Configuring Server-Related Policies
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Contents

Configuring Server-Related Policies

This chapter includes the following sections:

Configuring BIOS Settings

Server BIOS Settings

Cisco UCS provides two methods for making global modifications to the BIOS settings on servers in an instance. You can create one or more BIOS policies that include a specific grouping of BIOS settings that match the needs of a server or set of servers, or you can use the default BIOS settings for a specific server platform.

Both the BIOS policy and the default BIOS settings for a server platform enable you to fine tune the BIOS settings for a server managed by Cisco UCS Manager.

Depending upon the needs of the data center, you can configure BIOS policies for some service profiles and use the BIOS defaults in other service profiles in the same Cisco UCS instance, or you can use only one of them. You can also use Cisco UCS Manager to view the actual BIOS settings on a server and determine whether they are meeting current needs.


Note

Cisco UCS Manager pushes BIOS configuration changes through a BIOS policy or default BIOS settings to the CIMC buffer. These changes remain in the buffer and do not take effect until the server is rebooted.

We recommend that you verify the support for BIOS settings in the server that you want to configure. Some settings, such as Mirroring Mode and Sparing Mode for RAS Memory, are not supported by all Cisco UCS servers

Main BIOS Settings

The following table lists the main server BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:

Name Description

Reboot on BIOS Settings Change

When the server is rebooted after you change one or more BIOS settings.

If you enable this setting, the server is rebooted according to the maintenance policy in the server's service profile. For example, if the maintenance policy requires user acknowledgment, the server is not rebooted and the BIOS changes are not applied until a user acknowledges the pending activity.

If you do not enable this setting, the BIOS changes are not applied until the next time the server is rebooted, whether as a result of another server configuration change or a manual reboot.

Quiet Boot

What the BIOS displays during Power On Self-Test (POST). This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The BIOS displays all messages and Option ROM information during boot.

  • enabled—The BIOS displays the logo screen, but does not display any messages or Option ROM information during boot.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Post Error Pause

What happens when the server encounters a critical error during POST. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The BIOS continues to attempt to boot the server.

  • enabled—The BIOS pauses the attempt to boot the server and opens the Error Manager when a critical error occurs during POST.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Resume Ac On Power Loss

How the server behaves when power is restored after an unexpected power loss. This can be one of the following:


  • stay-off—The server remains off until manually powered on.

  • last-state—The server is powered on and the system attempts to restore its last state.

  • reset—The server is powered on and automatically reset.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Front Panel Lockout

Whether the power and reset buttons on the front panel are ignored by the server. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The power and reset buttons on the front panel are active and can be used to affect the server.

  • enabled—The power and reset buttons are locked out. The server can only be reset or powered on or off from the CIMC GUI.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

ACPI10 Support

Whether the BIOS publishes the ACPI 1.0 version of FADT in the Root System Description table. This version may be required for compatibility with OS versions that only support ACPI 1.0. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—ACPI 1.0 version is not published.

  • enabled—ACPI 1.0 version is published.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Processor BIOS Settings

The following table lists the processor BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:

Name Description

Turbo Boost

Whether the processor uses Intel Turbo Boost Technology, which allows the processor to automatically increase its frequency if it is running below power, temperature, or voltage specifications. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor does not increase its frequency automatically.

  • enabled—The processor utilizes Turbo Boost Technology if required.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Enhanced Intel Speedstep

Whether the processor uses Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology, which allows the system to dynamically adjust processor voltage and core frequency. This technology can result in decreased average power consumption and decreased average heat production. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor never dynamically adjusts its voltage or frequency.

  • enabled—The processor utilizes Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology and enables all supported processor sleep states to further conserve power.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

We recommend that you contact your operating system vendor to make sure the operating system supports this feature.

Hyper Threading

Whether the processor uses Intel Hyper-Threading Technology, which allows multithreaded software applications to execute threads in parallel within each processor. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor does not permit hyperthreading.

  • enabled—The processor allows for the parallel execution of multiple threads.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

We recommend that you contact your operating system vendor to make sure the operating system supports this feature.

Core Multi Processing

Sets the state of logical processor cores in a package. If you disable this setting, Hyper Threading is also disabled. This can be one of the following:


  • all—Enables multi processing on all logical processor cores.

  • 1 through 8—Specifies the number of logical processor cores that can run on the server. To disable multi processing and have only one logical processor core running on the server, select 1.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

We recommend that you contact your operating system vendor to make sure the operating system supports this feature.

Execute Disabled Bit

Classifies memory areas on the server to specify where where application code can execute. As a result of this classification, the processor disables code execution if a malicious worm attempts to insert code in the buffer. This setting helps to prevent damage, worm propagation, and certain classes of malicious buffer overflow attacks. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor does not classify memory areas.

  • enabled—The processor classifies memory areas.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

We recommend that you contact your operating system vendor to make sure the operating system supports this feature.

Virtualization Technology (VT)

Whether the processor uses Intel Virtualization Technology, which allows a platform to run multiple operating systems and applications in independent partitions. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor does not permit virtualization.

  • enabled—The processor allows multiple operating systems in independent partitions.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Note   

If you change this option, you must power cycle the server before the setting takes effect.

Direct Cache Access

Allows processors to increase I/O performance by placing data from I/O devices directly into the processor cache. This setting helps to reduce cache misses. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—Data from I/O devices is not placed directly into the processor cache.

  • enabled—Data from I/O devices is placed directly into the processor cache.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Processor C3 Report

Whether the processor sends the C3 report to the operating system. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor does not send the C3 report.

  • acpi-c2—The processor sends the C3 report using the ACPI C2 format.

  • acpi-c3—The processor sends the C3 report using the ACPI C3 format.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

On the B400 server, the BIOS Setup menu uses enabled and disabled for these options. If you specify acpi-c2 or acpi-c2, the server sets the BIOS value for that option to enabled.

Processor C6 Report

Whether the processor sends the C6 report to the operating system. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor does not send the C6 report.

  • enabled—The processor sends the C6 report.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

CPU Performance

Sets the CPU performance profile for the server. This can be one of the following:


  • enterprise—All prefetchers and data reuse are disabled.

  • high-throughput—All prefetchers are enabled, and data reuse is disabled.

  • hpc—All prefetchers and data reuse are enabled. This setting is also known as high performance computing.

  • platform-default—The BIOS uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Intel Directed I/O BIOS Settings

The following table lists the Intel Directed I/O BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:

Name Description

VT for Directed IO

Whether the processor uses Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d). This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor does not use virtualization technology.

  • enabled—The processor uses virtualization technology.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Interrupt Remap

Whether the processor supports Intel VT-d Interrupt Remapping. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor does not support remapping.

  • enabled—The processor uses VT-d Interrupt Remapping as required.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Coherency Support

Whether the processor supports Intel VT-d Coherency. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor does not support coherency.

  • enabled—The processor uses VT-d Coherency as required.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

ATS Support

Whether the processor supports Intel VT-d Address Translation Services (ATS). This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor does not support ATS.

  • enabled—The processor uses VT-d ATS as required.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Pass Through DMA Support

Whether the processor supports Intel VT-d Pass-through DMA. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The processor does not support pass-through DMA.

  • enabled—The processor uses VT-d Pass-through DMA as required.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

RAS Memory BIOS Settings

The following table lists the RAS memory BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:

Name Description

Memory RAS Config

How the memory reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) is configured for the server. This can be one of the following:


  • maximum performance—System performance is optimized.

  • mirroring—System reliability is optimized by using half the system memory as backup.

  • lockstep—If the DIMM pairs in the server have an identical type, size, and organization and are populated across the SMI channels, you can enable lockstep mode to minimize memory access latency and provide better performance. Lockstep is enabled by default for B400 servers.

  • sparing—System reliability is enhanced with a degree of memory redundancy while making more memory available to the operating system than mirroring.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

NUMA

Whether the BIOS supports NUMA. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The BIOS does not support NUMA

  • enabled—The BIOS includes the ACPI tables that are required for NUMA-aware operating systems. If you enable this option, the system must disable Inter-Socket Memory interleaving on some platforms.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

LV DDR Mode

Whether the system prioritizes low voltage or high frequency memory operations. This can be one of the following:


  • power-saving-mode—The system prioritizes low voltage memory operations over high frequency memory operations. This mode may lower memory frequency in order to keep the voltage low.

  • performance-mode—The system prioritizes high frequency operations over low voltage operations.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Mirroring Mode

Memory mirroring enhances system reliability by keeping two identical data images in memory.

This option is only available if you choose the mirroring option for Memory RAS Config. It can be one of the following:


  • inter-socket—Memory is mirrored between two Integrated Memory Controllers (IMCs) across CPU sockets.

  • intra-socket—One IMC is mirrored with another IMC in the same socket.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Sparing Mode

Sparing optimizes reliability by holding memory in reserve so that it can be used in case other DIMMs fail. This option provides some memory redundancy, but does not provide as much redundancy as mirroring. The available sparing modes depend on the current memory population.

This option is only available if you choose sparing option for Memory RAS Config. It can be one of the following:


  • dimm-sparing—One DIMM is held in reserve. If a DIMM fails, the contents of a failing DIMM are transferred to the spare DIMM.

  • rank-sparing—A spare rank of DIMMs is held in reserve. If a rank of DIMMs fails, the contents of the failing rank are transferred to the spare rank.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Serial Port BIOS Settings

The following table lists the serial port BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:

Name Description

Serial Port A

Whether serial port A is enabled or disabled. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The serial port is disabled.

  • enabled—The serial port is enabled.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

USB BIOS Settings

The following table lists the USB BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:

Name Description

Make Device Non Bootable

Whether the server can boot from a USB device. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The server cannot boot from a USB device.

  • enabled—The server can boot from a USB device.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

PCI Configuration BIOS Settings

The following table lists the PCI configuration BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:

Name Description

Max Memory Below 4G

Whether the BIOS maximizes memory usage below 4GB for an operating without PAE support, depending on the system configuration. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—Does not maximize memory usage. Choose this option for all operating systems with PAE support.

  • enabled—Maximizes memory usage below 4GB for an operating system without PAE support.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Memory Mapped IO Above 4Gb Config

Whether to enable or disable memory mapped I/O of 64-bit PCI devices to 4GB or greater address space. Legacy option ROMs are not able to access addresses above 4GB. PCI devices that are 64-bit compliant but use a legacy option ROM may not function correctly with this setting enabled. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—Does not map I/O of 64-bit PCI devices to 4GB or greater address space.

  • enabled—Maps I/O of 64-bit PCI devices to 4GB or greater address space.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Boot Options BIOS Settings

The following table lists the boot options BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:

Name Description

Boot Option Retry

Whether the BIOS retries NON-EFI based boot options without waiting for user input. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—Waits for user input before retrying NON-EFI based boot options.

  • enabled—Continually retries NON-EFI based boot options without waiting for user input.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Intel Entry SAS RAID

Whether the Intel SAS Entry RAID Module is enabled. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The Intel SAS Entry RAID Module is disabled.

  • enabled—The Intel SAS Entry RAID Module is enabled.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Intel Entry SAS RAID Module

How the Intel SAS Entry RAID Module is configured. This can be one of the following:


  • it-ir-raid—Configures the RAID module to use Intel IT/IR RAID.

  • intel-esrtii—Configures the RAID module to use Intel Embedded Server RAID Technology II.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Server Management BIOS Settings

The following tables list the server management BIOS settings that you can configure through a BIOS policy or the default BIOS settings:

General Settings

Name Description

Assert Nmi on Serr

Whether the BIOS generates a non-maskable interrupt (NMI) and logs an error when a system error (SERR) occurs. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The BIOS does not generate an NMI or log an error when a SERR occurs.

  • enabled—The BIOS generates an NMI and logs an error when a SERR occurs. You must enable this setting if you want to enable Assert Nmi on Perr.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Assert Nmi on Perr

Whether the BIOS generates a non-maskable interrupt (NMI) and logs an error when a processor bus parity error (PERR) occurs. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The BIOS does not generate an NMI or log an error when a PERR occurs.

  • enabled—The BIOS generates an NMI and logs an error when a PERR occurs. You must enable Assert Nmi on Serr to use this setting.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

OS Boot Watchdog Timer

Whether the BIOS programs the watchdog timer with a predefined timeout value. If the operating system does not complete booting before the timer expires, the CIMC resets the system and an error is logged. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The watchdog timer is not used to track how long the server takes to boot.

  • enabled—The watchdog timer tracks how long the server takes to boot. If the server does not boot within the predefined length of time, the CIMC resets the system and logs an error.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

This feature requires either operating system support or Intel Management software.

OS Boot Watchdog Timer Timeout Policy

What action the system takes if the watchdog timer expires. This can be one of the following:


  • power-off—The server is powered off if the watchdog timer expires during OS boot.

  • reset—The server is reset if the watchdog timer expires during OS boot.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

This option is only available if you enable the OS Boot Watchdog Timer.

OS Boot Watchdog Timer Timeout

What timeout value the BIOS uses to configure the watchdog timer. This can be one of the following:


  • 5-minutes—The watchdog timer expires 5 minutes after the OS begins to boot.

  • 10-minutes—The watchdog timer expires 10 minutes after the OS begins to boot.

  • 15-minutes—The watchdog timer expires 15 minutes after the OS begins to boot.

  • 20-minutes—The watchdog timer expires 20 minutes after the OS begins to boot.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

This option is only available if you enable the OS Boot Watchdog Timer.

Console Redirection Settings

Name Description

Console Redirection

Allows a serial port to be used for console redirection during POST and BIOS booting. After the BIOS has booted and the operating system is responsible for the server, console redirection is irrelevant and has no effect. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—No console redirection occurs during POST.

  • serial-port-a—Enables serial port A for console redirection during POST. This option is valid for blade servers and rack-mount servers.

  • serial-port-b—Enables serial port B for console redirection and allows it to perform server management tasks. This option is only valid for rack-mount servers.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Note   

If you enable this option, you also disable the display of the Quiet Boot logo screen during POST.

Flow Control

Whether a handshake protocol is used for flow control. Request to Send / Clear to Send (RTS/CTS) helps to reduce frame collisions that can be introduced by a hidden terminal problem. This can be one of the following:


  • none—No flow control is used.

  • rts-cts—RTS/CTS is used for flow control.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Note   

This setting must match the setting on the remote terminal application.

BAUD Rate

What BAUD rate is used for the serial port transmission speed. If you disable Console Redirection, this option is not available. This can be one of the following:


  • 9600—A 9600 BAUD rate is used.

  • 19200—A 19200 BAUD rate is used.

  • 38400—A 38400 BAUD rate is used.

  • 57600—A 57600 BAUD rate is used.

  • 115200—A 115200 BAUD rate is used.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Note   

This setting must match the setting on the remote terminal application.

Terminal Type

What type of character formatting is used for console redirection. This can be one of the following:


  • pc-ansi—The PC-ANSI terminal font is used.

  • vt100—A supported vt100 video terminal and its character set are used.

  • vt100-plus—A supported vt100-plus video terminal and its character set are used.

  • vt-utf8—A video terminal with the UTF-8 character set is used.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

Note   

This setting must match the setting on the remote terminal application.

Legacy OS Redirect

Whether redirection from a legacy operating system, such as DOS, is enabled on the serial port. This can be one of the following:


  • disabled—The serial port enabled for console redirection is hidden from the legacy operating system.

  • enabled— The serial port enabled for console redirection is visible to the legacy operating system.

  • platform-default—The processor uses the value for this attribute contained in the BIOS defaults for the server type and vendor.

BIOS Policy

The BIOS policy is a policy that automates the configuration of BIOS settings for a server or group of servers. You can create global BIOS policies available to all servers in the root organization, or you can create BIOS policies in sub-organizations that are only available to that hierarchy.

To use a BIOS policy, do the following:


  1. Create the BIOS policy in Cisco UCS Manager.

  2. Assign the BIOS policy to one or more service profiles.

  3. Associate the service profile with a server.

During service profile association, Cisco UCS Manager modifies the BIOS settings on the server to match the configuration in the BIOS policy. If you do not create and assign a BIOS policy to a service profile, the server uses the default BIOS settings for that server platform.

Default BIOS Settings

Cisco UCS Manager includes a set of default BIOS settings for each type of server supported by Cisco UCS. The default BIOS settings are available only in the root organization and are global. Only one set of default BIOS settings can exist for each server platform supported by Cisco UCS. You can modify the default BIOS settings, but you cannot create an additional set of default BIOS settings.

Each set of default BIOS settings are designed for a particular type of supported server and are applied to all servers of that specific type which do not have a BIOS policy included in their service profiles.

Unless a Cisco UCS implementation has specific needs that are not met by the server-specific settings, we recommend that you use the default BIOS settings that are designed for each type of server in the instance.

Cisco UCS Manager applies these server platform-specific BIOS settings as follows:


  • The service profile associated with a server does not include a BIOS policy.

  • The BIOS policy is configured with the platform-default option for a specific setting.

You can modify the default BIOS settings provided by Cisco UCS Manager. However, any changes to the default BIOS settings apply to all servers of that particular type or platform. If you want to modify the BIOS settings for only certain servers, we recommend that you use a BIOS policy.

Creating a BIOS Policy


Note

Cisco UCS Manager pushes BIOS configuration changes through a BIOS policy or default BIOS settings to the CIMC buffer. These changes remain in the buffer and do not take effect until the server is rebooted.

We recommend that you verify the support for BIOS settings in the server that you want to configure. Some settings, such as Mirroring Mode and Sparing Mode for RAS Memory, are not supported by all Cisco UCS servers

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4   Right-click BIOS Policies and select Create BIOS Policy.
Step 5   On the Main page of the Create BIOS Policy wizard, enter a name for the BIOS policy in the Name field.

This name can be between 1 and 16 alphanumeric characters. You cannot use spaces or any special characters, and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.

Step 6   In the Create BIOS Policy wizard, do the following to configure the BIOS settings:
  1. If you want to change a BIOS setting, click the desired radio button or make the appropriate choice from the drop-down list.

    For descriptions and information about the options for each BIOS setting, see the following topics:


  2. Click Next after each page to move to the
Step 7   After you have configured all of the BIOS settings for the policy, click Finish.

Modifying the BIOS Defaults

We recommend that you verify the support for BIOS settings in the server that you want to configure. Some settings, such as Mirroring Mode and Sparing Mode for RAS Memory, are not supported by all Cisco UCS servers

Unless a Cisco UCS implementation has specific needs that are not met by the server-specific settings, we recommend that you use the default BIOS settings that are designed for each type of server in the instance.

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4   Expand BIOS Defaults and select the server model number for which you want to modify the default BIOS settings.
Step 5   In the Work pane, click the appropriate tab and then click the desired radio button or make a choice from the drop-down list to modify the defult BIOS settings:

For descriptions and information about the options for each BIOS setting, see the following topics. Not all BIOS settings are available for each type of server.


Step 6   Click Save Changes.

Viewing the Actual BIOS Settings for a Server

Follow this procedure to see the actual BIOS settings on a server.

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Chassis > Chassis Number > Servers.
Step 3   Choose the server for which you want to view the actual BIOS settings.
Step 4   On the Work pane, click the Inventory tab.
Step 5   Click the Motherboard subtab.
Step 6   In the BIOS Settings area, click the Expand icon to the right of the heading to open that area.

Each tab in the BIOS Settings area displays the settings for that server platform. Some of the tabs contain subtabs with additional information.

Configuring Boot Policies

Boot Policy

The boot policy determines the following:


  • Configuration of the boot device

  • Location from which the server boots

  • Order in which boot devices are invoked

For example, you can choose to have associated servers boot from a local device, such as a local disk or CD-ROM (VMedia), or you can select a SAN boot or a LAN (PXE) boot.

You must include this policy in a service profile, and that service profile must be associated with a server for it to take effect. If you do not include a boot policy in a service profile, the server uses the default settings in the BIOS to determine the boot order.

Important:

Changes to a boot policy may be propagated to all servers created with an updating service profile template that includes that boot policy. Reassociation of the service profile with the server to rewrite the boot order information in the BIOS is auto-triggered.

Guidelines

When you create a boot policy, you can add one or more of the following to the boot policy and specify their boot order:

Boot type

Description

SAN boot

Boots from an operating system image on the SAN. You can specify a primary and a secondary SAN boot. If the primary boot fails, the server attempts to boot from the secondary.

We recommend that you use a SAN boot, because it offers the most service profile mobility within the system. If you boot from the SAN when you move a service profile from one server to another, the new server boots from the exact same operating system image. Therefore, the new server appears to be the exact same server to the network.

LAN boot

Boots from a centralized provisioning server. It is frequently used to install operating systems on a server from that server.

Local disk boot

If the server has a local drive, boots from that drive.

Note   

Cisco UCS Manager does not differentiate between the types of local drives. If an operating system has been installed on more than one local drive or on an internal USB drive (eUSB), you cannot specify which of these local drives the server should use as the boot drive.

Virtual media boot

Mimics the insertion of a physical CD-ROM disk (read-only) or floppy disk (read-write) into a server. It is typically used to manually install operating systems on a server.


Note
The default boot order is as follows:

  1. Local disk boot

  2. LAN boot

  3. Virtual media read-only boot

  4. Virtual media read-write boot

Creating a Boot Policy

You can also create a local boot policy that is restricted to a service profile or service profile template. However, we recommend that you create a global boot policy that can be included in multiple service profiles or service profile templates.


Tip

We recommend that the boot order in a boot policy include either a local disk or a SAN LUN, but not both, to avoid the possibility of the server booting from the wrong storage type. If you configure a local disk and a SAN LUN for the boot order storage type and the operating system or logical volume manager (LVM) is configured incorrectly, the server may boot from the local disk rather than the SAN LUN.

For example, on a server with Red Hat Linux installed, where the LVM is configured with default LV names and the boot order is configured with a SAN LUN and a local disk, Linux reports that there are two LVs with the same name and boots from the LV with the lowest SCSI ID, which could be the local disk.

Before You Begin

If you are creating a boot policy that boots the server from a SAN LUN and you require reliable SAN boot operations, you must first remove all local disks from servers associated with a service profile that includes the boot policy.


Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4   Right-click Boot Policies and select Create Boot Policy.

The Create Boot Policy wizard displays.

Step 5   Enter a unique name and description for the policy.

This name can be between 1 and 16 alphanumeric characters. You cannot use spaces or any special characters, and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.

Step 6   (Optional)To reboot all servers that use this boot policy after you make changes to the boot order, check the Reboot on Boot Order Change check box.

In Cisco UCS Manager GUI, if the Reboot on Boot Order Change check box is checked for a boot policy, and if CD-ROM or Floppy is the last device in the boot order, deleting or adding the device does not directly affect the boot order and the server does not reboot.

Step 7   (Optional)To ensure that Cisco UCS Manager uses any vNICs or vHBAs in the order shown in the Boot Order table, check the Enforce vNIC/vHBA Name check box.

If you do not check this check box, Cisco UCS Manager uses the priority specified in the vNIC or vHBA.

Step 8   To add a local disk, virtual CD-ROM, or virtual floppy to the boot order, do the following:
  1. Click the down arrows to expand the Local Devices area.
  2. Click one of the following links to add the device to the Boot Order table:

    • Add Local Disk

    • Add CD-ROM

    • Add Floppy

  3. Add another boot device to the Boot Order table, or click OK to finish.
Step 9   To add a LAN boot to the boot order, do the following:
  1. Click the down arrows to expand the vNICs area.
  2. Click the Add LAN Boot link.
  3. In the Add LAN Boot dialog box, enter the name of the vNIC that you want to use for the LAN boot in the vNIC field, then click OK.
  4. Add another device to the Boot Order table, or click OK to finish.
Step 10   To add a SAN boot to the boot order, do the following:
  1. Click the down arrows to expand the vHBAs area.
  2. Click the Add SAN Boot link.
  3. In the Add SAN Boot dialog box, complete the following fields, then click OK:
    Name Description

    vHBA field

    Enter the name of the vHBA you want to use for the SAN boot.

    Type field

    This can be:


    • primary—If the server boots using a SAN WWN address, this is the first address it tries. Each boot policy can have only one primary SAN boot location.

    • secondary—If the server cannot boot from the primary SAN location, it attempts to boot from this location. Each boot policy can have only one secondary SAN boot location.

    The use of the terms primary or secondary boot devices does not imply a boot order. The effective order of boot devices within the same device class is determined by PCIe bus scan order.

  4. If this vHBA points to a bootable SAN image, click the Add SAN Boot Target link and, in the Add SAN Boot Target dialog box, complete the following fields, then click OK:
    Name Description
    Boot Target LUN field

    The LUN that corresponds to the location of the boot image.

    Boot Target WWPN field

    The WWPN that corresponds to the location of the boot image.

    Type field

    This can be:


    • primary—If the server boots using a SAN WWN address, this is the first address it tries. Each boot policy can have only one primary SAN boot location.

    • secondary—If the server cannot boot from the primary SAN location, it attempts to boot from this location. Each boot policy can have only one secondary SAN boot location.

    The use of the terms primary or secondary boot devices does not imply a boot order. The effective order of boot devices within the same device class is determined by PCIe bus scan order.

  5. Add another boot device to the Boot Order table, or click OK to finish.
What to Do Next

Include the boot policy in a service profile and/or template.

After a server is associated with a service profile that includes this boot policy, you can verify the actual boot order in the Boot Order Details area on the General tab for the server.

Deleting a Boot Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies > Organization_Name.
Step 3   Expand the Boot Policies node.
Step 4   Right-click the policy you want to delete and select Delete.
Step 5   If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Configuring IPMI Access Profiles

IPMI Access Profile

This policy allows you to determine whether IPMI commands can be sent directly to the server, using the IP address. For example, you can send commands to retrieve sensor data from the CIMC. This policy defines the IPMI access, including a username and password that can be authenticated locally on the server, and whether the access is read-only or read-write.

You must include this policy in a service profile and that service profile must be associated with a server for it to take effect.

Creating an IPMI Access Profile

Before You Begin

An IPMI profile requires that one or more of the following resources already exist in the system:


  • Username with appropriate permissions that can be authenticated by the operating system of the server

  • Password for the username

  • Permissions associated with the username


Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4   Right-click IPMI Profiles and select Create IPMI Profiles.
Step 5   In the Create IPMI Profile dialog box:
  1. Enter a unique name and description for the profile.
  2. Click OK.
Step 6   In the IPMI Profile Users area of the navigator, click +.
Step 7   In the User Properties dialog box:
  1. Complete the following fields:
    Name Description

    Name field

    The username to associate with this IPMI profile.

    Password field

    The password associated with this username.

    Confirm Password field

    The password a second time for confirmation purposes.

    Role field

    The user role. This can be:


    • admin

    • Read Only

  2. Click OK.
Step 8   Repeat Steps 6 and 7 to add another user.
Step 9   Click OK to return to the IPMI profiles in the Work pane.
What to Do Next

Include the IPMI profile in a service profile and/or template.

Deleting an IPMI Access Profile

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   In the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies > Organization_Name
Step 3   Expand the IPMI Profiles node.
Step 4   Right-click the profile you want to delete and select Delete.
Step 5   If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Configuring Local Disk Configuration Policies

Local Disk Configuration Policy

This policy configures any optional SAS local drives that have been installed on a server through the onboard RAID controller of the local drive. This policy enables you to set a local disk mode for all servers that are associated with a service profile that includes the local disk configuration policy.

The local disk modes include the following:


  • No Local Storage—For a diskless server or a SAN only configuration. If you select this option, you cannot associate any service profile which uses this policy with a server that has a local disk.

  • RAID 0 Stripes—Data is striped across all disks in the array, providing fast throughput. There is no data redundancy, and all data is lost if any disk fails.

  • RAID 1 Mirrored—Data is written to two disks, providing complete data redundancy if one disk fails. The maximum array size is equal to the available space on the smaller of the two drives.

  • Any Configuration—For a server configuration that carries forward the local disk configuration without any changes.

  • No RAID—For a server configuration that removes the RAID and leaves the disk MBR and payload unaltered.

  • RAID 6 Stripes Dual Parity—Data is striped across all disks in the array and two parity disks are used to provide protection against the failure of up to two physical disks. In each row of data blocks, two sets of parity data are stored.

  • RAID 5 Striped Parity—Data is striped across all disks in the array. Part of the capacity of each disk stores parity information that can be used to reconstruct data if a disk fails. RAID 5 provides good data throughput for applications with high read request rates.

  • RAID10 Mirrored and Striped— RAID 10 uses mirrored pairs of disks to provide complete data redundancy and high throughput rates.

You must include this policy in a service profile, and that service profile must be associated with a server for the policy to take effect.

Guidelines and Considerations for a Local Disk Configuration Policy

Before you create a local disk configuration policy, consider the following guidelines:

No Mixed HDDs and SSDs

Do not include HDDs and SSDs in a single RAID configuration or in a single blade server.

Impact of Upgrade to Release 1.3(1i) or Higher

An upgrade from an earlier Cisco UCS firmware release to release 1.3(1i) or higher has the following impact on the Protect Configuration property of the local disk configuration policy the first time servers are associated with service profiles after the upgrade:

Unassociated Servers

After you upgrade the Cisco UCS instance, the initial server association proceeds without configuration errors whether or not the local disk configuration policy matches the server hardware. Even if you enable the Protect Configuration property, Cisco UCS does not protect the user data on the server if there are configuration mismatches between the local disk configuration policy on the previous service profile and the policy in the new service profile.


Note

If you enable the Protect Configuration property and the local disk configuration policy encounters mismatches between the previous service profile and the new service profile, all subsequent service profile associations with the server are blocked.

Associated Servers

Any servers that are already associated with service profiles do not reboot after the upgrade. Cisco UCS Manager does not report any configuration errors if there is a mismatch between the local disk configuration policy and the server hardware.

When a service profile is disassociated from a server and a new service profile associated, the setting for the Protect Configuration property in the new service profile takes precedence and overwrites the setting in the previous service profile.

Maximum of One RAID Volume and One RAID Controller in Integrated Rack-Mount Servers

A rack-mount server that has been integrated with Cisco UCS Manager can have a maximum of one RAID volume irrespective of how many hard drives are present on the server.

All the local hard drives in an integrated rack-mount server must be connected to only one RAID Controller. Integration with Cisco UCS Manager does not support the connection of local hard drives to multiple RAID Controllers in a single rack-mount server. We therefore recommend that you request a single RAID Controller configuration when you order rack-mount servers to be integrated with Cisco UCS Manager.

In addition, do not use third party tools to create multiple RAID LUNs on rack-mount servers. Cisco UCS Manager does not support that configuration.

Do Not Use Any Configuration Mode with MegaRAID Storage Controllers

If a blade server or rack-mount server in a Cisco UCS instance includes a MegaRAID storage controller, do not configure the local disk configuration policy in the service profile for that server with the Any Configuration mode. If you use this mode for servers with a MegaRAID storage controller, the installer for the operating system cannot detect any local storage on the server.

If you want to install an operating system on local storage on a server with a MegaRAID storage controller, you must configure the local disk configuration policy with a mode that creates a RAID LUN (RAID volume) on the server.

Creating a Local Disk Configuration Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4   Right-click Local Disk Config Policies and choose Create Local Disk Configuration Policy.
Step 5   In the Create Local Disk Configuration Policy dialog box, complete the following fields:
Name Description

Name field

The name of the policy.

This name can be between 1 and 16 alphanumeric characters. You cannot use spaces or any special characters, and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.

Description field

A description of the policy. We recommend including information about where and when the policy should be used.

Enter up to 256 characters. You can use any characters or spaces except ^ (carat), \ (backslash), > (greater than), < (less than), ' (single quote), " (double quote), ` (accent mark).

Mode drop-down list

This can be one of the following local disk policy modes:


  • No Local Storage—For a diskless server or a SAN only configuration. If you select this option, you cannot associate any service profile which uses this policy with a server that has a local disk.

  • RAID 0 Stripes—Data is striped across all disks in the array, providing fast throughput. There is no data redundancy, and all data is lost if any disk fails.

  • RAID 1 Mirrored—Data is written to two disks, providing complete data redundancy if one disk fails. The maximum array size is equal to the available space on the smaller of the two drives.

  • Any Configuration—For a server configuration that carries forward the local disk configuration without any changes.

  • No RAID—For a server configuration that removes the RAID and leaves the disk MBR and payload unaltered.

  • RAID 6 Stripes Dual Parity—Data is striped across all disks in the array and two parity disks are used to provide protection against the failure of up to two physical disks. In each row of data blocks, two sets of parity data are stored.

  • RAID 5 Striped Parity—Data is striped across all disks in the array. Part of the capacity of each disk stores parity information that can be used to reconstruct data if a disk fails. RAID 5 provides good data throughput for applications with high read request rates.

  • RAID10 Mirrored and Striped— RAID 10 uses mirrored pairs of disks to provide complete data redundancy and high throughput rates.

Note   

If you choose No RAID and you apply this policy to a server that already has an operating system with RAID storage configured, the system does not remove the disk contents. Therefore, there may be no visible differences after you apply the No RAID mode.

To make sure that any previous RAID configuration information is removed from a disk, apply a scrub policy that removes all disk information after you apply the No RAID configuration mode.

Protect Configuration check box

If checked, the server retains the configuration in the local disk configuration policy even if the server is disassociated from the service profile.

This property is checked by default.

When a service profile is disassociated from a server and a new service profile associated, the setting for the Protect Configuration property in the new service profile takes precedence and overwrites the setting in the previous service profile.

Note   

If you disassociate the server from a service profile with this option enabled and then associate it with a new service profile that includes a local disk configuration policy with different properties, the server returns a configuration mismatch error and the association fails.
Step 6   Click OK.

Changing a Local Disk Configuration Policy

This procedure describes how to change a local disk configuration policy from an associated service profile. You can also change a local disk configuration policy from the Policies node of the Servers tab.

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Service Profiles.
Step 3   Expand the organization that includes the service service profile with the local disk configuration policy you want to change.

If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4   Click the service profile that contains the local disk configuration policy you want to change.
Step 5   In the Work pane, click the Policies tab.
Step 6   In the Actions area, click Change Local Disk Configuration Policy.
Step 7   In the Change Local Disk Configuration Policy dialog box, choose one of the following options from the Select the Local Disk Configuration Policy drop-down list.
Option Description

Use a Disk Policy

Select an existing local disk configuration policy from the list below this option. Cisco UCS Manager assigns this policy to the service profile.

Create a Local Disk Policy

Enables you to create a local disk configuration policy that can only be accessed by the selected service profile.

No Disk Policy

Does not use a local disk configuration policy for the selected service profile.

Step 8   Click OK.
Step 9   (Optional)Expand the Local Disk Configuration Policy area to confirm that the change has been made.

Deleting a Local Disk Configuration Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies > Organization_Name.
Step 3   Expand the Local Disk Config Policies node.
Step 4   Right-click the policy you want to delete and select Delete.
Step 5   If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Configuring Scrub Policies

Scrub Policy

This policy determines what happens to local data and to the BIOS settings on a server during the discovery process and when the server is disassociated from a service profile. Depending upon how you configure a scrub policy, the following can occur at those times:

Disk Scrub

One of the following occurs to the data on any local drives on disassociation:


  • If enabled, destroys all data on any local drives

  • If disabled, preserves all data on any local drives, including local storage configuration

BIOS Settings Scrub

One of the following occurs to the BIOS settings when a service profile containing the scrub policy is disassociated from a server:


  • If enabled, erases all BIOS settings for the server and and resets them to the BIOS defaults for that server type and vendor

  • If disabled, preserves the existing BIOS settings on the server

Creating a Scrub Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4   Right-click Scrub Policies and select Create Scrub Policy.
Step 5   In the Create Scrub Policy wizard, complete the following fields:
Name Description

Name field

The name of the policy.

This name can be between 1 and 16 alphanumeric characters. You cannot use spaces or any special characters, and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.

Description field

A description of the policy. We recommend including information about where and when the policy should be used.

Enter up to 256 characters. You can use any characters or spaces except ^ (carat), \ (backslash), > (greater than), < (less than), ' (single quote), " (double quote), ` (accent mark).

Disk Scrub field

If this field is set to yes, when a service profile containing this scrub policy is disassociated from a server, all data on the server local drives is completely erased. If this field is set to no, the data on the local drives is preserved, including all local storage configuration.

BIOS Settings Scrub field

If the field is set to yes, when a service profile containing this scrub policy is disassociated from a server, the BIOS settings for that server are erased and reset to the defaults for that server type and vendor. If this field is set to no, the BIOS settings are preserved.
Step 6   Click OK.

Deleting a Scrub Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies > Organization_Name.
Step 3   Expand the Scrub Policies node.
Step 4   Right-click the policy you want to delete and select Delete.
Step 5   If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Configuring Serial over LAN Policies

Serial over LAN Policy

This policy sets the configuration for the serial over LAN connection for all servers associated with service profiles that use the policy. By default, the serial over LAN connection is disabled.

If you implement a serial over LAN policy, we recommend that you also create an IPMI profile.

You must include this policy in a service profile and that service profile must be associated with a server for it to take effect.

Creating a Serial over LAN Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4   Right-click Serial over LAN Policies and select Create Serial over LAN Policy.
Step 5   In the Create Serial over LAN Policy wizard, complete the following fields:
Name Description

Name field

The name of the policy.

This name can be between 1 and 16 alphanumeric characters. You cannot use spaces or any special characters, and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.

Description field

A description of the policy. We recommend including information about where and when the policy should be used.

Enter up to 256 characters. You can use any characters or spaces except ^ (carat), \ (backslash), > (greater than), < (less than), ' (single quote), " (double quote), ` (accent mark).

Serial over LAN State field

This can be:


  • disable—Serial over LAN access is blocked.

  • enable—Serial over LAN access is permitted.

Speed drop-down list

This can be:


  • 9600

  • 19200

  • 38400

  • 57600

  • 115200

Step 6   Click OK.

Deleting a Serial over LAN Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies > Organization_Name.
Step 3   Expand the Serial over LAN Policies node.
Step 4   Right-click the policy you want to delete and select Delete.
Step 5   If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Configuring Server Autoconfiguration Policies

Server Autoconfiguration Policy

Cisco UCS Manager uses this policy to determine how to configure a new server. If you create a server autoconfiguration policy, the following occurs when a new server starts:


  1. The qualification in the server autoconfiguration policy is executed against the server.

  2. If the server meets the required qualifications, the server is associated with a service profile created from the service profile template configured in the server autoconfiguration policy. The name of that service profile is based on the name given to the server by Cisco UCS Manager.

  3. The service profile is assigned to the organization configured in the server autoconfiguration policy.

Creating an Autoconfiguration Policy

Before You Begin

This policy requires that one or more of the following resources already exist in the system:


  • Server pool policy qualifications

  • Service profile template

  • Organizations, if a system implements multi-tenancy


Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
Step 2   On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node.
Step 3   In the Work pane, click the Policies tab.
Step 4   Click the Autoconfig Policies subtab.
Step 5   On the icon bar to the right of the table, click +.

If the + icon is disabled, click an entry in the table to enable it.

Step 6   In the Create Autoconfiguration Policy dialog box, complete the following fields:
Name Description

Name field

The name of the policy.

This name can be between 1 and 16 alphanumeric characters. You cannot use spaces or any special characters, and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.

Description field

A description of the policy. We recommend including information about where and when the policy should be used.

Enter up to 256 characters. You can use any characters or spaces except ^ (carat), \ (backslash), > (greater than), < (less than), ' (single quote), " (double quote), ` (accent mark).

Qualification drop-down list

The server pool policy qualification associated with this auto-configuration policy.

If a new server is discovered that matches the criteria specified in the server pool policy qualification, Cisco UCS automatically creates a service profile based on the service profile template selected in the Service Profile Template Name drop-down list and associates the newly created service profile with the server.

Org drop-down list

The organization associated with this autoconfiguration policy.

If Cisco UCS automatically creates a service profile to associate with a server, it places the service profile under the organization selected in this field.

Service Profile Template Name drop-down list

The service profile template associated with this policy.

Step 7   Click OK.

Deleting an Autoconfiguration Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
Step 2   On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node.
Step 3   In the Work pane, click the Policies tab.
Step 4   Click the Autoconfig Policies subtab.
Step 5   Right-click the autoconfiguration policy that you want to delete and choose Delete.
Step 6   If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Configuring Server Discovery Policies

Server Discovery Policy

This discovery policy determines how the system reacts when you add a new server. If you create a server discovery policy, you can control whether the system conducts a deep discovery when a server is added to a chassis, or whether a user must first acknowledge the new server. By default, the system conducts a full discovery.

If you create a server discovery policy, the following occurs when a new server starts:


  1. The qualification in the server discovery policy is executed against the server.

  2. If the server meets the required qualifications, Cisco UCS Manager applies the following to the server:


    • Depending upon the option selected for the action, either discovers the new server immediately or waits for a user to acknowledge the new server

    • Applies the scrub policy to the server

Creating a Server Discovery Policy

Before You Begin

If you plan to associate this policy with a server pool, create server pool policy qualifications.


Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
Step 2   On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node.
Step 3   In the Work pane, click the Policies tab.
Step 4   Click the Server Discovery Policies subtab.
Step 5   Click the + icon on the table icon bar to open the Create Server Discovery Policy dialog box.
Step 6   In the Description field, enter a description for the discovery policy.
Step 7   In the Action field, select one of the following options:

  • immediate—The system attempts to discover new servers automatically

  • user-acknowledged—The system waits until the user tells it to search for new servers

Step 8   (Optional)To associate this policy with a server pool, select server pool policy qualifications from the Qualification drop-down list.
Step 9   (Optional)To include a scrub policy, select a policy from the Scrub Policy drop-down list.
Step 10   Click OK.
What to Do Next

Include the server discovery policy in a service profile and/or template.

Deleting a Server Discovery Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
Step 2   On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node.
Step 3   In the Work pane, click the Policies tab.
Step 4   Click the Server Discovery Policies subtab.
Step 5   Right-click the server discover policy that you want to delete and choose Delete.
Step 6   If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Configuring Server Inheritance Policies

Server Inheritance Policy

This policy is invoked during the server discovery process to create a service profile for the server. All service profiles created from this policy use the values burned into the blade at manufacture. The policy performs the following:


  • Analyzes the inventory of the server

  • If configured, assigns the server to the selected organization

  • Creates a service profile for the server with the identity burned into the server at manufacture

You cannot migrate a service profile created with this policy to another server.

Creating a Server Inheritance Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
Step 2   On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node.
Step 3   In the Work pane, click the Policies tab.
Step 4   Click the Server Inheritance Policies subtab.
Step 5   On the icon bar to the right of the table, click +.

If the + icon is disabled, click an entry in the table to enable it.

Step 6   In the Create Server Inheritance Policy dialog box, complete the following fields:
Name Description

Name field

The name of the policy.

This name can be between 1 and 16 alphanumeric characters. You cannot use spaces or any special characters, and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.

Description field

A description of the policy. We recommend including information about where and when the policy should be used.

Enter up to 256 characters. You can use any characters or spaces except ^ (carat), \ (backslash), > (greater than), < (less than), ' (single quote), " (double quote), ` (accent mark).

Qualification drop-down list

If you want to associate this policy with one or more specific server pools, choose the server pool qualification policy that identifies these pools from the drop-down list.

Org drop-down list

If you want to associate an organization with this policy, or if you want to change the current association, choose the desired organization from the drop-down list.

Step 7   Click OK.

Deleting a Server Inheritance Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
Step 2   On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node.
Step 3   In the Work pane, click the Policies tab.
Step 4   Click the Server Inheritance Policies subtab.
Step 5   Right-click the server inheritance policy that you want to delete and choose Delete.
Step 6   If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Configuring Server Pool Policies

Server Pool Policy

This policy is invoked during the server discovery process. It determines what happens if server pool policy qualifications match a server to the target pool specified in the policy.

If a server qualifies for more than one pool and those pools have server pool policies, the server is added to all those pools.

Creating a Server Pool Policy

Before You Begin

This policy requires that one or more of the following resources already exist in the system:


  • A minimum of one server pool

  • Server pool policy qualifications, if you choose to have servers automatically added to pools


Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4   Right-click Server Pool Policies and select Create Server Pool Policy.
Step 5   In the Create Server Pool Policy dialog box, complete the following fields:
Name Description

Name field

The name of the policy.

This name can be between 1 and 16 alphanumeric characters. You cannot use spaces or any special characters, and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.

Description field

A description of the policy. We recommend including information about where and when the policy should be used.

Enter up to 256 characters. You can use any characters or spaces except ^ (carat), \ (backslash), > (greater than), < (less than), ' (single quote), " (double quote), ` (accent mark).

Target Pool drop-down list

If you want to associate this policy with a server pool, select that pool from the drop-down list.

Qualification drop-down list

If you want to associate this policy with one or more specific server pools, choose the server pool qualification policy that identifies these pools from the drop-down list.

Step 6   Click OK.

Deleting a Server Pool Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies > Organization_Name.
Step 3   Expand the Server Pool Policies node.
Step 4   Right-click the policy you want to delete and select Delete.
Step 5   If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Configuring Server Pool Policy Qualifications

Server Pool Policy Qualifications

This policy qualifies servers based on the inventory of a server conducted during the discovery process. The qualifications are individual rules that you configure in the policy to determine whether a server meets the selection criteria. For example, you can create a rule that specifies the minimum memory capacity for servers in a data center pool.

Qualifications are used in other policies to place servers, not just by the server pool policies. For example, if a server meets the criteria in a qualification policy, it can be added to one or more server pools or have a service profile automatically associated with it.

You can use the server pool policy qualifications to qualify servers according to the following criteria:


  • Adapter type

  • Chassis location

  • Memory type and configuration

  • Power group

  • CPU cores, type, and configuration

  • Storage configuration and capacity

  • Server model

Depending upon the implementation, you may configure several policies with server pool policy qualifications including the following:


  • Autoconfiguration policy

  • Chassis discovery policy

  • Server discovery policy

  • Server inheritance policy

  • Server pool policy

Creating Server Pool Policy Qualifications

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4   Right-click the Server Pool Policy Qualifications node and select Create Server Pool Policy Qualification.
Step 5   In the Create Server Pool Policy Qualification dialog box, enter a unique name and description for the policy.
Step 6   (Optional)To use this policy to qualify servers according to their adapter configuration, do the following:
  1. Click Create Adapter Qualifications.
  2. In the Create Adapter Qualifications dialog box, complete the following fields:
    Name Description

    Type drop-down list

    The adapter type. This can be:


    • fcoe—Fibre Channel over Ethernet

    • non-virtualized-eth-if

    • non-virtualized-fc-if

    • path-encap-consolidated

    • path-encap-virtual

    • protected-eth-if

    • protected-fc-if

    • protected-fcoe

    • virtualized-eth-if

    • virtualized-fc-if

    • virtualized-scsi-if

    Once you save the adapter qualification, this type cannot be changed.

    Model field

    A regular expression that the adapter model name must match.

    Maximum Capacity field

    The maximum capacity for the selected type.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the desired maximum capacity.
  3. Click OK.
Step 7   (Optional)To use this policy to qualify servers according to the chassis in which they physically reside, do the following:
  1. Click Create Chassis/Server Qualifications.
  2. In the Chassis Qualifications area of the Create Chassis and Server Qualifications dialog box, complete the following fields to specify the range of chassis you want to use:

    • First Chassis ID field—The first chassis ID from which server pools associated with this policy can draw.

    • Number of Chassis field—The total number of chassis to include in the pool, starting with the chassis identified in the First Chassis ID field.



    Example:For example, if you want to use chassis 5, 6, 7, and 8, enter 5 in the First Chassis ID field and 4 in the Number of Chassis field. If you want to use only chassis 3, enter 3 in the First Chassis ID field and 1 in the Number of Chassis field.
    Tip   

    If you want to use chassis 5, 6, and 9, create a chassis/server qualification for the range 5-6 and another qualification for chassis 9. You can add as many chassis/server qualifications as needed.

  3. Click Finish.
Step 8   (Optional)To use this policy to qualify servers according to both the chassis and slot in which they physically reside, do the following:
  1. Click Create Chassis/Server Qualifications.
  2. In the Chassis Qualifications area of the Create Chassis and Server Qualifications dialog box, complete the following fields to specify the range of chassis you want to use:

    • First Chassis ID field—The first chassis ID from which server pools associated with this policy can draw.

    • Number of Chassis field—The total number of chassis to include in the pool, starting with the chassis identified in the First Chassis ID field.

  3. In the Server Qualifications table, click Add.
  4. In the Create Server Qualifications dialog box, complete the following fields to specify the range of server locations you want to use:

    • First Slot ID field—The first slot ID from which server pools associated with this policy can draw.

    • Number of Slots field—The total number of slots from which server pools associated with this policy can draw.

  5. Click Finish Stage.
  6. To add another range of slots, click Add and repeat steps d and e.
  7. When you have finished specifying the slot ranges, click Finish.
Step 9   (Optional)To use this policy to qualify servers according to their memory configuration, do the following:
  1. Click Create Memory Qualifications.
  2. In the Create Memory Qualifications dialog box, complete the following fields:
    Name Description

    Clock field

    The minimum clock speed required, in megahertz.

    Latency field

    The maximum latency allowed, in nanoseconds.

    Min Cap field

    The minimum CPU capacity required, in megabytes.

    Max Cap field

    The maximum CPU capacity allowed, in megabytes.

    Width field

    The minimum width of the data bus.

    Units field

    The unit of measure to associate with the value in the Width field.

  3. Click OK.
Step 10   (Optional)To use this policy to qualify servers according to their CPU/Cores configuration, do the following:
  1. Click Create CPU/Cores Qualifications.
  2. In the Create CPU/Cores Qualifications dialog box, complete the following fields:
    Name Description

    Processor Architecture drop-down list

    The CPU architecture to which this policy applies.

    Model field

    A regular expression that the processor model name must match.

    Min Number of Cores field

    The minimum number of CPU cores required.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the minimum number of cores.

    Max Number of Cores field

    The maximum number of CPU cores allowed.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the maximum number of cores.

    Min Number of Threads field

    The minimum number of CPU threads required.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the minimum number of threads.

    Max Number of Threads field

    The maximum number of CPU threads allowed.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the maximum number of threads.

    CPU Speed field

    The minimum CPU speed required.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the minimum CPU speed.

    CPU Stepping field

    The minimum CPU version required.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the maximum CPU speed.
  3. Click OK.
Step 11   (Optional)To use this policy to qualify servers according to their storage configuration and capacity, do the following:
  1. Click Create Storage Qualifications.
  2. In the Create Storage Qualifications dialog box, complete the following fields:
    Name Description

    Diskless field

    Whether the available storage must be diskless. This can be:


    • unspecified—Either storage type is acceptable.

    • yes—The storage must be diskless.

    • no—The storage cannot be diskless.

    Number of Blocks field

    The minimum number of blocks required.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the number of blocks.

    Block Size field

    The minimum block size required, in bytes.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the block size.

    Min Cap field

    The minimum storage capacity across all disks in the server, in megabytes.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the minimum storage capacity.

    Max Cap field

    The maximum storage capacity allowed, in megabytes.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the maximum storage capacity.

    Per Disk Cap field

    The minimum storage capacity per disk required, in gigabytes.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the minimum capacity on each disk.

    Units field

    The number of units.

    To specify a capacity, choose select and enter the desired units.
  3. Click OK.
Step 12   (Optional)To use this policy to qualify servers according to the model of the server, do the following:
  1. Click Create Server Model Qualifications.
  2. In the Create Server Model Qualifications dialog box, enter a regular expression that the server model must match in the Model field.
  3. Click OK.
Step 13   (Optional)To use this policy to qualify servers according to power group, do the following:
  1. Click Create Power Group Qualifications.
  2. In the Create Power Group Qualifications dialog box, choose a power gruup from the Power Group drop-down list.
  3. Click OK.
Step 14   (Optional)To use this policy to qualify the rack-mount servers that can be added to the associated server pool, do the following:
  1. Click Create Rack Qualifications.
  2. In the Create Rack Qualifications dialog box, complete the following fields:
    Name Description

    First Slot ID field

    The first rack-mount server slot ID from which server pools associated with this policy can draw.

    Number of Slots field

    The total number of rack-mount server slots from which server pools associated with this policy can draw.

Step 15   Verify the qualifications in the table and correct if necessary.
Step 16   Click OK.

Deleting Server Pool Policy Qualifications

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies > Organization_Name.
Step 3   Expand the Server Pool Policy Qualifications node.
Step 4   Right-click the policy qualifications you want to delete and select Delete.
Step 5   If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Deleting Qualifications from Server Pool Policy Qualifications

Use this procedure to modify Server Pool Policy Qualifications by deleting one or more sets of qualifications.

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies > Organization_Name.
Step 3   Expand the Server Pool Policy Qualifications node.
Step 4   Choose the policy you want to modify.
Step 5   In the Work pane, choose the Qualifications tab.
Step 6   To delete a set of qualifications:
  1. In the table, choose the row that represents the set of qualifications.
  2. Right-click the row and select Delete.
Step 7   Click Save Changes.

Configuring vNIC/vHBA Placement Policies

vNIC/vHBA Placement Policies

vNIC/vHBA placement policies are used to assign vNICs or vHBAs to the physical adapters on a server. Each vNIC/vHBA placement policy contains two virtual network interface connections (vCons) that are virtual representations of the physical adapters. When a vNIC/vHBA placement policy is assigned to a service profile, and the service profile is associated to a server, the vCons in the vNIC/vHBA placement policy are assigned to the physical adapters. For servers with only one adapter, both vCons are assigned to the adapter; for servers with two adapters, one vCon is assigned to each adapter.

You can assign vNICs or vHBAs to either of the two vCons, and they are then assigned to the physical adapters based on the vCon assignment during server association. Additionally, vCons use the following selection preference criteria to assign vHBAs and vNICs:

All

The vCon is used for vNICs or vHBAs assigned to it, vNICs or vHBAs not assigned to either vCon, and dynamic vNICs or vHBAs.

Assigned-Only

The vCon is reserved for only vNICs or vHBAs assigned to it.

Exclude-Dynamic

The vCon is not used for dynamic vNICs or vHBAs.

Exclude-Unassigned

The vCon is not used for vNICs or vHBAs not assigned to the vCon. The vCon is used for dynamic vNICs and vHBAs.

For servers with two adapters, if you do not include a vNIC/vHBA placement policy in a service profile, or you do not configure vCons for a service profile, Cisco UCS equally distributes the vNICs and vHBAs between the two adapters.

Creating a vNIC/vHBA Placement Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4   Right-click vNIC/vHBA Placement Policies and choose Create Placement Policy.
Step 5   In the Create Placement Policy dialog box, do the following:
  1. In the Name field, enter a unique name for the placement policy.

    This name can be between 1 and 16 alphanumeric characters. You cannot use spaces or any special characters, and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.

  2. In the Selection Preference column for each Virtual Slot, choose one of the following from the drop-down list:
    • all
    • assigned-only
    • exclude-dynamic
    • exclude-unassigned
  3. Click OK.

Deleting a vNIC/vHBA Placement Policy

Procedure
Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies > Organization_Name.
Step 3   Expand the vNIC/vHBA Placement Policies node.
Step 4   Right-click the policy you want to delete and choose Delete.
Step 5   If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.