UCS Mini Implementation and Deployment

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About this Course

The Cisco UCS Mini is an “All in One Solution” offering the same innovations associated with unified infrastructure and optimizes this for entry level server, remote office, branch office deployments or where physical separation of devices is required within a data center. UCS Mini delivers servers, storage, and 10 Gigabit networking in an easy-to-deploy, compact form factor. 

This 2-day course is designed to provide in-depth day one knowledge of the Cisco UCS Mini solution, for Field Engineers, Channel Partners and any engineering staff tasked with implementing and deploying the Cisco UCS Mini Solution. This hands on intensive training will help any data center engineering staff, understanding the UCS Mini’s key features, their configuration steps in the UCS management interfaces, and the physical specifications of the hardware.

Audience Profile

  • IT staff tasked with deploying or implementing the Cisco UCS Mini solution
  • Channel Partners desiring to learn how to deploy or implement the Cisco UCS Mini solution

At Course Completion

After you complete this course you will be able to:

  • Describe the updated 5108 Chassis and Backplane
  • Explain the UCS Mini’s configuration requirements
  • Describe the UCS Mini’s expansion capabilities
  • Explain the UCS Mini’s connectivity options and supported topologies
  • Understand the UCS Mini’s common usage scenarios
  • Perform the UCS Mini’s initial configuration and deployment

Prerequisites

  • Familiarity with Cisco UCS Blade Servers, Cisco UCS ManagerCourse Objectives

Course Outline

Lesson 1. UCS Mini Hardware Overview

  • Cisco UCS 5108 Chassis
    • Physically the same 5108 Chassis with Updated Product ID, Backplane
    • Backwards Compatibility
      • Support for existing and new F/I, IOM’s, PSU’s, Servers
      • 6RU rack-mount storage, Up to 8 blade servers
  • Updated Backplane, Fabric Interconnect, IOMs, PSU's
    • Backplane and Fabric Interconnect 6324 Updates
    • Embedded F/I capability in the IOM slot
  • Fabric Interconnect 6324 Integrated Networking
    • Basic Supported Topologies and Connectivity
    • 1x 40G QSFP+, FCoE Storage Port
    • 4x 10G SFP+, Supports 1G or 10G
    • Cabling Options, support for SFP, SFP+, SFP FC, QSFP
    • Cisco UCS 2204XP IOM
    • Support for next-gen VIC
  • UCS Mini Power Enhancements
    • Enhanced UCS Power Capping
    • Updated 220v PSU available for higher density loads
    • Reserved Power, Server Boot Staggering, Power Budget Reclaim
    • Determine power needs
    • Configure Power Policy
  • Cisco UCS vs Cisco UCS Mini Comparison

Lesson 2. Common UCS Mini Supported Topologies

  • Supported Topologies with Blade and Rack Servers
  • Network Attached Storage (IP Based Connectivity)
  • Direct Attached Storage (DAS)
  • SAN Attached Storage (FC/FCoE)
  • Storage Features and Support
  • Supported Scale Numbers
    • Switch Fabric Throughput
    • LAN and Fibre Channel Ports
    • MAC Addresses, VLAN’s, IGMP Groups, VI Support, Frame Sizes

Lesson 3. UCS Ethernet Networking

  • Port type configuration
  • Virtual Port Channel Configuration (VPC)
  • End Host mode vs Switching Mode

Lesson 4. UCS Mini Network Interface Virtualization Support

  • Both Static and Dynamic vNIC’s
  • VMFEX Support for VMware ESX and Microsoft Hyper-V
  • vNIC Failover in HA mode
  • MAC Filtering Support in VIC
  • Supported NIV Adaptors

Lesson 5. UCS Mini Initial Deployment

  • Pre-deployment tasks
  • Customer Configuration Data
  • Connect Network Cables
  • Prepare UCS F/I’s and Configure UCS Manager
    • Initial Configuration of UCS F/I’s
    • Chassis and Server Discovery on UCS Manager

Lesson 6: UCS Mini Global network configuration

  • Move to FC switching mode
  • Uplink VLAN configuration
  • Configure universal ports as FC ports
  • Configure uplink ports
  • Configure Ethernet port as Appliance Ports
  • Configure FC Appliance ports
  • Configure FC Zoning policies
  • Configure QoS classes and QoS policy for jumbo MTU

Lesson 7: UCS Mini Configure identifier pools

  • Server UUID pool
  • MAC address pool
  • WWN pool
  • Management IP address pool

Lesson 8: UCS Mini Server Pools

  • Creation of server pool
  • Creation of server pool policy qualification
  • Creation of server pool policy

Lesson 9: Installing Server OS

  • Configuring B-Series and C-Series Servers for OS Installation
  • Using UCSM for Server Installations
  • Installing Windows Server 2012

Lesson 10: UCS Mini Server Deployment

  • Configure service profile template
  • Instantiate service profiles from the service profile template
  • Install ESXi servers and vCenter Infrastructure

Lesson 11: UCS Mini Management

  • Full-featured Cisco UCS Manager
  • Cisco UCS Manager 3.0 “Fletcher Cove” for UCS Mini
    • UCSM 3.0 vs 2.2 differences, UCS Mini limitations
    • New features in Mini UCSM 3.0(2c)
    • Cisco UCS Manager and Service Profiles Support
  • Cisco UCS Manager 3.0 for UCS Mini Unsupported Features
  • Cisco UCS Director API
  • Cisco UCS Mini Support in Cisco UCS Central Software
  • Command Line Interface (CLI)
  • Fabric Interconnect IOM Management Model
  • Online Insertion and Removal (OIR) of Fabric Interconnect IOM
  • Cisco UCS Mini Firmware Management

Lesson 12: ROBO Compared to Data Center Deployment Model

  • Cisco UCS Mini can be deployed in a ROBO location
  • Centrally managed using Cisco UCS Central Software in data center
  • WAN Characteristics, Network Bandwidth, Latency, Jitter
  • Firewall-Friendly Enhancements
  • Cisco UCS Central Software Release 1.2
  • Firmware Management with Cisco UCS Central Software

Lesson 13: Cisco UCS Mini Branch Office Management with UCS Central

  • Install and Configure UCS Central
    • Install UCS Central
    • Configure UCS Central
    • Adding Cisco UCS Managers to Cisco UCS Central
  • Configure UCS Central for Branch Office Deployment
    • Configure UCS Central Domain Group
    • Configure Pools and Policies
    • Configure Global Service Profile Template
    • Configure Global Service Profile Instance

Lesson 14. UCS Mini Solutions

  • Virtual Server Infrastructure (VSI)
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
  • Business Applications
  • Software Defined Storage
  • Remote Office / Branch Office (ROBO)

Lesson 15. UCS Mini vs “Classic” UCS Server Support

  • Maximum Servers Supported per Domain
  • Support for specific B-Series vs C-Series Servers
  • SingleConnect Support
  • Switching and EHM/NPV mode

 

Hands-On Labs

Lab 1: Connect to UCS Manager 3.0

Lab 2: Basic Setup of Fabric Interconnect

Lab 3: Create VLANs

Lab 4: Setup Ports

Lab 5: Create Simple Service Profile

Lab 6: Define Power Policy

Lab 7: Deploy Service Profile

Lab 8: Configure B-Series Blade Server with UCSM 3.0

Lab 9: Install Windows Server 2012