Overview of UCS Server Configuration Utility

This chapter includes the following sections:

About Cisco UCS Server Configuration Utility

The Cisco UCS Server Configuration Utility (hereafter referred to as the UCS-SCU) is an application that helps you manage various tasks on your server. The utility helps you easily set up and manage your servers from a single application.

UCS-SCU reduces the complexity and time associated with setting up and maintaining Cisco C-Series servers. Server deployment is made easier. It guides you through questions to help quickly configure the server through automatic recognition of server hardware, with minimal rebooting and an automated unattended operating system installation.

UCS-SCU is a bootable image based on a 32-bit Linux kernel and is designed to run on one server at a time.

Using the UCS-SCU, you can perform the following tasks:

  • Upgrade, troubleshoot, and configure the UCS C-Series server.
  • View server inventory.
  • Configure BIOS boot order.
  • Configure RAID volumes on attached hard drives.
  • Install an operating system.
  • Perform interactive offline diagnostics.
  • View server health and logs.

Supported Operating Systems

UCS-SCU supports unattended installation of the following operating systems:

  • Windows Server 2012
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit)
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 (64-bit)
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Update 7 (x86-64)
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Update 1 (x86-64)
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Update 2 (x86-64)
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (SP1 and SP2)

Supported Platforms

UCS-SCU is supported on the following Cisco platforms:

  • UCS-C22 M3
  • UCS-C24 M3
  • UCS-C220 M3
  • UCS-C240 M3
  • UCS-C260 M2
  • UCS-C420 M3
  • UCS-C460 M2

Supported Peripheral Devices

The following table shows the LOM and LSI controller devices supported by UCS-SCU

Server

LOM Device

LSI Controller

Supported RAID Levels

C22

Intel I350
  • 9265-8i
  • 9240-8i
  • 9220-4i
  • 9220-8i

0, 1, 5 (if TSOC is installed in the server), 10

C24

Intel I350
  • 9265-8i
  • 9240-8i
  • 9220-8i

0, 1, 5 (if TSOC is installed in the server), 10

C220, C240

Intel I350

LSI 9266-8i

0, 1, 5, 6,10, 50, 60

Cisco UCSC RAID SAS 2008M-8i

0, 1, 5, 10, 50

LSI Embedded MegaRAID

0, 1, 5 (available if a Thin small-outline C-lead (TSOC) is installed in the server), 10

C260

Broadcom BCM5709

Broadcom BCM57711

LSI 9261-8i

0, 1, 5, 6

C460

Broadcom BCM5709

Broadcom BCM57711
  • LSI 9260-8i
  • LSI 9240-8i

0, 1, 5, 6

C420 M3

Intel I350
  • LSI 9271-8i
  • LSI 9286-8E
  • 0, 1, 5, 6,10, 50, 60
  • 0, 1, 5, 10, 50

Note

The UCS-SCU RAID configuration utility detects the physical drivers only once when you enter this function area after the system is restarted. Do not remove or add hard disk drivers while navigating within this function area.

Note

Some LSI RAID controllers take time to complete the operation during RAID configuration. SCU does not have any control over this issue. As a workaround, you can either recreate the RAID or wait for the operation to complete.

Hardware Requirements

The following are the minimum hardware requirements for UCS-SCU:

  • CD-ROM drive—A USB CD/DVD-ROM drive is required to be able to boot and run the UCS-SCU. You can also use the virtual media option in the CIMC KVM to boot UCS-SCU.
  • Mouse—Some functions require a standard mouse (PS/2 or USB) for navigation.
  • USB disk on key device—Functions such as saving UCS-SCU logs require a USB disk on key.
  • RAM—A minimum of 1 GB RAM. If the available RAM is less than the minimum recommended value, UCS-SCU will not function properly.
  • Network adapter—Some optional functions, such as, downloading the OS drivers from the cisco website require network access. Any single onboard NIC adapter connection is supported.

    Note

    Currently UCS-SCU supports only Intel/Broadcom adapters.

  • RAID Cards—RAID configuration and OS installation are supported on select controllers. For details refer to the following document: