Cisco UCS 5108 Add NIC to ESXi Host

[djohnson]

Hello,

I am fairly new to the whole UCS world so I am slowly reading up to on it. We currently have a lab that has a 5108 that host two of our esxi5 servers. When I say lab I mean a setup that is not in production yet so I get to use it for learning right now. I right now each server I create gives me only 2 network cards to work with so I would like to add more. I attemtpted to add a new nic to the service template and the apply it but i get the following error.

"there are not enough resources overall. Not Enough vNICS available"

I am not sure what i am doing wrong or if 2 is my limit.

Thanks

[Robert Burns · Accepted solution]

Welcome Dennis,

The amount of vNICs you can create depend on the adaptor model.

Ex.

See the diagram below for supported virtual interfaces per adaptor model

When using the M81 VIC the max amount of interfaces you create is also dependent on the # of links between the IOM (Chassis) and Fabric Interconnects).  56 is assuming you have 4 links to each Fabric Interconnect from each IOM.

Additionally, full width blades (B250, B440) can support two mezz adaptors, so you can adjust the max vnic/vhba accordingly.

Regards,

Robert

[djohnson]

Robert,

Thank you for your prompt response. I am pretty sure we have the palo cards. The PID shows N20-AC0002 in UCS. Each of our chassis have 2 cards with 4 ports each. Each card has an uplink to fabric a and fabric b. Are these two paths what gives me my ability to run two nics now? If i connect the remaning two ports on each card will this give me access to 4 nic cards? Sorry for the painting of the picture but I am trying to figure this all out.

Chassis is B230 BTW

Thanks

Dennis

[Robert Burns]

Dennis,

The formula used is

Max virtual adaptors = 15 x (min ack’d links between IOM and FI) - 2

So if you have 2 uplinks from each IOM to each FI

= (15 x 2)-2

= 28 for each Palo Adaptor

That PID you mentioned is indeed the Palo VIC adaptor.

Try to re-ack your Chassis and then unassociate and try to re-associate the service profile.

**Also ensure your vHBAs are set one to each fabric (not two set to Fabric A or two to Fabric B).  Might want to remove any configured vHBAs and see if your profile then associates fine.

Regards,

Robert

[djohnson]

vHBAs are set one to each fabric.

I did a re-ack on the Chassis and did not re-assosiate the service profile because it is not assosicated at the moment. I can assosicate it to the SP with 2 nics just fine. As soon as I try to associate it to the SP with 3 nics it throws the the "Not enough vNICs availabe error."

I am using the "Unbind from Template" option and then the "Bind to Template" option.

Denns

[Robert Burns]

I've sent you a private message.  Have a look.

Robert

[abbharga]

Hi Dennis,

Looking at the message, looks like the adapter you have on the blade are either the qlogic or the emulex CNA or any of the 10 G NICs. All of these have a limitation of only 2 NICs per adapter (in case you have a full width blade where you can have two adapters each and then 4 NICs).

If you have a CISCO VIC card (N20-AC0002) then you will be create more then 2 NICs.

Hope this helps!

./Abhinav

[djohnson]

Abbharga,

Seems you were posting as I was typing. So it looks like my limitation is lack of uplinks to my fabric.

[djohnson]

With the assistane of Robert I was able to add my vnics to my service profile by changing the "Dynamic vNIC Connection Policy" from "Use a Dynamic vNIC connection Policy" to "No Dynamic vNIC Connection Policy" on the Service Profile. I was then able to add my vNIC.