Introduction
The Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Mount servers are designed to operate in both; as part of Cisco Unified Computing System or in standalone environments. When used as part of UCS these C-Series Rack servers function the same as the B-Series Blade servers; i.e. they are configured and managed using UCS Manager and service profiles are applied to them. When used in standalone environments, C-Series Rack servers can be used with Cisco Nexus switches which support features like Cisco VN-Link technology or can be used with other Cisco or third party switches. This gives the organization a greater flexibility in deploying the UCS C-Series Rack servers. The other advantage or Rack servers is that it enables the organization to deploy systems on time that best meet their growth and budget.
C-Series Rack server Overview
The available C-Series Rack servers are:
Cisco UCS C460 M2 High-Performance Rack Server
The Cisco UCS C460 M2 Rack Server has the processor, memory, and local storage to deliver leading performance for your mission critical business solutions. C460 M2 has Intel Xeon processor (E7-4800 product family), 64 dual in-line memory module (DIMM) slots, and up to 2 TB, based on double data rate 3 (DDR3) technology. It is a 4RU chassis.
Cisco UCS C420 M3 Rack Server
The Cisco UCS C420 M3 Rack Server is a high-density, enterprise-class, four-socket, two-rack-unit (2RU) rack server. It supports upto four Intel Xeon E5-4600 processors and upto 1.5 TB of RAM with 48 DIMM slots.
Cisco UCS C260 M2 Rack Server
The Cisco UCS C260 M2 Rack Server is one of the industry's highest-density, 2-socket rack server platforms. It supports Intel Xeon processor E7-2800 product family and up to 64 DIMM slots and up to 1 TB, based on double data rate 3 (DDR3) technology.
Cisco UCS C240 M3 Rack Server
The Cisco UCS C240 M3 Rack Server is designed for both performance and expandability. It supports Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 and E5-2600 v2 processor product families and offers up to 768 GB of RAM, 24 drives, and four 1GE LAN interfaces built into the motherboard.
Cisco UCS C220 M3 Rack Server
The Cisco UCS C220 M3 Rack Server is designed for performance and density. It supports Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 and E5-2600 v2 processor product families and offers up to 512 GB of RAM, eight drives or SSDs, and two 1GE LAN interfaces built into the motherboard.
Cisco UCS C24 M3 Rack Server
The Cisco C24 M3 server targets entry level virtualization, IT and web infrastructure. It supports upto two Intel Xeon processors (E5-2400 product family) and upto 384 GB of memory with 12 DIMM slots.
Cisco UCS C22 M3 Rack Server
The Cisco UCS C22 M3 Rack Server design combines outstanding economics and a density-optimized feature set. It supports upto two, eight-core Intel Xeon processors (E5-2400 product family) and upto 384 GB of memory with 12 DIMM slots.
Click here for differences between UCS Blade Servers and Rack Servers.
Click here for End of Sale Models.
Check out the new M2 and M3 rack servers on cisco.com
CIMC Overview
Cisco Integrated Management Controller (CIMC) is used for management/monitoring of C-Series Rack servers. CIMC provides options like WebGUI, CLI and IPMI for management/monitoring tasks. CIMC runs on a separate chip on the C-Series servers and thus is able to provide services in case of any major hardware failure or system crash. CIMC also does user management tasks and supports user access levels of Admin (Full access), User/Operator (can change host features but not CIMC) and Read Only (can only see information). CIMC uses IPMI to monitor thermal and voltage sensors in the servers. CIMC is useful for initial configuration of the server and troubleshooting any problems in server operation; however CIMC can not be used for tasks like deploying an OS, deploying software patches, install software applications and manage external storage on SAN or NAS.
