Cisco UCS Overview and Blade Servers

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Questions and Answers

What is the role of Fabric Interconnects in UCS architecture?

They manage all upstream and downstream network connections. (correct)

They can connect directly to each other to share workloads.

They directly connect to multiple servers only.

They are used solely for storage management.

What mode should Fabric Interconnects operate in for optimal data center performance?

Management mode, focusing primarily on configuration.

Switch mode, which allows for maximum flexibility.

Hybrid mode, blending both switching and virtualization capabilities.

End Host Virtualization (EHV) mode, which eliminates STP protocols. (correct)

Which statement accurately reflects VLAN configuration in UCS?

VLANs must be manually disabled for all links from Fabric Interconnects.

Each Fabric Interconnect can only manage one VLAN at a time.

VLANs are enabled by default on all links, and groups can be created for changes. (correct)

VLANs function exclusively for traffic prioritization.

What is a key function of the Quality of Service (QoS) settings in UCS?

Prioritizes specific types of traffic such as application data over backup traffic. Signup and view all the answers

What limitation exists when attempting to connect multiple Fabric Interconnects?

Direct connections between Fabric Interconnects are not permitted. Signup and view all the answers

Which protocol is used for negotiating port channels in UCS?

LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol) Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'pinning' refer to in UCS networking?

Tying a server's traffic to a specific upstream link for efficient routing. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main benefit of using Fabric Interconnect in UCS architecture?

It simplifies cable management and provides fast speed connections. Signup and view all the answers

Which capability is supported by UCS servers in terms of storage?

Up to 24 hard drives to enhance flexibility. Signup and view all the answers

How is UCS Manager accessed for managing servers?

Via a web browser using an HTML5 interface. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the relationship between service profiles and hardware in UCS?

Service profiles allow servers to maintain identity separately from their hardware. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant feature of the out-of-band accessibility of UCS Manager?

It allows management of servers from any device with internet connectivity. Signup and view all the answers

What field in the Ethernet header is utilized for identifying traffic on trunk links?

COS Signup and view all the answers

Which COS value is typically used for live VM migration in UCS?

2 Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a vSwitch in a UCS environment?

To terminate physical connections for multiple VMs Signup and view all the answers

How many maximum vNICs can be created in a Cisco UCS environment?

256 Signup and view all the answers

What is the default COS value for FCoE traffic in UCS?

3 Signup and view all the answers

Why are resource pools for MAC addresses created in UCS?

To automatically assign MAC addresses to vNICs Signup and view all the answers

What feature allows two 10G connections to be utilized as many virtual 10G connections in UCS?

vNIC Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of having an MTU size of 9000 or more in UCS?

To ensure maximum frame size efficiency during transmission Signup and view all the answers

In UCS, what is the main benefit of creating service profiles with specific MAC pools?

They allow for quick provisioning of servers Signup and view all the answers

Which network management aspect does the COS field primarily impact?

Quality of Service settings Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

UCS Introduction

Cisco UCS (Unified Computing System) was introduced in 2009.
The primary goal was to simplify server management by allowing a single interface regardless of quantity.
Cable management was a significant concern addressed by Cisco.
Fabric interconnect improved cable management, providing faster connections.
Replacing servers required MAC address changes, but policies ensured consistency.
Fiber channel storage connectivity, WWNN (Worldwide Node Name), and zoning helped with consistency.
UCS introduced services, profiles, and policies through software, eliminating hardware changes.

UCS Design: Blade Servers

Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Servers enhance performance with 4-socket and 2-socket servers, using Intel Xeon processors.
These servers increase performance, energy efficiency, flexibility, and administrative productivity for both virtualized and non-virtualized applications.
The design includes small form factors, no cable sat back, plug and go, 8 servers in a single chassis, and 6 RU power modular at the bottom.
These features enable efficient power use and compact designs.

UCS Design: Rack Servers

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers provide unified computing in a standard form factor.
The focus is on reducing TCO (total cost of ownership) and increasing agility.
Servers balance processing, memory, I/O, and internal storage resources efficiently for various workloads.
The design allows independent placement in racks and cable connections.
It supports up to 24 hard drives.
The design prioritizes flexibility.

UCS Design: Storage Servers

Cisco UCS S-Series Storage Servers offer active infrastructure with ongoing innovation and delivery.
The Server provides rapid scalability and performance for data and insights in real-time.
The modular architecture allows flexible scaling to match workloads with predictable TCO.
It supports up to 56 hard drives with 10 TB per drive.
It accommodates 4 RU and PCI cards for sufficient data backup.

Fabric Interconnects

Server connection to network (FI) presented an issue that was solved by Cisco UCS.
Fabric interconnect (FI) allows direct connection between servers and the network for series S and C.
Series B requires connection to the FI.
UCSM (UCS Manager) lives on the FI for managing all servers.

Unified Fabric for Cisco UCS

UCS 6454 Fabric Interconnect offers 48 x 10/25-Gbps and 6 x 40/100-Gbps ports.
Unified ports support 10/25 GE or 8/16/32-Gbps Fibre Channel.
UCS 6300 Series Interconnects provide top-of-rack or UCS Mini options.
Up to 32 40-Gbps ports and up to 2.56 Tbps throughput.
1/10-Gbps Ethernet and FCoE
1/2/4/8-Gbps Fibre Channel.

UCS Manager

Manage all servers and changes from a single point via UCSM.
UCSM comes preinstalled on the FI.
Access is available through a VIP (Virtual IP) linked to the FI.
Access is possible from any browser using HTML5.
UCS -Out of Band access is also possible.
UCSM is now available in the cloud and is integrated.

I/O Modules (Fabric Extenders)

Cisco UCS 2208XP Fabric Extender provides eight10 Gigabit Ethernet ports.
The design includes midplane connections and is configured in pairs for redundancy.
I/O modules expand networking for blade chassis through fabric interconnect.

Fabric Interconnects (Networking)

Handles network traffic for UCS.
Cannot connect directly but acts as an Enhanced Virtual Host mode.
Connects between LAN-upstream and server-downstream.
Two modes exist: switch mode (unsuitable for data centers) and end host virtualization.
End-Hosts connect directly to networks without STP or layer-2/3 protocols.
MAC learning and pinning are specific functionalities.

Upstream Networking

Connects to data center switches (Nexus) to connect to the LAN.
Connections between two Fs are not possible.
Connections are bundled to FI.
All connections are bundled via virtual port channels.

Virtual LANs (VLANs)

VLANs are enabled by default on all links from FI.
VLAN groups are created and assigned to different links (Layer 2 disjoint networks).
A designated receiver per VLAN link on FI helps avoid duplicates and improves the efficiency of broadcast transmissions.

Quality of Service (QoS)

Prioritizes traffic, like Application Data Storage and backup/updates.
Packet tagging (COS Class of Service) identifies traffic.
The Ethernet Header contains a COS field.
QoS is applicable to trunk links in UCS.
Tags are used (0–5, 6 and 7 for control traffic) for different traffic categories.
In UCS, COS mapping is possible.
FCoE (FC protocol inside Ethernet) has COS 3 default at 50%.
MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) is also configurable.

Cisco VNIC

Hypervisors with multiple connections make 10G ports too costly.
VNIC creates virtual connections for multiple 10G connections, reducing the expense.
VMs on the same host can't communicate over a physical switch.
Vswitch terminates physical connections.
Multiple vSwitches require separate physical connections.

Creating a VNIC Template

Connected to Veth Interface.
Configurations occur at a switchport level.
The level of VNIC configurations operates within the UCS.
VNIC connection to veth Interface happens in the FI.

Resource Pools

Cisco UCS supports 256 vNICs.
MAC address resources are managed using pools for automatic assignment to vNICs.
Allocation of 1,600 MACs across 160 servers is simplified.
Pooling facilitates efficient MAC address assignment.

Service Profile

Service profiles group VNICs with specified MAC pools assigned to each FI.
They can be created or copied for repeatability.
They are applied at vNIC level within UCS.

Storage Networking Protocols

Protocols for server–storage array connections.
Protocols like FC (Fiber Channel) and FC over Ethernet (FCoE) offer low latency.

LAN Pin Groups

Each vNIC can be pinned to a dedicated link for bandwidth reservation.
Dynamic pinning allows online allocation or reserved bandwidth assignment.
Using a pin group, you can statically assign a vNIC to a specific uplink.

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Description

Explore the features and design principles of Cisco UCS (Unified Computing System) introduced in 2009. This quiz covers the advances in server management, cable management solutions, and the capabilities of B-Series Blade Servers using Intel Xeon processors. Test your knowledge on how UCS enhances server performance and efficiency.