Introduction:
The Configuring Data Center Unified Computing course addresses the needs of engineers implementing Cisco UCS B-Series blade servers and Cisco UCS C-Series rack servers. There is significant content devoted to management, maintenance, and troubleshooting. The Configuring Data Center Unified Computing course articulates Cisco Data Center virtualization solutions and explains how to execute a virtualization solution on Cisco UCS B-series and C-series hardware. This course will address the configuration and ongoing maintenance of Cisco UCS B-Series and C-Series servers with a strong emphasis on Cisco UCS B Series blade servers. New features of the Cisco UCS 2.0 code version are also addressed with additional information provided on the new hardware additions to the Cisco UCS portfolio including the Cisco 6248 and 6296 Fabric Interconnects, 2204 and 2208 I/O Modules, and 1240 and 1280 Virtual Interface cards.
Course Objectives:
Upon completing this course, you will be able to meet these overall objectives:
- Describe the Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) Architecture.
- Describe the Cisco UCS connectivity configuration and management.
- Describe how to configure and manage Cisco UCS virtual resources.
- Configure, Maintain, and Operate the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Servers leveraging the Cisco IMC, Host Update Utility, and the P81E Virtual Interface Card.
Who Should Attend?
This course is primarily aimed at customer network engineers and administrators whose interest is focused on the configuration of product features. Server administrators working with hypervisor networking are also a target audience of this course.
- The primary audiences are data center engineers, data center administrators, and system engineers.
- The secondary audiences are data center architects and managers.
- The tertiary audiences are program and project managers.
Course Outlines:
Describing Cisco UCS Architecture
- Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server Hardware Components
- Cisco UCS Overview
- Cisco UCS 5100 Series Blade Server Chassis
- Cisco UCS B-Series components
- Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Servers
- Cisco UCS C-Series
- Power Requirements
- Determining Supported Configurations
Describing the Cisco UCS User Interfaces
- Cisco UCSM GUI Layout
- Navigation Pane
- Standalone Navigation of the Cisco UCS C-Series IMC
- CLI Shells
Describing Cisco UCS Management Framework and Features
- Managing Cisco UCS
- Managing C-Series Servers
- External Management Framework
- Fault Detection and Correction Using the Cisco UCSM
Configuring Cisco UCS B-Series Connectivity
- Configuring Cisco UCS B-Series Physical Connectivity
- Cluster Connection Requirements
- Initial Setup
- Modifying Cluster IP Addressing
- Discovery Process and Monitoring Using FSM Output
- I/O Uplinks and Bandwidth Oversubscription with the Cisco UCS 2104XP
- I/O Uplinks and Bandwidth Oversubscription with the Cisco UCS 2208XP
- I/O Uplinks and Bandwidth Oversubscription with the Cisco UCS 2204XP
Configuring Compute Node LAN Connectivity
- Port Personality States of 10 Gigabit Ethernet Interfaces on the Cisco UCS 6100 Series
- Port Personality States of Unified Ports on the Cisco UCS 6200 Series
- Configuring Port Channels to Northbound Switches
- Configuring Discrete Mode and Port-Channel Mode on Southbound Chassis Links
- End Host Mode
- Disjointed Layer 2 Uplink Support in EHM
- EHM Compared to Switching Mode
- Requirements for Configuring VLANs in Cisco UCS Manager
- Role of the vNIC in Abstracting MAC Addresses
- Failover
- Static IOM Pinning and Recovery from Failure
- Automatic Uplink Pinning and Recovery from Failure
- Configuration of Manual Uplink Pinning and Recovery from Failure
Configuring Compute Node SAN Connectivity
- Fibre Channel Switching
- Fibre Channel Operating Modes
- Fibre Channel Switching Mode
- End Host Mode and N-Port Virtualization
- Benefits and Drawbacks of Fibre Channel Switching and EHM
- Multipath I/O
- Configuring VSANs in the Cisco UCS Manager
- Creating VSANs and FCoE VLANs in the Cisco UCS
- Role of vHBAs when Abstracting WWNNs and WWPNs into a Service Profile
- Configuring Manual Uplink Pinning and Recovery from Failure
Supporting Disjointed Layer 2 Domains with Cisco UCS Manager
- Disjointed Layer 2 Domains
- Network Implications of Disjointed Layer 2 Domains
- Configuring Disjointed Layer 2 Domains
Configuring and Managing UCS Virtual Resources
- Creating Identity and Resource Pools
- The rationale for Creating Identity and Resource Pools
- Configure UUID Pools
- Configure MAC Pools
- Configure WWN Pools
- Configure IQN Pools
- Configure Server Pools
Creating Service Profiles
- Purpose and Benefits of Service Profiles
- Configuring a BIOS Policy to Enable Virtualization Features
- Configuring an Adapter Policy
- Create a QoS System Class
- Configure IPMI and SoL Policies
- Configure a Scrub Policy for Local Disks and BIOS
- Simple Compared to Expert Service Profile Wizards
- Simple Service Profile Wizard
- Expert Service Profile Wizard
Creating Service Profile Templates and Cloning Service Profiles
- Service Profile Templates
- Creating Differentiated Service Profile Templates
- Automating Creation of a Server Farm using Service Profile Templates
- Hidden Pitfalls when using Updating Templates
- Unbind a Service Profile from its Template
- Cloning a Service Profile
Managing Service Profiles
- Associating and Disassociating a Service Profile to a Server Blade
- Changes to a Service Profile that Trigger a Cisco UUOS Update
- Planning the Organization where a Service Profile is Created
- Moving a Service Profile to a New Server Blade in the Event of Hardware Failure
- Management IP Address, KVM, and Virtual Media
- Supported Operating Systems and Boot Options
Creating Logical Service Profiles that Boot from iSCSI with Cisco UCS 2.0
- Creating a Service Profile that Boots from iSCSI
- Creating an iSCSI Adapter Policy
- Creating an IQN Pool
- Creating an iSCSI Authentication Profile
- Installing and Booting ESXi
- Installing and Booting Windows 2008 R2 or R2-SP1
- Installing and Booting RHEL
Configuring Cisco UCS VM-FEX
- vCenter Integration Methods
- Provisioning VMware ESXi Servers with a Cisco VEM
- Provisioning the Secure Connection from Cisco UCS Manager to vCenter Server
- Provisioning Port Profiles and Port Profile Clients
- Provisioning a Dynamic vNIC Connection Policy and BIOS Policy for Cisco VM-FEX
- Joining ESXi Hosts to the DVS
- Provision VMs to Consume Port Groups on the DVS
Managing Virtual Resources
- Overall Framework of RBAC in Cisco UCS
- Configuring Local Users, Roles, and Privileges
- Configuring Organizations and Locales
- Effective Rights of a User, as an Intersection of Mapped Roles and Locales
Backing Up and Restoring the Cisco UCS Manager Database
- Supported Backup Types and Functions
- Import Operations and Disaster Recovery Restore Operations
- Configuring a Backup Job
- Verifying Backup Creation and Execution
- Configuring an Import Job to Restore the AAA User Database
- Configuring the Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects for a Disaster Recovery Restore Operation
Managing High Availability
- High-Availability Cluster Connection Requirements for Cisco UCS B-Series
- Intercluster Communications and Synchronization of the Cisco UCS Manager Database
- How the Cisco UCS 5108 Chassis Serial EEPROM Resolves Split-Brain Issues in the High-Availability Cluster
- Cluster Partition-in-Space and Cluster Partition-in-Time Conditions
Managing and Upgrading Cisco UCS B-Series Firmware
- Updating Cisco UCS B-Series Firmware
- Direct Upgrade of Cisco IMC, IOM, and Mezzanine Adapter Firmware
- Firmware Updates Using a Service Profile
- Differences Between Firmware Processes Used by Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects and CIMC, IOMs, and Adapters
Configuring Cisco UCS C-Series Features
- Describing Cisco UCS C-Series Servers
- Cisco UCS C-Series
- Managing C-Series Servers
- Describing FEX Connectivity
Using Cisco UCS C-Series Integrated Management Controller Discovery
- Configuring Cisco IMC Local User Accounts
- Using the KVM Console
- Configuring Virtual Media
- Downloading Operating System Drivers and Utilities
- Configuring IPMI
- Configuring the SoL Protocol
Describing Cisco UCS C-Series Server Connectivity Options
- Cisco UCS P81E and 1225 VICs
- Describe the networking options for the Cisco UCS C-Series
Upgrading Cisco UCS C-Series Firmware
- Cisco UCS C-Series Host Upgrade Utility
- Downloading the Cisco UCS C-Series Firmware
- Installing the Cisco IMC Firmware
- Recovering from a Corrupted BIOS