B200-M4 Board Controller activation failed

[Walter Dey]

I think we have this seen before.

B200-M4, 2.2.3d.

HFP 2.2.3d -> B200-M4 Board Controller Version 5.0

B200-M4 factory delivered with Board controller Version 9.0

Applying this HFP fails (see attachments)

I think it is due to Board Controller cannot be downgraded ?

Can someone please confirm ? It is a ugly error message, which cannot be cleared.

[Qiese Dides · Accepted solution]

Good Morning Walter,

Yeah you are running into the B200 M4 Board controller. A link below has a detailed guide step by step on how to clear it and your work around possibly.

https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/12714311/b200-m4-activation-failed#comment-10958451

It comes down to the board controller not being able to downgrade to the version of the UCSM. There are multiple ways you can clear it based on HFP, Including the Capability Catalog, Ignoring the warning, or upgrading the infrastructure.

Let me know if the guide in the link is not accurate and I can hope to answer any other questions.

[Walter Dey]

Thanks Qiese !

The problem with all this solutions: they are disruptive ! Correct ?

I think even the one updating the service catalog.

Walter.

[Qiese Dides]

Catalog is non disruptive Walter, so no issue there you just upload the catalog into UCS Manager.

[Walter Dey]

Kenny wrote in his note:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/12714311/b200-m4-activation-failed#comment-10958451

Just for future users... another way to get rid of the "Board Controller Set to Failed" error message is simply update the Capability Catalog to 2.2(4b) or higher and reack the blade.

Q. Doesn't reack the blade (similar to reack the chassis) stop any traffic ingress / egress for 10+ seconds ? and should therefore done only during a maintenance window ?

Walter.

[Qiese Dides]

Hi Walter,

Sorry about the confusion I should have been more clear yes you are right all the solutions to clear up the errors will be disruptive.

Including the capability catalog in UCS Manager will cause no outage, that is uploading the actual file and getting it into the system. To let the blade sync with the change a re-acknowledge is required to clear the errors. However, those errors are cosmetic so currently they are having no impact on the environment. So you would have to re-acknowledge the blade to include the full effects.

[Walter Dey]

Thanks Qiese

[Walter Dey]

I have now a similar situation with UCS-mini, running 3.0.2d, where 2 B200-M4 show failed Boardcontrollers.

I upgraded the capability catalog to 3.0.2f, without success.

[Qiese Dides]

UCSM is 3.0.2d what is the blade firmware currently?

Is it the same type of error?

[Walter Dey]

Yes, see attachment