2g)

Updated Software Requirements for 5.0(2g).

March 5, 2024

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

5.5(1x), 5.0(2x)

Updated dates for Release Support Timeline for 5.5(1x) and 5.0(2x).

January 19, 2024

- Release Support Timeline for Release 5.5(1x)

- Release Support Timeline for Release 5.0(2x)

5.0(2e)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 5.0(2e).

September 27, 2023

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

Chapter 2. Overview

- Overview

Overview

This document lists the recommended Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform software releases for use with Cisco HyperFlex HX-Series Systems applicable to both new and existing deployments. This document also lists the requirements for Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform software releases for use with Cisco HyperFlex HX-Series Systems applicable to both new and existing deployments. It is intended for those responsible for installing and upgrading Cisco HyperFlex software. It also includes upgrade options, guidance for unsupported releases. These recommendations are general. They should not replace environment-specific design review efforts and should not override Advanced Services recommended releases if employed.

Note

Patch releases from the recommended release trains can become available for download before they are recommended in this document. If a patch release later than what is recommended below is available for download, review the "Caveats" section in the Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Release Notes and Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Security Advisories to determine if any resolved caveats are applicable to your deployment scenario and feature set and upgrade to the later release to benefit from the incremental fixes.

Note

"Cisco HX" is the short form for the product name "Cisco HyperFlex" and is used throughout this document .

For specific software requirements, please reference the chapter that matches your deployment.

Chapter 3. Cisco HyperFlex Software Recommendations and Guidelines

- Overview

- Recommended Software for New and Existing Deployments

- HyperFlex Releases

Overview

This chapter lists the recommended Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform software releases for use with Cisco HyperFlex HX-Series Systems, applicable to both new and existing deployments.

Note

Patch releases for the recommended release trains may be available for download before they are recommended in this document. Before downloading the latest patch, review the "Caveats" section of the Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Release Notes and any Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Security Advisories to ensure that your deployment scenario and feature set benefit from the incremental fixes in the later release.

Common terms and definitions used in this guide are as follows:

Common Terms and Definitions

Term

Definition

Cisco HX

Short form for the product name "Cisco HyperFlex" and is used throughout this document

Required

Must be used or followed to be compliant.

Qualified

A qualified option that provides optimal performance for most deployments.

Recommended

Tested and qualified options that provide optimal performance for most deployments.

Recommended Software for New and Existing Deployments

Cisco provides recommended and preferred software for new and existing deployments. There are also software release pairings that are qualified options which provide optimal performance for most deployments. For more information on the complete list of qualified options, see the Cisco HXDP Software Requirements sections.

- Choosing UCS Server Firmware Versions

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - Hyper-V

Choosing UCS Server Firmware Versions

If you are installing new cluster(s), or if you are upgrading existing clusters, refer to the following table for guidance on choosing the right UCS Server Firmware version.

Choosing UCS Server Firmware Versions

Installation/Upgrade

Guidelines

If you are installing a new cluster:

Install the latest HX qualified UCS server firmware version. For more information on qualified UCS server firmware versions, see:

- FI/Server Firmware - 5.5(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

If you are upgrading an existing cluster:

Ensure that the current version of server firmware is qualified and supported on the target HXDP version. If so, then please review the outstanding advisories and field notices against the firmware version and follow the applicable directions from the advisories for the affected systems. If none of those are applicable then upgrading the server firmware version is optional.

Even if the current server firmware version is supported, there still may be valid reasons to upgrade. Examples of situations where you may need to upgrade the server firmware version are as follows:

- To get fixes for bugs encountered in server firmware

- Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) or expansion using newer drives or other components requiring a firmware version

- End of Life or End of Support of the current firmware version

- Cluster expansion with newer generation server nodes requiring a new server firmware version

When upgrading server firmware for larger clusters or for shorter upgrade windows, separate the server firmware upgrades from the HXDP upgrade, and perform the server firmware upgrades first.

Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

ESXi customers with new and existing clusters considering upgrades

For ESXi customers with new and existing clusters considering upgrades, refer to the following table for recommended software versions. Use the links provided to access Release Notes and related software download pages.

Important

Please review the outstanding advisories and field notices against the HXDP & ESXi versions in software downloads page and follow the applicable directions from the advisories for the affected systems.

Recommended Software Versions for ESXi

Platforms

Recommended HX Release

Recommended VMware ESXi Versions

All new and existing clusters considering upgrades.

5.0(2g)

7.0 U3 - Cisco HX Custom Image for ESXi 7.0 U3 build 22348816 or later build as specified on the Software Download page.

Important

Please refer to HX Field Notice and apply the mitigation before upgrading the cluster to HXDP 5.0(2e). Any cluster running HXDP Release 5.0(2a), 5.0(2b), 5.0(2c), or 5.0(2d) may be affected by the field notice and should apply the mitigation before upgrade to 5.0(2e) to avoid the issue.

Important

For HyperFlex clusters with M5 nodes, ensure that the server firmware version is identified as recommended or supported. If you are running any M5 nodes with UCS server firmware versions 4.1(3b) or 4.1(3c), ensure to upgrade to version 4.1(3d) or later. For more information, see CSCvx93920. This defect does not affect M4 nodes in your cluster.

Important

Do not upgrade HyperFlex Stretch clusters to HXDP 5.0(2b) See Software Advisory https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/SA/sw-advisory-hyperflex-release-5-0-2b.html

Note

For air-gapped customers (i.e. using HXDP SLR or PLR), upgrades or new cluster creation should consider using HX 5.0(2b) or later to take advantage of the persistent root shell feature.

Note

Stretched Cluster, All-NVMe, HX Acceleration Engine and HX Edge 2-node clusters are not supported on M4 hardware.

Note

The star in the Software Download Page in CCO refers to the recommended release for Cisco HyperFlex ESX standard HX deployments (SED/non-SED/Stretched Cluster)

Note

Cisco HyperFlex clusters using SED SSD configurations require a mandatory upgrade to the latest recommended release. For more information on the issues and steps to identify configurations susceptible to the issue, see field notice FN70234.

Note

HyperFlex OVA based installer does not support HX Edge M6. Use Intersight for lifecycle management. HX Non-edge clusters can be deployed using either OVA or Intersight installer.

Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - Hyper-V

Hyper-V Customers with new and existing clusters considering upgrades

Important

Support for Microsoft Hyper-V ends with Cisco HXDP Release 5.0(x).

For Hyper-V customers with new and existing clusters considering upgrades, refer to the following table for recommended software versions. Use the links provided to access Release Notes and related software download pages.

Recommended Software Versions for Microsoft Hyper-V

Platforms

Recommended HX Release

Recommended Hyper-V Versions

All new and existing clusters considering upgrades.

5.0(2g)

Windows Server 2016 Datacenter Core & Desktop Experience

Note

For Windows Server 2016 Datacenter Core and Desktop Experience, the Windows 2016 ISO image should be Update Build Revision (UBR) 1884 at a minimum.

Windows Server 2019 Datacenter-Desktop Experience

Note

For Windows Server 2019 Desktop Experience, the Windows 2019 ISO image should be Update Build Revision (UBR) 107 at a minimum.

Note

Beginning with HXDP 5.5(1a), Microsoft Hyper-V is not supported.

Note

Features not supported on Microsoft Hyper-V include:

- M6 servers

- HX Edge

- All-NVMe

- HX Acceleration Engine

- Stretched Cluster

- Self-Encrypting Drives

- iSCSI support

- UEFI Secure Boot Mode

- HX-CSI support

- vCenter Re-Registration

- HyperCheck

- Scheduled Snapshots on HxConnect

- VIC 1457

Note

Microsoft Hyper-V is only supported on M5 hardware.

Note

6400 FI connected to 1455/1457 using SFP-H25G-CU3M or SFP-H25G-CU5M modules require UCS Release 4.0(4k) and later, or 4.1(2a) and later.

For more information on HW, SW compatibility, and for multi-cluster deployments under the same FI which requires compatibility with the latest HX release, see the following:

- Software Requirements for Microsoft Hyper-V - 5.0(x) Releases

- Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details - 5.0(x) Releases

- Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details - 5.5(x) Releases

HyperFlex Releases

This section describes available HyperFlex releases, support timelines, upgrade guidelines, and information on unsupported releases.

- Available Releases

- Release Support Timeline for HXDP

- Release Support Timeline for UCS Server Firmware

- Upgrading Cisco HyperFlex

- Unsupported Cisco HyperFlex Releases

- Supported Upgrade Paths to the Recommended Release

Available Releases

Type of Release

Release

Current long-lived release train

4.5(2x), 5.0(2x)

Feature Release

5.5(1a)

Note

If you are using a feature release, we recommend that you always use the latest available patch release for the feature release.

For information on the Cisco HyperFlex release policy and support timelines, see https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/hyperconverged_systems/HyperFlex_HX_DataPlatformSoftware/release-guidelines-and-support-timeline/b-release-bulletin-hyperflex.html

For a detailed list of dependencies, security fixes and resolved caveats, refer to the release notes for the specific release,

see https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/hyperconverged-systems/hyperflex-hx-data-platform-software/products-release-notes-list.html

For Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform end-of-sale and end-of-life announcements,

see https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/hyperconverged-infrastructure/hyperflex-hx-series/bulletin-listing.html

Release Support Timeline for HXDP

The following support timelines are provided to identify the key milestones (Release Date, End of SW Maintenance (EOSM), End-of-Download (EOD), End of Security and Vulnerability Fixes (EoVS) (PSIRT fixes), Last Date of Support), definitions and relevant dates for all HXDP release families. For more information on support timelines for HX releases that are now End of Life (EOL), see Cisco HyperFlex HX-Series Bulletins.

- Release Support Timeline for HXDP Release: 5.5(x)

- Release Support Timeline for HXDP Release: 5.0(x)

Release Support Timeline for HXDP Release: 5.5(x)

Release Support Timeline for 5.5(1x)

Milestone

Definition

Date

Release Date

The date that this software version was first available for download.

August 14, 2023

End of SW Maintenance (EOSM) Release Date

The last date that Cisco Engineering may release any final software maintenance releases or bug fixes. After this date, Cisco Engineering may no longer develop, repair, maintain, or test the product software and only critical security updates will be provided on this release train.

August 22, 2024

End-of-Download (EOD) Date

The last date to download the software through Cisco download page. The software is no longer available for download after this date.

August 22, 2024

End of Security and Vulnerability Support (EoVS) (PSIRT fixes)

The last date that Cisco may provide support for security vulnerabilities.

August 22, 2024

Last Date of Support

The last date to receive service and support for the software. After this date, all support services for the software are unavailable, and the software becomes obsolete.

November 30, 2024

Release Support Timeline for HXDP Release: 5.0(x)

Release Support Timeline for HXDP 5.0(2x)

Milestone

Definition

Date

Release Date

The date that this software version was first available for download.

August 23, 2022

End of SW Maintenance (EOSM) Release Date

The last date that Cisco Engineering may release any final software maintenance releases or bug fixes. After this date, Cisco Engineering may no longer develop, repair, maintain, or test the product software and only critical security updates will be provided on this release train.

August 23, 2024

End-of-Download (EOD) Date

The last date to download the software through Cisco download page. The software is no longer available for download after this date.

November 30, 2024

End of Security and Vulnerability Support (EoVS) (PSIRT fixes)

The last date that Cisco may provide support for security vulnerabilities.

November 30, 2024

Last Date of Support

The last date to receive service and support for the software. After this date, all support services for the software are unavailable, and the software becomes obsolete.

February 28, 2025

Release Support Timeline for UCS Server Firmware

For more information on support timelines for UCS Server Firmware versions, see Release Notes for UCS Manager, Firmware/Drivers, and Blade BIOS.

Upgrading Cisco HyperFlex

This section provides information useful to manage upgrade events with the intent of minimizing lengthy upgrades and inopportune reboots.

- Reasons to Upgrade Cisco HyperFlex

- Existing Deployments That Use Software Earlier Than One of the Recommended Releases

Reasons to Upgrade Cisco HyperFlex

This section describes primary reasons to update to specific HyperFlex releases.

- Reasons to Upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 5.5(x)

- Reasons to Upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 5.0(2x)

Reasons to Upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 5.5(x)

These are the primary reasons to upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 5.5(1x):

- Support for VMware ESXi 8.0 U1

- Stretched cluster Intersight arbitrator. Eliminates the need for a third site to host the witness and management overhead

- Stretched cluster preferred site support

- UCS FI 6536 support

Reasons to Upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 5.0(2x)

These are the primary reasons to upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 5.0(2x):

- Cisco HyperFlex HX245C/225C M6 All Flash/Hybrid Server Data Center Nodes support

- 15TB NVMe support

- "Diag" User in HX Shell

- Software Encryption Support for Stretched Cluster

- Support for editing the MTU of the DR Replication Network

- Support for ESXi 7.0 U3

- HX CSI Release 1.2(3a)

- Intel® Optane™ DC Persistent Memory (DCPMM) support

Existing Deployments That Use Software Earlier Than One of the Recommended Releases

To the extent possible, Cisco recommends upgrading to one of the Cisco HyperFlex releases listed previously. If that is not possible, Cisco recommends that you review the Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Release Notes for the earlier release and the Bug Search Tool to determine the impact of any open caveats.

Unsupported Cisco HyperFlex Releases

Release

Initial Release Date

Last Day of Support

HXDP 5.0(1x)

November 10, 2021

February 28, 2023

HXDP 4.5(2x)

June 30, 2021

December 31, 2023

HXDP 4.5(1x)

January 6, 2021

January 31, 2022

HXDP 4.0(2x)

February 11, 2020

February 28, 2023

HXDP 4.0(1x)

April 29, 2019

September 29, 2020

HXDP 3.5(2x)

January 8, 2019

October 31, 2021

HXDP 3.5(1x)

October 16, 2018

May 15, 2020

HXDP 3.0(1x)

April 13, 2018

May 15, 2020

HXDP 2.6(1a), 2.6(1b), 2.6(1e)[1]

September 1, 2017

November 15, 2017

August 6, 2019

June 15, 2019

HXDP 2.0, 2.1, 2.5

March 13, 2017, April 28, 2017, July 22, 2017

2019

HXDP 1.7, 1.8

November 26, 2016

2019

[1] HX 2.6(1e) is only supported as an intermediate destination for HX 1.8(1a-1e) upgrades. It is not for general use.

Supported Upgrade Paths to the Recommended Release

When deciding to upgrade your Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform software to a later release, select a release based on the requirements of your deployment. Please also review the latest HyperFlex software release delivery model to determine if best to upgrade to either a Long-lived release or Feature release. For more information, see the Cisco HyperFlex Software Release Model and Release Support Timeline.

For general recommendations for new and existing deployments, see the sections describing recommended versions for Cisco HyperFlex ESXi and Hyper-V.

To upgrade your environment from a Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform software release that is past the last date of support, or to the latest suggested release on the Cisco Software Download site, see Cisco HyperFlex Systems Upgrade Guide for Unsupported Cisco HX Releases.

Chapter 4. Cisco HyperFlex Software Requirements

- Cisco HyperFlex Software Requirements By Release

Cisco HyperFlex Software Requirements By Release

The following chapters present the software requirements by release. Details include the following:

- Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details

- FI/Server Firmware

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-no-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix

- HX Data Platform Software Versions for HyperFlex Witness Node for Stretched Cluster

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi

- Software Requirements for Microsoft Hyper-V

- Browser Recommendations

Supported Releases

Cisco HX Release 5.5(x) - Software Requirements

Cisco HX Release 5.0(x) - Software Requirements

Obsolete Releases

Cisco HX Obsolete Releases - Software Requirements

Chapter 5. Cisco HX Release 5.5(x) - Software Requirements

- Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details - 5.5(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware - 5.5(x) Releases

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 5.5(x) Deployments

- HX Data Platform Software Versions for HyperFlex Witness Node for Stretch Cluster - 5.5(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 5.5(x) Releases

- Browser Recommendations - 5.5(x) Releases

Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details - 5.5(x) Releases

Cluster Limits

- Cisco HX Data Platform supports up to 100 clusters managed per vCenter as per VMware configuration maximums.

- Cisco HX Data Platform supports any number of clusters on a single FI domain. Each HX converged node must be directly connected to a dedicated FI port on fabric A and fabric B without the use of a FEX. C-series compute only nodes must also directly connect to both FIs. B-series compute only nodes will connect through a chassis I/O module to both fabrics. In the end, the number of physical ports on the FI will dictate the maximum cluster size and maximum number of individual clusters supported in a UCS domain.

- Using a FEX on uplink ports connecting the Fabric Interconnects to the top of rack (ToR) switches is not supported due to the possibility of network oversubscription leading to the inability to handle HyperFlex storage traffic during failure scenarios.

The following tables provide Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details.

Cisco HX Data Platform Storage Cluster Specifications for VMware ESXi

Node

VMware ESXi

Stretched Cluster* (Available on ESX Only)

Deployment Type

FI-Connected

Edge

DC-No-FI

FI-Connected

HX Servers (Intel and AMD Servers)

HXAF245C-M6SX

HXAF240C-M6SX

HXAF240C-M6SN

HXAF240C-M5SX

HXAF240C-M5SN

HXAF240C-M5

HXAF225C-M6S

HXAF220C-M6SN

HXAF220C-M6S

HXAF220C-M5SN

HXAF220C-M5

HX245C-M6SX

HX240C-M6SX

HX240C-M5

HX225C-M6S

HX220C-M6S

HX220C-M5

HX240C-M6L

HX240C-M5L

HXAF245-M6SX Edge

HXAF240C M5 Edge Short Depth

HXAF240C M5 Edge Full Depth

HXAF240 M6SX Edge

HXAF225-M6SX Edge

HXAF220C M5 Edge

HXAF220 M6S Edge

HX245-M6SX Edge

HX240C M5 Edge Short Depth

HX240C M5 Edge Full Depth

HX240 M6SX Edge

HX225-M6SX Edge

HX220C M5 Edge

HX220 M6S Edge

HXAF245C-M6SX

HXAF240C-M6SX

HXAF240C-M6SN

HXAF240C-M5SX

HXAF240C-M5

HXAF225C-M6S

HXAF220C-M6SN

HXAF220C-M6S

HXAF220C-M5

HX245C-M6SX

HX240C-M6SX

HX240C-M6

HX240C-M5

HX225C-M6S

HX220C-M6S

HX220C-M6

HX220C-M5

HXAF245C-M6SX

HXAF240C-M6SX

HXAF240C-M6SN

HXAF240C-M5SX

HXAF240C-M5

HXAF225C-M6S

HXAF220C-M6SN

HXAF220C-M6S

HXAF220C-M5SN

HXAF220C-M5

HX245C-M6SX

HX240C-M6SX

HX240C-M5

HX225C-M6S

HX220C-M6S

HX220C-M5

HX240C-M6L

HX240C-M5L

Compute-Only UCS B-Series/C-Series Servers

B200 M6

B200 M5

B480 M5

C220 M6/M5

C240 M6/M5

C480 M5

C225 M6

C245 M6

B200 M6

B200 M5

B480 M5

C220 M6/M5

C240 M6/M5

C480 M5

—

C220 M6

C220 M5

C225 M6

C245 M6

C240 M6

C240 M5

B200 M6

B200 M5

B480 M5

C220 M6/M5

C240 M6/M5

C480 M5

C225 M6

C245 M6

B200 M6

B200 M5

B480 M5

C220 M6/M5

C240 M6/M5

C480 M5

Supported Nodes

Converged and Compute-only nodes

Converged and Compute-only nodes

Converged nodes only

Converged and Compute-only nodes

Converged and Compute-only nodes

Converged and Compute-only nodes

HXDP-DC-AD Licensed Node Limits

1:1 ratio of HXDP-DC-AD to Compute only nodes

(Min—Max)

Converged nodes: 3-32 Compute only nodes: 0-32

Compute-only nodes: 0-32

All NVMe PIDs require HXDP-DC-PR License

Converged nodes: 3-16

Compute-only nodes: 0-16

M5 Converged nodes: 2, 3, or 4

Converged nodes: 3-12

Compute-only nodes: 0-12

All NVMe PIDs require HXDP-DC-PR License

N/A

N/A

HXDP-DC-PR Licensed Node Limits

1:2 ratio of HXDP-DC-PR to Compute only nodes

(Min—Max)

Converged nodes: 3-32 Compute only nodes: 0-64 (up to max cluster size)

Compute-only nodes: 0-64(up to max cluster size)

All NVMe PIDs require HXDP-DC-PR License

Converged nodes: 3-16

Compute-only nodes: 0-32

M5 Converged nodes: 2, 3, or 4

Converged nodes: 3-12

Compute-only nodes: 0-24

Required for HXAF220c M6SN

HXAF240c M6SN

HXAF220c M5SN

All NVMe PIDs require HXDP-DC-PR License

Converged nodes: 2-16 per Site

Compute-only nodes: 0-21 per Site (up to max cluster size)

Compute only nodes: 0-64 (up to max cluster size)

Converged nodes: 2-8 per Site

Compute-only nodes: 0-16 per Site (up to max cluster size)

Max Cluster Size

96[1]

48

4

Updated to 4 per input from Shankar Srikanta 5/2/2022 (rickwo)

36

32 per Site/ 64 per cluster

24 per Site/ 48 per cluster

Max Compute to Converged ratio

2:1

2:1

—

2:1

2:1

2:1

Expansion

✔

✔

✔[2]

✔

✔*

✔*

[1] Cluster sizes above 64 nodes require ESXi 7.0 U1 or later.

[2] Edge cluster expansion with 1G network topology is not supported

FI/Server Firmware - 5.5(x) Releases

If you are installing new cluster(s), or upgrading existing clusters and require guidance on UCS FI/Server firmware versions, see Choosing UCS Server Firmware Versions.

If you are installing or upgrading HyperFlex clusters with All NVMe nodes, please see the Note below.

FI/Server Firmware Versions for M5/M6 Servers

Release

M5 Qualified FI/Server Firmware

M6 Qualified FI/Server Firmware

5.5(1x)[1]

4.2(1f), 4.2(1i), 4.2(1m), 4.2(1n), 4.2(3d), 4.2(3e), 4.2(3g), 4.2(3h), 4.2(3j)

4.2(1i), 4.2(1m), 4.2(1n), 4.2(3d), 4.2(3e), 4.2(3g), 4.2(3h), 4.2(3j)

[1] HX240 M6 SED clusters in HXDP 5.5(1x) are supported with server firmware version 4.2(3j).

Important FI/Server Firmware Notes:

Restriction

HXAF240-M5 Clusters using Samsung SSDs with 3.8Tb and 7.6Tb capacities: Do not install or upgrade to UCS 4.2(3) or later. UCS 4.2(1n) A/B/C is the highest compatible version with these drives. Upgrading these servers with Samsung drives (PID HX-SD76T61X-EV or HX-SD38T61X-EV (UCS-SD76T61X-EV or UCS-SD38T61X-EV) to UCS 4.2(3) or later may cause drive failure after server reboot or during firmware upgrade. For more information, see CSCwf93621.

- Legacy BIOS Mode: For all NVMe HyperFlex clusters using legacy BIOS mode or All Flash using NVMe as caching device AND using legacy bios, do not upgrade the server firmware to 4.2(1m) or 4.2(1n). For more information, see CSCwd04797.

To review the BIOS version, see Verifying Firmware Versions.

- Fabric Interconnect 6400: If your environment (or deployment) is a Fabric Interconnect 6400 connected to VIC 1455/1457 using SFP-H25G-CU3M or SFP-H25G-CU5M cables, only use UCS Release 4.0(4k), or 4.1(2a) and later. Do not use any other UCS version listed in the table of qualified releases. Using a UCS Release that is not UCS Release 4.0(4k), or 4.1(2a) and later may cause cluster outages.

Refer to Release Notes for UCS Manager, Firmware/Drivers, and Blade BIOS for any UCS issues that may affect your environment.

Use the following upgrade sequence ONLY for Fabric Interconnect 6400 connected to VIC 1455/1457 using SFP-H25G-CU3M or SFP-H25G-CU5M cables:

- Upgrade the UCS server firmware from HX Connect

- Upgrade the UCS Infrastructure

- Upgrade HXDP

- Upgrade ESXi

If you have the described hardware and software combination, the combined upgrade of UCS server firmware is not supported. However, combined upgrade of HXDP and ESXi is supported after UCS server firmware and UCS infrastructure firmware upgrade is completed.

If the current UCS F/W version is later than 4.0(4k) or 4.1(2a), then combined upgrade of UCS server firmware, HX and ESXi is supported.

- Intersight Edge Servers: Intersight edge servers running a CIMC version before 4.0(1a), HUU is the suggested mechanism to update the firmware.

SED Notes:

- For clusters with self-encrypting drives (SED):

- HX 240 M6 nodes with HXDP version 5.5(1x) use server firmware version 4.2(3g) only.

- M5/M6 nodes with HXDP version 5.5(1x) use server firmware version 4.2(3d) or later.

M6 Specific Notes:

- If you are using PCIE-Offload cards with M6 servers, use server firmware version 4.2(1m) or earlier, or 4.2(3g) and later.

- HX225 and HX245 M6 AMD nodes require minimum server firmware version 4.2(1n) or later.

General Notes:

The HX components—Cisco HX Data Platform Installer, Cisco HX Data Platform, and Cisco UCS firmware—are installed on different servers. Verify that each component on each server used with and within an HX Storage Cluster are compatible.

- Verify that the preconfigured HX servers have the same version of Cisco UCS server firmware installed. If the Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects (FI) firmware versions are different, see the Cisco HyperFlex Systems Upgrade Guide for steps to align the firmware versions.

- M5: For NEW hybrid or All Flash (Cisco HyperFlex HX220C-M5SX, HX240C-M5SX, HXAF220C-M5SX, HXAF240C-M5SX) deployments, verify that the qualified UCS firmware version is installed.

- M6: For NEW hybrid or All Flash (Cisco HyperFlex HX220C-M6SX, HX240C-M6SX, HXAF220C-M6SX, HXAF240C-M6SX, HXAF225C-M6S, HXAF245C-M6SX, HX225C-M6S, HX245C-M6SX) deployments, verify that Cisco UCS Manager 4.2(1i) or later is installed.

- To reinstall an HX server, download supported and compatible versions of the software. See the Cisco HyperFlex Systems Installation Guide for VMware ESXi, Release 5.5 for the requirements and steps.

HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 5.5(x) Deployments

Cisco HX Data Platform, Release 5.5(x) based Deployments

Confirm the M5/M6 component firmware on the server meets the minimum versions listed in the following table.

M5 and M6

Component

Qualified Firmware Version - HXDP 5.5(x)

*Review all notes at the beginning of this section.

Host Upgrade Utility (HUU) Version

4.1(3f), 4.1(3h), 4.1(3i), 4.2(1i), 4.2(2g), 4.2(3d), 4.2(3e), 4.2(3g), 4.2(3h), 4.2(3j)

Download Software for 220

Download Software for 240

Then click on the UCS Server Firmware link to download the desired HUU version.

Note

All NVMe nodes are not supported for HX edge deployments.

Note

HX Edge M6 nodes require minimum server firmware version 4.2(1i) or later

HX Data Platform Software Versions for HyperFlex Witness Node for Stretch Cluster - 5.5(x) Releases

New Stretch Clusters installed using HXDP 5.5(1a) will auto-configure an Invisible Cloud Witness for site arbitration. Invisible Cloud Witness automatically runs the latest version, user maintenance of this component is not required. Stretch Clusters upgraded from previous HX releases, will continue to work with existing 3rd site witness VM.

Note

Stretch Clusters upgraded from previous HXDP Releases (HXDP Release 5.0(x) and earlier), will continue to work with existing 3rd site witness as described in the Cisco HyperFlex Systems Stretch Cluster Guide, Release 5.0 and the Cisco HyperFlex Systems Upgrade Guide for VMware ESXi, Release 5.0. The following table provides the latest supported witness VM version.

HXDP Software Versions for Legacy HyperFlex Witness for Stretch Cluster HXDP 5.0(x) and earlier

- Witness Node Version : 1.1.3

Note

Older versions of witness VMs are supported when the cluster is upgraded to the latest HXDP version.

Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 5.5(x) Releases

The software requirements include verification that you are using compatible versions of Cisco HyperFlex Systems (HX) components and VMware vSphere, VMware vCenter, and VMware ESXi.

- Verify that all HX servers have a compatible version of vSphere preinstalled.

- Verify that the vCenter version is the same or later than the ESXi version.

- Clusters running ESXi version 7.0 U1 and earlier, need to perform a combined upgrade to HXDP 5.5(1a) with ESXi 7.0 U2 or later.

- Clusters running HXDP Release 4.0(2x) or later can upgrade directly to 5.5(1a).

- Verify that the vCenter and ESXi versions are compatible by consulting the VMware Product Interoperability Matrix. Newer vCenter versions may be used with older ESXi versions, provided both ESXi and vCenter are listed as supported in the software requirements tables in this section.

- Verify that you have a vCenter administrator account with root-level privileges and the associated password.

The following tables apply to VMware vSphere Editions: Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Standard, Essentials Plus, ROBO. All other licensed editions of VMware, including the Essentials Edition are not supported.

Software Requirements for VMware ESXi

Version

VMware ESXi Versions for M5 Servers

VMware ESXi Versions for M6 Servers

5.5(1a)

7.0 U2, 7.0 U3, 8.0 U1

7.0 U2, 7.0 U3, 8.0 U1

Software Requirements for VMware vCenter

Version

VMware vCenter Versions for M5 Servers

VMware vCenter Versions for M6 Servers

5.5(1a)

7.0 U2, 7.0 U3, 8.0 U1

7.0 U2, 7.0 U3, 8.0 U1

Browser Recommendations - 5.5(x) Releases

Use one of the following browsers to run the listed HyperFlex components. These browsers have been tested and approved. Other browsers might work, but full functionality has not been tested and confirmed.

Supported Browsers

Browser

Cisco Intersight

Cisco UCS Manager

HX Data Platform Installer

HX Connect

Microsoft Internet Explorer

NA

11 or later

11 or later

11 or later

Google Chrome

62 or later

57 or later

70 or later

70 or later

Mozilla Firefox

57 or later

45 or later

60 or later

60 or later

Apple Safari

10 or later

9 or later

NA

NA

Opera

NA

35 or later

NA

NA

Notes

- Cisco HyperFlex Connect:

The minimum recommended resolution is 1024 X 768.

- VMware local plugin architecture: Support is limited to vSphere versions 6.5, 6.7, and 7.0. For more information, see the vSphere Client Local plugins are deprecated (87880) article on the VMware site.

- Cisco UCS Manager:

The browser must support the following:

- Java Runtime Environment 1.6 or later.

- Adobe Flash Player 10 or later is required for some features.

For the latest browser information, see the Cisco UCS Manager Getting Started Guide for your deployment Cisco UCS Manager Getting Started Guide.

Chapter 6. Cisco HX Release 5.0(x) - Software Requirements

- Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details - 5.0(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 5.0(x) Deployments

- HX Data Platform Software Versions for HyperFlex Witness Node for Stretched Cluster - 5.0(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 5.0(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for Microsoft Hyper-V - 5.0(x) Releases

- Browser Recommendations - 5.0(x) Releases

Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details - 5.0(x) Releases

Cluster Limits

- Cisco HX Data Platform supports up to 100 clusters managed per vCenter as per VMware configuration maximums.

- Cisco HX Data Platform supports any number of clusters on a single FI domain. Each HX converged node must be directly connected to a dedicated FI port on fabric A and fabric B without the use of a FEX. C-series compute only nodes must also directly connect to both FIs. B-series compute only nodes will connect through a chassis I/O module to both fabrics. In the end, the number of physical ports on the FI will dictate the maximum cluster size and maximum number of individual clusters supported in a UCS domain.

- Using a FEX on uplink ports connecting the Fabric Interconnects to the top of rack (ToR) switches is not supported due to the possibility of network oversubscription leading to the inability to handle HyperFlex storage traffic during failure scenarios.

The following tables provide Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details.

Cisco HX Data Platform Storage Cluster Specifications for VMware ESXi

Node

VMware ESXi

Stretched Cluster* (Available on ESX Only)

Deployment Type

FI-Connected

Edge

DC-No-FI

FI-Connected

HX Servers (Intel and AMD Servers)

HX220C-M6S

HXAF220C-M6S

HXAF220C-M6SN

HX240C-M6SX

HXAF240C-M6SN

HXAF240C-M6SX

HXAF220C-M6SN

HXAF240C-M6SN

HXAF240C-M5SX

HXAF220C-M5SN

HXAF240C-M5SN

HX220C-M5

HXAF220C-M5

HX240C-M5

HXAF240C-M5

HX220C-M4

HXAF220C-M4

HX240C-M4

HXAF240C-M4

HXAF225C-M6S

HXAF245C-M6SX

HX225C-M6S

HX245C-M6SX

HX240C-M6L

HX240C-M5L

HX240 M6SX Edge

HXAF240 M6SX Edge

HX220 M6S Edge

HXAF220 M6S Edge

HX240C M5 Edge Full Depth

HXAF240C M5 Edge Full Depth

HX240C M5 Edge Short Depth

HXAF240C M5 Edge Short Depth

HX220C M5 Edge

HXAF220C M5 Edge

HX220C M4 Edge

HXAF220C M4 Edge

HXAF225-M6SX Edge

HX225-M6SX Edge

HXAF245-M6SX Edge

HX245-M6SX Edge

HX220C-M6

HX240C-M6

HX220C-M6S

HXAF220C-M6S

HXAF220C-M6SN

HX240C-M6SX

HXAF240C-M6SN

HXAF240C-M6SX

HX220C-M5

HXAF220C-M5

HX240C-M5

HXAF240C-M5

HXAF240C-M5SX

HXAF225C-M6S

HXAF245C-M6SX

HX225C-M6S

HX245C-M6SX

HX220C-M6S

HXAF220C-M6S

HXAF220C-M6SN

HX240C-M6SX

HXAF240C-M6SX

HXAF240C-M6SN

HXAF220C-M5SN

HX220C-M5

HXAF220C-M5

HX240C-M5

HXAF240C-M5

HXAF225C-M6S

HXAF245C-M6SX

HX225C-M6S

HX245C-M6SX

HX240C-M6L

HX240C-M5L

Compute-Only UCS B-Series/C-Series Servers

B200 M6[1], B200 M5/M4, B260 M4, B420 M4, B460 M4, B480 M5, C220 M6/M5/M4, C240 M6/M5/M4, C460 M4, C480 M5, C225 M6, C245 M6

B200 M6[2], B200 M5/M4, B260 M4, B420 M4, B460 M4, B480 M5, C220 M6/M5/M4, C240 M6/M5/M4, C460 M4, C480 M5

-

C220 M6, C220 M5

C225 M6, C245 M6

C240 M6, C240 M5

B200 M6[3], B200 M5/M4, B260 M4, B420 M4, B460 M4, B480 M5, C220 M6/M5/M4, C240 M6/M5/M4, C460 M4, C480 M5, C225 M6, C245 M6

B200 M6[4], B200 M5/M4, B260 M4, B420 M4, B460 M4, B480 M5, C220 M6/M5/M4, C240 M6/M5/M4, C460 M4, C480 M5

Supported Nodes

Converged and Compute-only nodes

Converged and Compute-only nodes

Converged nodes only

Converged and Compute-only nodes

Converged and Compute-only nodes

Supported Nodes

HXDP-DC-AD Licensed Node Limits

1:1 ratio of HXDP-DC-AD to Compute only nodes

(Min—Max)

Converged nodes:3-32 Compute only nodes: 0-32

Compute-only nodes: 0-32

All NVMe PIDs require HXDP-DC-PR License

Converged nodes:3-16

Compute-only nodes: 0-16

M4 Converged nodes: 3

M5 Converged nodes: 2,3,or 4

Converged nodes: 3-12

Compute-only nodes: 0-12

All NVMe PIDs require HXDP-DC-PR License

N/A

N/A

HXDP-DC-PR Licensed Node Limits

1:2 ratio of HXDP-DC-PR to Compute only nodes

(Min—Max)

Converged nodes:3-32 Compute only nodes: 0-64 (up to max cluster size)

Compute-only nodes: 0-64

(up to max cluster size)

All NVMe PIDs require HXDP-DC-PR License

Converged nodes:3-16

Compute-only nodes: 0-32

M4 Converged nodes: 3

M5 Converged nodes: 2,3,or 4

Converged nodes: 3-12

Compute-only nodes: 0-24

Required for HXAF220c M6SN, HXAF240c M6SN, HXAF220c M5SN

All NVMe PIDs require HXDP-DC-PR License

Converged nodes: 2-16 per Site

Compute-only nodes: 0-21 per Site

(up to max cluster size)

Compute only nodes: 0-64 (up to max cluster size)

Converged nodes: 2-8 per Site

Compute-only nodes: 0-16 per Site

(up to max cluster size)

Max Cluster Size

96[5]

48

4

36

32 per Site/ 64 per cluster

24 per Site/ 48 per cluster

Max Compute to Converged ratio

2:1

2:1

—

2:1

2:1

2:1

Expansion

✔

✔

✔[6]

✔

✔*

✔*

[1] B200 M6 support is limited to HXDP Release 5.0(2b) and later.

[2] B200 M6 support is limited to HXDP Release 5.0(2b) and later.

[3] B200 M6 support is limited to HXDP Release 5.0(2b) and later.

[4] B200 M6 support is limited to HXDP Release 5.0(2b) and later.

[5] Cluster sizes above 64 nodes require ESXi 7.0 U1 or later.

[6] Edge cluster expansion with 1G network topology is not supported

Cisco HX Data Platform Storage Cluster Specifications for Microsoft Hyper-V

Node

Microsoft Hyper-V

Deployment Type

FI-Connected

HX Servers

HX220c M5

HX220c AF M5

HX240c M5

HX240c AF M5

HX240c M5L

Compute-Only UCS B-Series/C-Series Servers

C240 M5, C220 M5, B200 M4, B200 M5

C220 M5,C240 M5, B200 M4, B200 M5

Supported Nodes

Converged and Compute-only nodes

Converged and Compute-only nodes

HXDP-DC-AD Licensed Node Limits

1:1 ratio of HXDP-DC-AD to Compute only nodes

(Min—Max)

Converged nodes: 3-16

Compute-only nodes: 0-16

Converged nodes: 3-16 (12TB HDD option is not supported for HyperV)

Compute-only nodes: 0-16

HXDP-DC-PR Licensed Node Limits

1:2 ratio of HXDP-DC-PR to Compute only nodes

(Min—Max)

Converged nodes: 3-16

Compute-only nodes: 0-16

Converged nodes: 3-12 (12TB HDD option is not supported for HyperV)

Compute-only nodes: 0-16

Max Cluster Size

32

32

Max Compute to Converged ratio

1:1

1:1

Expansion

✔

✔

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

If you are installing new cluster(s), or upgrading existing clusters and require guidance on UCS FI/Server firmware versions, see Choosing UCS Server Firmware Versions.

If you are installing or upgrading HyperFlex clusters with All NVMe nodes, please see the Note below.

FI/Server Firmware Versions for M4/M5/M6 Servers

Release

M4/M5 Qualified FI/Server Firmware

M6 Qualified FI/Server Firmware

5.0(2g)[1]

4.0(4k), 4.0(4m)

4.1(1e), 4.1(2a), 4.1(2c), 4.1(3j), 4.1(3k)

4.2(1n), 4.2(3d), 4.2(3g), 4.2(3h), 4.2(3i),[2] 4.2(3j)

4.2(1i), 4.2(1m), 4.2(1n), 4.2(3d), 4.2(3g), 4.2(3h), 4.2(3i),[3] 4.2(3j)

5.0(2e)

4.0(4k), 4.0(4m)

4.1(1e), 4.1(2a), 4.1(2c), 4.1(3j), 4.1(3k)

4.2(1n), 4.2(3d),4.2(3e), 4.2(3g), 4.2(3h)

4.2(1i), 4.2(1m), 4.2(1n), 4.2(3d), 4.2(3e), 4.2(3g), 4.2(3h)

5.0(2d)

4.0(4k), 4.0(4m)

4.1(1e), 4.1(2a), 4.1(2c), 4.1(3j), 4.1(3k)

4.2(1n), 4.2(3d),4.2(3e), 4.2(3g)

4.2(1i), 4.2(1m), 4.2(1n), 4.2(3d), 4.2(3e), 4.2(3g)

5.0(2c)[4]

4.0(4k), 4.0(4m)

4.1(1e), 4.1(2a), 4.1(2c), 4.1(3j), 4.1(3k)

4.2(1n), 4.2(3d).

4.2(1i), 4.2(1m), 4.2(1n), 4.2(3d)

5.0(2b)

4.0(4k), 4.0(4m)

4.1(1e), 4.1(2a), 4.1(2c), 4.1(3j)

4.2(1n)

4.2(1i), 4.2(1m), 4.2(1n))[5]

5.0(2a)

4.0(4k), 4.0(4m)

4.1(1e), 4.1(2a), 4.1(2c), 4.1(3j)

4.2(1n)

4.2(1i), 4.2(1m), 4.2(1n)

5.0(1x)

4.0(4k), 4.0(4m)

4.1(1e), 4.1(2a), 4.1(2c)

4.2(1n)

4.2(1i), 4.2(1m), 4.2(1n)

[1] HX240 M6 SED clusters in HXDP Release 5.0(2g) are supported with Server Firmware version 4.2(3j) .

[2] Server firmware 4.2(3i) can be run with UCS Infrastructure (A bundle) 4.2(3i) or 4.3(2e). The cross compatibility with Infrastructure firmware 4.3(2e) is only supported with server firmware 4.2(3i).

[3] Server firmware 4.2(3i) can be run with UCS Infrastructure (A bundle) 4.2(3i) or 4.3(2e). The cross compatibility with Infrastructure firmware 4.3(2e) is only supported with server firmware 4.2(3i).

[4] HX240 M6 SED clusters are not supported.

[5] HX240 M6 SED clusters are not supported.

Important FI/Server Firmware Notes:

Restriction

HXAF240-M5 Clusters using Samsung SSDs with 3.8Tb and 7.6Tb capacities: Do not install or upgrade to UCS 4.2(3) or later. UCS 4.2(1n) A/B/C is the highest compatible version with these drives. Upgrading these servers with Samsung drives (PID HX-SD76T61X-EV or HX-SD38T61X-EV (UCS-SD76T61X-EV or UCS-SD38T61X-EV) to UCS 4.2(3) or later may cause drive failure after server reboot or during firmware upgrade. For more information, see CSCwf93621.

- Legacy BIOS Mode: For all NVMe HyperFlex clusters using legacy BIOS mode, do not upgrade the server firmware to 4.1(3h), 4.1(3i), 4.1(3j), 4.2(1m) or 4.2(1n). For more information, see CSCwd04797.

To review the BIOS version, see Verifying Firmware Versions.

- Fabric Interconnect 6400: If your environment (or deployment) is a Fabric Interconnect 6400 connected to VIC 1455/1457 using SFP-H25G-CU3M or SFP-H25G-CU5M cables, only use UCS Release 4.0(4k), or 4.1(2a) and later. Do not use any other UCS version listed in the table of qualified releases. Using a UCS Release that is not UCS Release 4.0(4k), or 4.1(2a) and later may cause cluster outages.

Refer to Release Notes for UCS Manager, Firmware/Drivers, and Blade BIOS for any UCS issues that may affect your environment.

Use the following upgrade sequence ONLY for Fabric Interconnect 6400 connected to VIC 1455/1457 using SFP-H25G-CU3M or SFP-H25G-CU5M cables:

- Upgrade the UCS server firmware from HX Connect.

- Upgrade the UCS Infrastructure.

- Upgrade HXDP.

- Upgrade ESXi.

If you have the described hardware and software combination, the combined upgrade of UCS server firmware is not supported. However, combined upgrade of HXDP and ESXi is supported after UCS server firmware and UCS infrastructure firmware upgrade is completed.

If the current UCS F/W version is later than 4.0(4k) or 4.1(2a), then combined upgrade of UCS server firmware, HX and ESXi is supported.

- Intersight Edge Servers: Intersight edge servers running a CIMC version before 4.0(1a), HUU is the suggested mechanism to update the firmware.

SED Notes:

- For clusters with self-encrypting drives (SED):

- M6 nodes with HXDP version 5.0(1x) use server firmware version 4.2(1i) only.

- M6 nodes with HXDP version 5.0(2a) use server firmware version 4.2(1m) or later.

- M5/M6 nodes with HXDP version 5.0(2b) use server firmware version 4.2(3d) or later.

- The following UCS Server Firmware versions are not supported on clusters with self-encrypting drives (SED):

- M4/M5: 4.1(2a), 4.1(2c), 4.1(3e), 4.1(3f), 4.1(3h), 4.1(3i), 4.2(1f), 4.1(3j), 4.2(1i), 4.2(1m), 4.2(1n). For more information, see CSCvv69704.

- HX240 M6: 4.2(3b). For more information, see CSCwe56797and CSCwe33804

M6 Specific Notes:

- If you are using PCIE-Offload cards with M6 servers, do not use server firmware 4.2(1n) or later.

- HX225 and HX245 M6 AMD nodes require minimum server firmware version 4.2(1n) or later.

General Notes:

The HX components—Cisco HX Data Platform Installer, Cisco HX Data Platform, and Cisco UCS firmware—are installed on different servers. Verify that each component on each server used with and within an HX Storage Cluster are compatible.

- Verify that the preconfigured HX servers have the same version of Cisco UCS server firmware installed. If the Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects (FI) firmware versions are different, see the Cisco HyperFlex Systems Upgrade Guide for steps to align the firmware versions.

- M5: For NEW hybrid or All Flash (Cisco HyperFlex HX220C-M5SX, HX240C-M5SX, HXAF220C-M5SX, HXAF240C-M5SX) deployments, verify that the qualified UCS firmware version is installed.

- To reinstall an HX server, download supported and compatible versions of the software. See the Cisco HyperFlex Systems Installation Guide for VMware ESXi, Release 5.0 for the requirements and steps.

HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 5.0(x) Deployments

Cisco HX Data Platform, Release 5.0(x) based Deployments

Confirm the component firmware on the server meets the minimum versions listed in the following tables.

Important

HyperFlex Edge does not support Cisco IMC versions 4.0(4a), 4.0(4b), 4.0(4c), 4.0(4d), and 4.0(4e).

HX220c M4 / HXAF220c M4 Cluster

Component

Qualified Firmware Version - HXDP 5.0(x)

*Review all notes at the beginning of this section.

Host Upgrade Utility (HUU) Version

4.0(2h)[1], 4.1(2g), 4.1(2h)

Download Software

Then click on the UCS Server Firmware link to download the desired HUU version.

Note

M4 is not supported with DC-No-FI.

[1] DC-No-FI is not supported on 4.0(x).

HX220C-M5SX / HXAF220C-M5SX, HX240C-M5SX / HXAF240C-M5SX (Full Depth) Cluster / HX220C M5 / HXAF220C M5 / HXAF220C-M5SN and HXAF240C-M5SN

Component

Qualified Firmware Version - HXDP 5.0(x)

*Review all notes at the beginning of this section.

Host Upgrade Utility (HUU) Version

4.1(3f), 4.1(3h), 4.1(3i), 4.2(2g), 4.2(3d), 4.2(3e), 4.2(3g), 4.2(3h) and 4.2(3j)

Download Software for 220

Download Software for 240

Then click on the UCS Server Firmware link to download the desired HUU version.

Note

All NVMe nodes are not supported for HX edge deployments.

HX220C-M6S / HX240C-M6SX / HXAF240C-M6SX / HX220C-M6S / HXAF220C-M6S / HXAF220C-M6S / HXAF220C-M6SN / HXAF240C-M6SN / HXAF245C-M6SX / HX245C-M6SX / HXAF225C-M6SX / HX225C-M6SX / HXAF245C-M6SN / HXAF225C-M6SN

Component

Qualified Firmware Version - HXDP 5.0(x)

*Review all notes at the beginning of this section.

Host Upgrade Utility (HUU) Download Link

4.1(3f), 4.1(3h), 4.1(3i), 4.2(1i), 4.2(2g), 4.2(3d), 4.2(3e), 4.2(3g), 4.2(3h), and 4.2(3j).

Download Software for 220

Download Software for 240

Then click on the UCS Server Firmware link to download the desired HUU version.

Note

All NVMe nodes are not supported for HX edge deployments.

Note

HX Edge HX225 and HX245 M6 AMD nodes require minimum server firmware version 4.2(1i) or later.

HX Data Platform Software Versions for HyperFlex Witness Node for Stretched Cluster - 5.0(x) Releases

HX Data Platform Software Versions for HyperFlex Witness Node for Stretched Cluster

HyperFlex Release

Witness Node Version

5.0(x)

1.1.3

Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 5.0(x) Releases

The software requirements include verification that you are using compatible versions of Cisco HyperFlex Systems (HX) components and VMware vSphere, VMware vCenter, and VMware ESXi.

- Verify that all HX servers have a compatible version of vSphere preinstalled.

- Verify that the vCenter version is the same or later than the ESXi version.

- Verify that the vCenter and ESXi versions are compatible by consulting the VMware Product Interoperability Matrix. Newer vCenter versions may be used with older ESXi versions, so long as both ESXi and vCenter are supported in the table below.

- Verify that you have a vCenter administrator account with root-level privileges and the associated password.

- M6 nodes with HX-PCIE-OFFLOAD-1 installation or expansion require ESXi 7.0 Update 3d or earlier.

The following tables apply to VMware vSphere Editions: Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Standard, Essentials Plus, ROBO. All other licensed editions of VMware, including the Essentials Edition are not supported.

Software Requirements for VMware ESXi

Version

VMware ESXi Versions for M4 & M5 Servers

VMware ESXi Versions for M6 Servers

5.0(2g)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(2e)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(2d)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(2c)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(2b)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(2a)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(1x)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2

Software Requirements for VMware vCenter

Version

VMware vCenter Versions for M4 & M5 Servers

VMware vCenter Versions for M6 Servers

5.0(2g)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(2e)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(2d)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(2c)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(2b)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(2a)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

5.0(1x)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

Note

For vSphere 6.x users. VMware has announced vSphere 6.5 and 6.7 End of general support as of October 15, 2022. Cisco strongly recommends upgrading as soon as possible to a supported VMware vSphere 7.x release and follow Cisco’s recommendations as outlined in General Recommendation for New and Existing Deployments.

Software Requirements for Microsoft Hyper-V - 5.0(x) Releases

The software requirements include verification that you are using compatible versions of Cisco HyperFlex Systems (HX) components and Microsoft Hyper-V (Hyper-V) components.

HyperFlex Software versions

The HX components—Cisco HX Data Platform Installer, Cisco HX Data Platform, and Cisco UCS firmware—are installed on different servers. Verify that each component on each server used with and within the HX Storage Cluster are compatible. For detailed information on installation requirements and steps, see the Cisco HyperFlex Systems Installation Guide on Microsoft Hyper-V.

Qualified Server Firmware for M5 Servers on Hyper-V

HyperFlex Release

M5 Qualified Server Firmware

5.0(x)

4.1(3f)

Supported Microsoft Software versions

Microsoft Component

Version

Windows Operating System (Windows OS)

Windows Server 2016 Datacenter Core & Desktop Experience.

Note

For Windows Server 2016 Datacenter Core and Desktop Experience, the Windows 2016 ISO image should be Update Build Revision (UBR) 1884 at a minimum.

Windows Server 2019 Datacenter-Desktop Experience is supported starting from HXDP 4.0.1(a) onwards.

Note

For Windows Server 2019 Desktop Experience, the Windows 2019 ISO image should be Update Build Revision (UBR) 107 at a minimum.

Windows Server 2019 Datacenter–Core is not supported currently.

Also note that the following are currently not supported:

OEM activated ISOs and Retail ISOs are not supported.

Earlier versions of Windows Server such as Windows 2012r2 are not supported.

Non-English versions of the ISO are not supported.

Active Directory

A Windows 2012 or later domain and forest functionality level.

Supported Microsoft License Editions

The Microsoft Windows Server version that is installed on one or more HyperFlex hosts must be licensed as per Microsoft licensing requirements listed on Microsoft Licensing.

Browser Recommendations - 5.0(x) Releases

Use one of the following browsers to run the listed HyperFlex components. These browsers have been tested and approved. Other browsers might work, but full functionality has not been tested and confirmed.

Supported Browsers

Browser

Cisco Intersight

Cisco UCS Manager

HX Data Platform Installer

HX Connect

Microsoft Internet Explorer

NA

11 or later

11 or later

11 or later

Google Chrome

62 or later

57 or later

70 or later

70 or later

Mozilla Firefox

57 or later

45 or later

60 or later

60 or later

Apple Safari

10 or later

9 or later

NA

NA

Opera

NA

35 or later

NA

NA

Notes

- Cisco HyperFlex Connect:

The minimum recommended resolution is 1024 X 768.

- Cisco HX Data Platform Plug-In:

The Cisco HX Data Platform Plug-In runs in vSphere. For VMware Host Client System browser requirements, see the VMware documentation.

The Cisco HX Data Platform Plug-In is not displayed in the vCenter HTML client. You must use the vCenter flash client.

- Cisco UCS Manager:

The browser must support the following:

- Java Runtime Environment 1.6 or later.

- Adobe Flash Player 10 or later is required for some features.

For the latest browser information, see the Cisco UCS Manager Getting Started Guide for your deployment Cisco UCS Manager Getting Started Guide.

Chapter 7. Cisco HX Obsolete Releases - Software Requirements

- Recommended FI/Server Firmware - Obsolete Releases

- HX Data Platform Software Versions for HyperFlex Witness Node for Stretch Cluster - Obsolete Releases

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - Obsolete Releases

Recommended FI/Server Firmware - Obsolete Releases

The HX components—Cisco HX Data Platform Installer, Cisco HX Data Platform, and Cisco UCS firmware—are installed on different servers. Verify that each component on each server used with and within an HX Storage Cluster are compatible.

- HyperFlex does not support UCS Manager and UCS Server Firmware versions 4.0(4a), 4.0(4b), and 4.0(4c).

Important

Do not upgrade to these versions of firmware.

Do not upgrade to these versions of UCS Manager.

- Verify that the preconfigured HX servers have the same version of Cisco UCS server firmware installed. If the Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects (FI) firmware versions are different, see the Cisco HyperFlex Systems Upgrade Guide for steps to align the firmware versions.

- M4: For NEW hybrid or All Flash (Cisco HyperFlex HX240c M4 or HX220c M4) deployments, verify that Cisco UCS Manager 3.1(3k), 3.2(3i), or 4.0(2b) or higher is installed. For more information, see Recommended Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Software Releases.

- M5: For NEW hybrid or All Flash (Cisco HyperFlex HX240c M5 or HX220c M5) deployments, verify that the recommended UCS firmware version is installed.

Note

For SED-based HyperFlex systems, ensure that the A (Infrastructure), B (Blade server) and C (Rack server) bundles are at Cisco UCS Manager version 4.0(2b) or later for all SED M4/M5 systems. For more details, see CSCvh04307.

For SED-based HyperFlex systems, also ensure that all clusters are at HyperFlex Release 3.5(2b) or later. For more information, see Field Notice (70234) and CSCvk17250.

- To reinstall an HX server, download supported and compatible versions of the software. See the Cisco HyperFlex Systems Installation Guide for VMware ESXi for the requirements and steps.

- UCS Server Firmware 4.1(2a) and 4.1(2c) are not supported on clusters with self-encrypting drives (SED). See CSCvv69704.

Important

For Intersight edge servers running older than 4.0(1a) CIMC version, HUU is the suggested mechanism to update the firmware.

Please review the Release Notes related to the recommended FI/Server Firmware.

HyperFlex Software Versions for M4/M5 Servers

Release

M4 Recommended FI/Server Firmware

*(be sure to review important notes above)

M5 Recommended FI/Server Firmware

*(be sure to review important notes above)

M4/M5 Qualified FI/Server Firmware

*(be sure to review important notes above)

5.0(1x)

See qualified list

See qualified list

4.0(4k), 4.0(4m)

4.1(1e), 4.1(2a), 4.1(2c), 4.1(3b), 4.1(3e), 4.1(3f), 4.1(3h), 4.1(3i), 4.1(3j)

4.2(1f), 4.2(1i), 4.2(1m), 4.2(1n)

4.0(2f)

See qualified list

See qualified list

4.0(4i), 4.0(4k), 4.0(4l), 4.0(4m), 4.1(1d), 4.1(1e), 4.1(2a)*, 4.1(2c)*, 4.1(3d), 4.1(3e), 4.1(3f), 4.1(3h)

4.0(2e)

See qualified list

See qualified list

4.0(4i), 4.0(4k), 4.0(4l), 4.0(4m), 4.1(1d), 4.1(1e), 4.1(2a)*, 4.1(2c)*, 4.1(3d), 4.1(3e), 4.1(3h)

4.0(2d)

See qualified list

See qualified list

4.0(4i), 4.0(4k), 4.0(4l), 4.0(4m), 4.1(1d), 4.1(1e), 4.1(2a)*, 4.1(2c)*, 4.1(3d), 4.1(3e), 4.1(3h)

4.0(2c)

See qualified list

See qualified list

4.0(4i), 4.0(4k), 4.0(4l), 4.0(4m), 4.1(1d), 4.1(1e), 4.1(2a)*, 4.1(2c)*, 4.1(3h)

4.0(2b)

See qualified list

See qualified list

4.0(4i), 4.0(4k), 4.0(4l), 4.0(4m), 4.1(1d), 4.1(1e), 4.1(2a)*, 4.1(2c)*, 4.1(3h)

4.0(2a)

See qualified list

See qualified list

4.0(4i), 4.0(4k), 4.0(4l), 4.0(4m), 4.1(1d), 4.1(1e), 4.1(2c)*, 4.1(3h)

4.0(1b) - Unsupported

See qualified list

See qualified list

4.0(4i)

4.0(1a) - Unsupported

-

-

-

3.5(2i)

4.0(4k)

4.0(4k)

4.0(4k), 4.0(4l), 4.1(1d), 4.1(1e), 4.1(2a)*, 4.1(2b)*, 4.1(2c), 4.1(3b), 4.1(3c)

3.5(2h)

4.0(4k)

4.0(4k)

4.0(4k), 4.0(4l), 4.1(1d), 4.1(1e), 4.1(2a)*, 4.1(2b)*, 4.1(2c), 4.1(3b)

3.5(2g)

4.0(4k)

4.0(4k)

4.0(4h), 4.1(1d), 4.1(1e), 4.1(3b)

3.5(2f)

4.0(4e)

4.0(4e)

4.0(4d)[1], 4.0(4e)[2], 4.1(3b)

3.5(2e)

4.0(4e)

4.0(4e)

4.0(4g), 4.1(3b)

3.5(2d)

4.0(4e)

4.0(4e)

4.1(3b)

3.5(2c)

Release Deferred

3.5(2b)

4.0(2d), 3.2(3i), 3.1(3k)

4.0(2d)

4.1(3b)

3.5(2a)

4.0(1c), 3.2(3i), 3.1(3k)

4.0(1c)

4.1(3b)

3.5(1a) - Unsupported

4.0(1b), 3.2(3h), 3.1(3j)

4.0(1a)

2.6(1c)

3.2(3d), 3.1(3f)

3.2(3d)

2.6(1d)

3.2(3d), 3.1(3c)

3.2(3d)

2.6(1b)

3.2(2d), 3.1(3c)

3.2(2d)

2.6(1a)

3.2(2d), 3.1(3c)

3.2(2d)

[1] 4.0(4d) qualified only for M5.

[2] 4.0(4e) qualified only for M5.

HX Data Platform Software Versions for HyperFlex Witness Node for Stretch Cluster - Obsolete Releases

HX Data Platform Software Versions for HyperFlex Witness Node for Stretch Cluster

HyperFlex Release

Witness Node Version

5.0(1x)

1.1.3

4.0(2f)

1.1.1

4.0(2e)

1.1.1

4.0(2d)

1.0.10

4.0(2c)

1.0.9

4.0(2b)

1.0.8

4.0(2a)

1.0.8

4.0(1b) - Unsupported

1.0.4

4.0(1a) -Unsupported

1.0.4

3.5(2i)

1.0.9

3.5(2h)

1.0.8

3.5(2g)

1.0.6

3.5(2f)

1.0.6

3.5(2e)

1.0.4

3.5(2d)

1.0.3

3.5(2c)

Release Deferred

3.5(2b)

1.0.3

3.5(2a)

1.0.3

3.5(1a) - Unsupported

1.0.2

3.0(1x)

1.0.1

Note

Older versions of witness VMs are supported when the cluster is upgraded to the latest HXDP version.

Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - Obsolete Releases

The software requirements include verification that you are using compatible versions of Cisco HyperFlex Systems (HX) components and VMware vSphere, VMware vCenter, and VMware ESXi.

- Verify that all HX servers have a compatible version of vSphere preinstalled.

- Verify that the vCenter version is the same or later than the ESXi version.

- Verify that the vCenter and ESXi versions are compatible by consulting the VMware Product Interoperability Matrix. Newer vCenter versions may be used with older ESXi versions, so long as both ESXi and vCenter are supported in the table below.

- Verify that you have a vCenter administrator account with root-level privileges and the associated password.

Note

For VIC1457, there is no support for ESXi 6.0.

The following table applies for all of the following VMware vSphere Editions: Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Standard, Essentials Plus, ROBO.

Software Requirements for VMware ESXi

Version

VMware ESXi Versions

VMware vCenter Versions

5.0(1x)

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U3

4.0(2f)

6.5 U3, and 6.7 U3

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3 and 7.0 U2

See limitations: [1]

4.0(2e)

6.5 U3, and 6.7 U3

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3,

7.0 U1c (build 17327517) through 7.0 U1d (build 17491101), and 7.0 U2 - See 4.0(2f) limitation footnote

4.0(2d)

6.5 U3, and

6.7 U3 up to build 17098360

See limitations:[2]

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3 and

7.0 U1c (build 17327517) through 7.0 U1d (build 17491101), and 7.0 U2 - See 4.0(2f) limitation footnote

4.0(2c)

6.5 U3, and

6.7 U3 up to build 17098360

See 4.0(2f) limitation footnote

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3 and

7.0 U1c (build 17327517) through 7.0 U1d (build 17491101), and 7.0 U2 - See 4.0(2f) limitations

4.0(2b)

6.5 U3, and 6.7 U3 up to build 17098360

See 4.0(2f) limitation footnote

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3

4.0(2a)

6.5 U3, and 6.7 U3 up to build 17098360

See 4.0(2f) limitation footnote

6.5 U3, 6.7 U3

4.0(1b) - Unsupported

6.5 U3, 6.7 U2[3]

6.5 U3, 6.7 U2

4.0(1a) - Unsupported

6.5 U2, 6.7 U2

6.5 U2, 6.7 U2

3.5(2i)

6.0 U3, 6.5 U3, and

6.7 U3 up to build 17098360 - See limitations:[4]

6.0 U3, 6.5 U3, 6.7 U3

3.5(2h)

6.0 U3, 6.5 U3, and

6.7 U3 up to build 17098360 - See limitations:4

6.0 U3, 6.5 U3, 6.7 U3

3.5(2g)

6.0 U3, 6.5 U3, and

6.7 U3 up to build 17098360 - See limitations:4

6.0 U3, 6.5 U3, 6.7 U3

3.5(2f)

6.0 U3, 6.5 U2, 6.7 U2[5]

6.0 U3, 6.5 U2, 6.7 U2

3.5(2e)

6.0 U3, 6.5 U2, 6.7 U2[6]

6.0 U3, 6.5 U2, 6.7 U2

3.5(2d)

6.0 U3, 6.5 U2, 6.7 U2[7]

6.0 U3, 6.5 U2, 6.7 U2

3.5(2c)

Release Deferred

3.5(2b)

6.0 U3, 6.5 U2, 6.7 U1 [8], 6.7 U2[9] [10]

6.0 U3, 6. 5U2, 6.7 U1, 6.7 U2

3.5(2a)

6.0 U3, 6.5 U2, 6.7 U1[11]

6.0 U3, 6.5 U2, 6.7 U1

3.5(1a) - Unsupported

6.0 U3, 6.5 U1, 6.5 U2

6.0 U3, 6.5 U1, 6.5 U2, 6.7 U1[12]

2.6(1e)

6.0 U1b, 6.0 U2, 6.0 U2 Patch 3, 6.0 U3, 6.5 U1

6.0 U1/U2/U3, 6.5 U1

2.6(1d)

6.0 U1b, 6.0 U2, 6.0 U2 Patch 3, 6.0 U3, 6.5 U1

6.0 U1/U2/U3, 6.5 U1

2.6(1b)

6.0 U1b, 6.0 U2, 6.0 U2 Patch 3,6.0 U3, 6.5 U1

6.0 U1/U2/U3, 6.5 U1

2.6(1a)

6.0 U1b, 6.0 U2, 6.0 U2 Patch 3, 6.0 U3, 6.5 U1

6.0 U1/U2/U3, 6.5 U1

[1] For HX releases 4.0(2f), 4.0(2e), 4.0(2d), and 4.0(2c) care should be taken to use the minimum vCenter 7.0 version listed in the table. Prior to 7.0 U1 vCenter versions are susceptible to a software interoperability issue (see Field Notice: FN - 70620). When using vCenter 7.0 U1 or 7.0 U2 with a 4.0(2a) through 4.0(2d) HXDP cluster, the following limitations apply. These limitations do not apply with 4.0(2e) and later.

- Fresh Installation cannot be performed with vCenter 7.0 U1 or 7.0 U2. Clusters may be deployed without vCenter initially and then subsequently registered to vCenter Server. Clusters must be registered to a vCenter server before entering production.

- Cluster expansion (converged & compute only) cannot be performed with vCenter 7.0 U1 or 7.0 U2. Reregister the cluster to a vCenter Server 6.x before cluster expansion is attempted.

- vCenter Server 7.0 U1 and above utilizes vCLS cluster VMs. These VMs must reside on a shared HX datastore to ensure smooth upgrade operations. If the vCLS VMs reside on local storage, storage vMotion them to a shared HX datastore before attempting upgrade. See VMware documentation for full details .

[2] ESXi 6.7 U3 P04 (Build 17167734) or later is not supported with HXDP 4.0(2a) through 4.0(2d). See SSH Incompatibility with ESXi 6.7P04 Tech Note for further details.

[3] Use of 6.7 U2 for unsupported releases 4.0(1b) and 4.0(1a) is not recommended, see Software Advisory for Cisco HyperFlex Stretched Cluster Operations, Release 4.0(1a) for further details.

[4] ESXi 6.7 U3 P04 (Build 17167734) or later is not currently supported with HXDP 3.5(2). For further details, see SSH Incompatibility with ESXi 6.7P04 Tech Note.

[5] Use of 6.7 U2 is not recommended, see Software Advisory for HX Release 3.5(2f) for further details.

[6] Use of 6.7 U2 is not recommended, see Software Advisory for HX Release 3.5(2e) for further details.

[7] Use of 6.7 U2 is not recommended, see Software Advisory for HX Release 3.5(2d) for further details.

[8] Use of 6.7 U1 is not recommended, see software advisory for CSCvo56350 for further details.

[9] For the 3.5(2b) release, cluster installation must first be performed with 6.0 U3 or 6.5U2. After cluster deployment, you may upgrade to 6.7 U2 using the Zip bundle available for download on Cisco.com. See the Upgrade Guide for detailed ESXi upgrade procedures. Existing clusters upgraded to 3.5(2b) may upgrade ESXi to 6.7 U2 at any time.

[10] Use of 6.7 U2 is not recommended, see Software Advisory for HX Release 3.5(2b) for further details.

[11] Use of 6.7 U1 is not recommended, see software advisory for CSCvo56350 for further details.

[12] For the 3.5(1a) release, use of vCenter 6.7U1 is supported only with the ESXi 6.0 and 6.5 versions listed.

Note

For vSphere 6.0 users. VMware’s last day of general support for vSphere 6.0 occurred on March 12, 2020. HXDP will continue to support vSphere 6.0 U3 on both 3.5(2) and 4.0(2) long lived releases. However, no bug or security fixes will be provided by VMware or Cisco for ESXi going forward due to reaching the last day of support. Cisco TAC will continue to support customers to the best of their ability on ESXi 6.0 builds that have already been released. Cisco strongly recommends upgrading as soon as possible to a supported VMware vSphere 6.5 or 6.7 release and follow Cisco’s recommendations as outlined in Recommended Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Software Releases - for Cisco HyperFlex HX-Series Systems.

Chapter 8. Related Documentation and Software

- Documentation and Software

- Obtaining Documentation and Submitting a Service Request

Documentation and Software

For additional information, see the Cisco HyperFlex product documentation page.

For software, see the Download Software page.

Obtaining Documentation and Submitting a Service Request

For information on obtaining documentation, using the Cisco Bug Search Tool (BST), submitting a service request, and gathering additional information, see What's New in Cisco Product Documentation at: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/general/whatsnew/whatsnew.html

Subscribe to What’s New in Cisco Product Documentation, which lists all new and revised Cisco technical documentation as an RSS feed and delivers content directly to your desktop using a reader application. The RSS feeds are a free service.

Chapter 9. Revision History

- Revision History

Revision History

The following table provides an overview of the significant changes to this guide with the exception of the current release. The table does not provide an exhaustive list of all changes made to this guide or of all new features in this release. For details on the current release, see What's New in this Guide.

New and Changed Features in Cisco HyperFlex Software Requirements and Recommendations

Release

Description

Release or date added

Where Documented

5.0(2g)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 5.0(2g).

April 16, 2024

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

5.0(2g)

Added UCS 4.2(3j) to the list of qualified FI/Server Firmware for HX 5.0(x)

March 20, 2024

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

5.0(2g)

Updated Software Requirements for 5.0(2g).

March 5, 2024

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

EOL 4.5(2x)

Updates made to move the HXDP 4.5 requirements to the end-of-life section of this document.

December 31, 2023

Cisco HX Obsolete Releases - Software Requirements

5.0(2e)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 5.0(2e).

September 27, 2023

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

5.5(1a)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 5.5(1a).

August 22, 2023

FI/Server Firmware - 5.5(x) Releases

5.0(2d)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 5.0(2d).

Added UCS 4.2(3g) to the list of qualified FI/Server Firmware for HX 5.0(x)

July 28, 2023

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

5.0(2c)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 5.0(2c).

April 4, 2023

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

5.0(x)

Added UCS 4.2(3b) to list of qualified FI/Server Firmware for HX 5.0(x)

March 10, 2023

FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

EOL 4.0(x)

Updates made to move the HXDP 4.0 requirements to the end-of-life section of this document.

February 28, 2023

Cisco HX Obsolete Releases - Software Requirements

5.0(2b), 4.0(2x)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 5.0(2b).

Updated dates for Release Support Timeline for 4.0(2x).

January 31, 2023

- FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 5.0(x) Deployments

- Release Support Timeline for Release 4.0(2x)

5.0(x), 4.5(x)

Added note to FI/Server Firmware tables for HX 5.0(x) and HX 4.5(x).

November 23, 2022

- FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

5.0(2x), 5.0(1x)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 5.0(2a).

Updated dates for Release Support Timeline for 5.0(2x) and 5.0(1x).

October 4, 2022

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - Hyper-V

- Release Support Timeline for HXDP Release: 5.0(x)

5.0(x)

Removed UCS 4.1(3j) from list of qualified FI/Server Firmware for HX 5.0(x)

September 28, 2022

- FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

4.5(2e)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 4.5(2e).

September 21, 2022

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - Hyper-V

5.0(x), 4.5(x)

Added UCS 4.1(3h) and 4.1(3i) to list of qualified FI/Server Firmware for HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for HX 5.0(x) and 4.5(2x).

September 12, 2022

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 5.0(x) Deployments

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 4.5(x) Deployments

5.0(x), 4.5(x)

Added UCS 4.1(3h) and 4.1(3i) to list of qualified FI/Server Firmware for HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for HX 5.0(x) and 4.5(2x).

September 12, 2022

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 5.0(x) Deployments

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 4.5(x) Deployments

4.5(2e)

Updated Software Requirements for HX 4.5(2e).

September 6, 2022

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi 4.5(x) releases

5.0(2a)

Updated Software Requirements for HX 5.0(2a). Updated Recommended Release for HX M6 clusters and clusters looking to enable software encryption to HX 5.0(1c).

August 23, 2022

- FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 5.0(x) Releases

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 5.0(x) Deployments

- Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details - 5.0(x) Releases

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

5.0(x), 4.5(x)

Added Compute-Only information for DC-No-FI Storage Cluster specifications.

August 2, 2022

- Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details - 5.0(x) Releases

- Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibiltiy Details - 4.5(x) Releases

5.0(1c)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 5.0(1c).

July 19, 2022

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - Hyper-V

4.5(2d)

Updated Software Requirements for HX 4.5(2d).

July 19. 2022

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 4.5(x) Releases

4.5(2c)

Updated Recommended Release for all new and existing clusters to HX 4.5(2c).

June 9, 2022

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - Hyper-V

5.0(1c)

Updated Software Requirements for HX 5.0(1c).

June 7, 2022

- FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 5.0(x) Releases

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 5.0(x) Deployments

4.0(2f)

Added UCS 4.1(3f) to list of qualified versions for HX 4.0(2f).

April 28, 2022

FI/Server Firmware -4.0(x) Releases

4.5(2c)

Updated Software Requirements for HX 4.5(2c).

April 19, 2022

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 4.5(x) Releases

5.0(x), 4.5(2x)

Updated title of chapter describing HyperFlex Software Recommendations and Guidelines. Added topic describing how to choose UCS Server Firmware Versions. Updated topics describing how to choose HXDP and Hypervisor Versions for ESXi, Hyper-V. Updated Available Releases. Added topic describing Release Support Time line for UCS Server Firmware.

April 19, 2022

- Choosing UCS Server Firmware Versions

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - Hyper-V

- Available Releases

- Release Support Timeline for HXDP

- Release Support Timeline for UCS Server Firmware

4.0(x)

Removed vSphere 6.0 as VMware has announced it as EOL as of 3/12/2022

March 14, 2022

Software Requirements for VMware ESXi 4.0(x) Releases

4.0(x)

Added UCS 4.1(3h) to list of qualified versions for HX 4.0(x).

March 2, 2022

FI/Server Firmware - 4.0(x) Releases

5.0(x), 4.5(2x)

Added UCS 4.1(3h) and 4.2(1l) to list of qualified versions for HX 5.0(x) and 4.5(2x).

February 24, 2022

- FI/Server Firmware - 5.0(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

5.0(1a)

Updated Qualified Software Version for HX Edge M4 cluster to 4.1(2f).

February 7, 2022

HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 5.0(x) Deployments

4.5(2b)

Updated VMware ESXi and Hyper-V release version to HX 4.5(2b).

January 31, 2022

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - Hyper-V

4.5(2a), 4.5(1a)

Added note describing HX Compatibility Catalog.

January 27, 2021

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

4.5(2b)

Updated Software Requirements for HX 4.5(2b).

Removed/updated HX 3.5(x) requirements and recommendations as the release is EOL.

December 9, 2021

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 4.5(x) Releases

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 4.5(x) Deployments

- Software Requirements for Microsoft HyperFlex Hyper-V - 4.5(x) Releases

- HX Data Platform Version for HyperFlex Witness Node for Stretched Cluster - 4.5(x) Releases

5.0(1a), 4.5(2a)

Updated qualified software version for HX Edge M5 cluster to 4.1(3d).

Added UCS 4.2(1i) to list of qualified versions for HX 4.5(2a).

November 17 2021

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 5.0(x) Deployments

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

5.0(1a)

Added content for HX 5.0(1a).

November 10, 2021

n/a

4.5(2a)

Added Important note regarding Field Notice affecting UCS 4.1(3b). Updated releases to UCS 4.1(3f).

November 5, 2021

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

4.5(2a)

Updated VMware ESXi and Hyper-V release version to 4.5(2a).

September 22, 2021

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 4.5(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for Microsoft Hyper-V - 4.5(x)

3.5(2x), 4.0(2x), 4.5(1x), 4.5(2x)

Updated Last Date of Support for HX 3.5(2x), 4.0(2x), 4.5(1x) and 4.5(2x).

August 31, 2021

- Release Support Timeline for Release 4.0(2x)

- Release Support Timeline for Release 4.5(2x)

4.5(2a), 4.0(2x)

Added UCS 4.1(3e) to list of qualified versions for HX 4.5(2a) and 4.0(2x).

August 30, 2021

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware -4.0(x) Releases

4.5(2a), 4.0(2x)

Added UCS 4.0(4m) and 4.1(3d) to list of qualified versions for HX 4.5(2a) and 4.0(2x).

August 9, 2021

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware -4.0(x) Releases

4.5(2a)

Updated VMware ESXi and Hyper-V release version to 4.5(2a) for specific cluster configurations.

August 4, 2021

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 4.5(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for Microsoft Hyper-V - 4.5(x)

4.5(2a)

Updated Software Requirements for HX 4.5(2a).

June 30, 2021

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 4.5(x) Releases

- HyperFlex Edge/DC-No-FI and Firmware Compatibility Matrix for 4.5(x) Deployments

- Software Requirements for Microsoft HyperFlex Hyper-V - 4.5(x) Releases

- HX Data Platform Version for HyperFlex Witness Node for Stretched Cluster - 4.5(x) Releases

4.0(2f)

Updated VMware ESXi and Hyper-V release version to 4.0(2f).

June 24, 2021

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

- Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - Hyper-V

4.5(1a)

Updated Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 4.5(1a) indicating support for vCenter Version 7.0 U2.

June 10, 2021

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 4.5(x) Releases

4.0(2f)

Added content for HX 4.0(2f).

June 3, 2021

n/a

HX 4.5(1a), 4.0(2x), 3.5(2i), 3.5(2h)

Added HXDP-P Licensed node scale increase to 64 for compute-only nodes.

Added UCS 4.0(4l) to list of qualified versions for HX 4.5(1a), 4.0(2x), 3.5(2i) and 3.5(2h).

May 7, 2021

- Cisco HX Data Platform Compatibility and Scalability Details - 4.5(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware -4.0(x) Releases

- Recommended FI/Server Firmware - Obsolete Releases

HX 4.5(1a), 4.0(2x), 3.5(2i)

Added UCS 4.1(3c) to list of qualified versions for HX 4.5(1a), 4.0(x), and 3.5(2i).

April 29, 2021

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware -4.0(x) Releases

- Recommended FI/Server Firmware - Obsolete Releases

HX 4.5(1a), 4.0(2x)

Updated Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 4.5(x) and 4.0(x) releases indicating support for VMware ESXi and vCenter Versions 7.0 U1c through 7.0 U1d builds.

March 30, 2021

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware -4.0(x) Releases

HX 4.0(2e)

Added content for HX 4.0(2e).

Updated HUU for UCS 4.1(2f) for all M5 Edge servers

March 17, 2021

n/a

HX 4.5(1a)

Added UCS 4.0(4k) to list of versions in FI/Server Firmware - 4.0(x) and 3.5(x) releases.

March 11, 2021

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.0(x) Releases

HX 4.5(1a)

Added UCS 4.1(2c) to list of qualified versions in FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x), 4.0(x) and 3.5(x) releases.

February 19, 2021

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware -4.0(x) Releases

HX 4.5(1a)

Added 4.1(1e), 4.1(3b) to list of qualified versions in FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) release.

Added UCS 4.1(3b) to list of qualified versions in FI/Server Firmware - 4.0(x) and 3.5(x) releases.

February 12, 2021

- FI/Server Firmware - 4.5(x) Releases

- FI/Server Firmware -4.0(x) Releases

- Recommended FI/Server Firmware - Obsolete Releases

HX 4.5(1a)

Added ESXi version 7.0 U1c (build 17325551) and higher to Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 4.5(x) releases.

January 26, 2021

- Software Requirements for VMware ESXi - 4.5(x) Releases

HX 4.5(1a)

Added content for HX 4.5(1a).

January 6, 2021

n/a

HX 4.0(1x)

Removed HX 4.0(1x) from Cisco HX Release 4.0(x) - Software Requirements as the release is EOL.

September 29, 2020

n/a

Cisco HyperFlex Recommended Software Release and Requirements Guide

The guide was introduced.

September 28, 2020

n/a

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