Questions about upgrading ESXi on UCS host servers without breaking our phone system

[misc_cucm]

I help manage our company's small CUC VoIP system which we had installed about 2 years ago. Call manager has been updated a while back but now I would like to update/patch/upgrade ESXi on our two UCS C220 M4S servers as it is behind several versions.

Environment Details:

• Product: Cisco Business Edition 6000
• Current call manager version: 11.5.1.13902-2
• Number of call manager servers in the cluster: 2
• Model of UCS on which this ESXi is running: UCS C220 M4S
• Current ESXi Version: 6.5.0 Update 1 (Build 5969303)
• VMware license: VMware vSphere 6 Embedded Essentials
• ESXi Image Profile: Vmware-ESXi-6.5.0-5969303-Custom-Cisco-6.5.1.1

I have no problem managing ESXi updates within our other separate VMware environment as I use Update Manager in vCenter Appliance and set servers in maintenance mode, migrate VM's while hosts restart and resolve any issues after maintenance is complete, etc. What I am not really certain on is how this process might differ within our CUC setup. We have no vCenter and therefore no Update Manager. It looks like we have vSAN running as I see it listed under the package list on each of our two hosts.

I don't know that much about vSAN but I understand that the two servers will share pooled storage if this is actually set up. I worry that upgrading one host from 6.5 to 6.7 might break vSAN or cause other issues until both servers are fully updated/upgraded.

I am also not exactly sure about our licensing and if it supports moving from 6.5 to 6.7 or not.

Lastly, with our current UCS systems, I am pretty sure I will have to just mount the desired ESXi image CD and boot to that in order to upgrade ESXi on the hosts. However, I would need the custom Cisco ESXi image for that and I am having trouble locating that on their website.

I do have a TAC case submitted with Cisco as we have SMARTnet support but so far help with my concerns has been fairly limited.

Any advice will be appreciated!

[Ratheesh Kumar]

Hi there

The best way would be to schedule a maintenance window for the UCS/ESXi upgrade. I recently upgraded the CIMC and ESXi and used the below approach.

1. Backup of CUCM/CUC/Cisco Applications
2. Move the ESXi to the maintenance window
3. Activate the virtual drives in UCS
4. Mount the CIMC software

Download links - https://software.cisco.com/download/home/286281345/type/283850974/release/2.0)

Procedure - https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/sw/lomug/2-0-x/3_0/b_huu_3_0_1/b_huu_2_0_13_chapter_011.html

     5. Once CIMC is upgraded, proceed with ESXi

     6. Since you have 6.5 licenses, upgrade shouldn't cause any license violations.

Download links –

https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=OEM-ESXI670-CISCO&productId=742

https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=OEM-ESXI65U2-CISCO&productId=646

Hope this Helps

Cheers
Rath!
***Please rate helpful posts***

[misc_cucm]

Thanks for the great info!

[misc_cucm]

I guess the only question I have in response is, what do you mean by "activate the virtual drives in UCS"?

[Ratheesh Kumar]

Hi there

What I meant is ATTACHING AN ISO IMAGE ON CISCO UCS® PLATFORMS

https://portal.nutanix.com/#/page/docs/details?targetId=Field-Installation-Guide-v3-7:v37-node-install-image-attach-ucs-t.html

1. From the workstation, log in to the CIMC web console by entering the CIMC IP address of the server and the user name and password that you specified during the initial configuration of the CIMC.
2. In the toolbar, click Launch KVM Console to launch the KVM Console.
3. In the KVM Console, do the following:
   1. Click Virtual Media.
   2. Click Activate Virtual Devices to start a vMedia session that allows you to attach the ISO image file from your local computer. If you have not allowed unsecured connections, the CIMC web console prompts you to accept the session. Click Accept this session.
   3. Click Map CD/DVD in Virtual Media and select the ISO image file.
   4. Start the server and press F6 when prompted to open the boot menu screen. On the boot menu screen, choose Cisco vKVM-Mapped vDVD1.22 and press Enter.

      The server boots from the ISO image.

Hope this Helps

Cheers
Rath!
***Please rate helpful posts***

[misc_cucm]

Thanks for your clarification!