Rejoin an APIC to cluster after motherboard change

[mgaven]

Hello, we had a issue with an APIC node (UCS-C220-M4 server) and its motherboard was replaced.

The APIC was decomissioned and now boots up again and its ready to rejoin the cluster.

The question is: should a factory reset be performed beforehand or can be comissioned again "as is"?

Thanks!

[AshSe · Accepted solution]

Hello @mgaven , When an APIC node has had its motherboard replaced and has been decommissioned, it is generally a good practice to perform a factory reset before recommissioning it into the cluster. This ensures that any residual configurations or data that might cause conflicts are cleared, and the APIC node starts with a clean state.

Here are the steps you should follow:

1. Perform a Factory Reset

Performing a factory reset will ensure that the APIC node is in a clean state before it is recommissioned into the cluster.

Steps to Factory Reset an APIC Node:

1. Access the APIC Console:

   1. Connect to the APIC console via KVM, SSH, or direct console access.

2. Log in to the APIC:

   1. Use the default credentials or the credentials you have set up.

3. Run the Factory Reset Command:

   1. Execute the following command to perform a factory reset:
      acidiag touch clean
   2. Confirm the action when prompted.

4. Reboot the APIC:

   1. Reboot the APIC node to complete the factory reset process:
      reboot

2. Recommission the APIC Node

Once the factory reset is complete, you can proceed to recommission the APIC node into the cluster.

Steps to Recommission the APIC Node:

1. Boot the APIC Node:

   1. Power on the APIC node and let it boot up.

2. Initial Setup:

   1. Follow the initial setup wizard to configure the basic settings (e.g., IP address, hostname).

3. Join the Cluster:

   1. During the setup process, you will be prompted to join the existing APIC cluster.
   2. Provide the necessary information (e.g., cluster IP addresses, credentials) to join the cluster.

4. Verify the Cluster Status:

   1. Once the APIC node has joined the cluster, verify the cluster status to ensure that the node is properly integrated.
   2. You can check the cluster status from the APIC GUI or by using the following CLI command:
      acidiag avread

      avread

Summary

Performing a factory reset on the APIC node before recommissioning it into the cluster is a recommended practice to ensure a clean and conflict-free integration. After the factory reset, follow the standard procedure to join the APIC node to the existing cluster and verify its status.

If you encounter any issues during the process, consider reaching out to Cisco TAC for further assistance.

AshSe

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