Configuring a port as "server port" in UCS FI 6120

[niranjandas]

Hi All,

This is one basic question. If any UCS user can kidly help me by providing a check list for the configuring a server port in the UCS, I will be greatful.

What i did was turn a port as server port using the UCS manager and i did nothing more. Then i connected the 10G CNA from the server to this UCS FI. FCoE login never happened. My setup is little bit different than a regular UCS system as i am trying to connect a stand alone server to the UCS FI instead of using the chassis. Please see the link https://supportforums.cisco.com/thread/2117756?tstart=0 for more on that topic.

Seems like these server ports are trunk ports and can carry any VLAN traffic ? Then why not FCoE VLAN ? Why no "Discovery Advertisement" ? I have hooked a finisar and dont see any FCoE protocol specific thing coming from the server port.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

[David McFarland · Accepted solution]

Niranjan,

It might help to go over the steps that need to occur when you connect a 10G CNA to a Nexus N5K.

In order to get a virtual FC login on a N5K, the following manual steps must be perfomed:

1) create a vfc and bind it to the physical interface where the CNA is attached

2) create a vlan and vsan and associate the vlan to the fcoe vsan

3) place the vfc into the vsan created in step 2 above

Once all of these steps are completed and a couple of shut/no-shuts, you'll get a vfc flogi on the N5K.

When you create a Service Profile in UCSM and associate it to a blade with a CNA, UCSM performs all of these tasks for you. If you dig into the system, you'll see vfc's and veth's that were created for your SPs.

Without a SP and UCSM to manage the server port, none of these steps occur, and you will not get a flogi. There is no method to manipulate UCSM to perform what you are trying to do. It's not in the current design of the product.

The only supported method of attaching a C-series rack server to a UCSM cluster is by using the C-series integration features and required hardware (FEX)

Hope this helps.

[niranjandas]

Thanks David for the explanation. From your post it seems like, a service profile is must for the server which is created using the UCSM software. I will try to walk through this solution and update.

My understanding is 1G FEX is required to which C-series server LOM port will be connected. I am supposing this FEX need not be in a corporate network.

[niranjandas]

I want to add the findings after following the steps.

I have "chassis discovery policy" set to 2 in the UCS. Connected 4 10G links to UCS FI from the FEX. Link comes up but after some time it does down and never comes back. If a FI side port is disable and then enabled the whole scene repeates. The link status says "Link failure or not connected" on the FEX ports.

Under the FEX tree IOM, general staus shows "accessiblity problem". At the same location IOM TAB shows 100% progress status.

None of my backplane ports shows up in the UCSM under IOM. I am attaching a screen shot which is taken at IOM under FEX device tree. I could not figure what was wrong. I am using 1.4(1i) UCSM software.

Adding pciture.

[Jeremy Waldrop]

When you have more FEX uplinks than what your chassis discovery policy is set to you have to acknowledge the chassis so that it enables the other 2 links.

[niranjandas]

I have tried that but no help. I also limited the links to 2 by disabling FI ports but still it wont come up. Moreover no backplane shows up. Not sure how to bring the backplane ports.

[David McFarland]

If you've followed the configuration guides for setting up the 2248 and it's not responding there are two things left to try:

1) as part of the initial bring up of the 2248 once the server links are created, the FI will force download of the FEX firmware to match the FI running firmware. This may be the issue. You can try and hard powercycle the 2248 (remove power, wait 10 seconds, re-apply power).

Make sure you have at least one server port up. Then allow the 2248 to try and sync code versions. This process can take awhile depending on how far back it it. I'd suggest starting it late in the day and just leaving it alone and checking it in the morning. I've seen it take a couple of hours at its worst.

Unlike the IOM's there is no way to update/activate the 2248's. It normally occurs as a part of the negotiation with the respective FI's/

3) If the above doesn't work, open a TAC case and get the 2248s RMA'd.

Dave