How to change managing instance of blade server manually

[MA Khatri]

Hi All, 

I am curious if there is an option to change managing instance of a blade server (for KVM) manually through command line or so. I.e if the current managing instance is FI-A and I want to change it to FI-B. 

Is there any way to change it?

Thank you

[Wes Austin]

Do you have a specific use case in which you would like to conduct this change?

The only way would be to reboot the CIMC on the blade and hope the managing instance changes. There is no way to "hard-set" the managing instance.

Wes

[MA Khatri]

Hi Wes, 

Thanx for your prompt response. 

Actually, I have a customer and during ATP (Acceptance Test) we removed one IO Module to check the redundancy. We lost KVM connection to Server's console, as its managing instance was through the IO module we removed for test. 

Customer was able to connect KVM after about 2 minutes when the IO module was back online. 

Now customer wants if we can reduce this outage time for KVM connection. (there was not disturbance for network/storage connectivity).

After my two days search, I also ended on it that resetting CIMC may work, I believe server will not reboot upon resetting CIMC. Please confirm.

Thank you for your support.

Khatri

[Wes Austin]

Rebooting the CIMC is not disruptive and will not reboot the host OS.

Wes

[MA Khatri]

Thank you Wes, 

I will inform customer, and probably repeat the scenario upon customers request, and will update this thread with final results.

[gagan.dogra1]

rebooting CIMC on blade not changing managing instance for me. It still on B and other Blade are in Instance A.

[josoneal]

Hello gagan.dogra,

There is no reliable way to change managing instance without having to reboot a Fabric interconnect. In your case, you would need to reboot FI B in order to have all managing instances to point to FI A. This is not recommended though as there is nothing wrong with the managing instances to be different across your domain. 

Is there are a reason why you want the blade to be managed by FI A and not FI B? Are you unable to KVM or ping CIMC when the managing instance is going across FI B?

- Josh

[robertdemay]

You can also Configure Fabric Evacuation on a single FI and this will move everything off the FI in question without having to reboot it.



Look up "Configuring Fabric Evacuation" Under this page. This works for Versions 2.x, 3.x and 4.x.



https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/gui/config/guide/2-2/b_UCSM_GUI_Configuration_Guide_2_2/configuring_the_fabric_interconnects.html#task_F2604D61B8B24A8DACF84CD9767538A3

[josoneal]

Configuring Fabric Evacuation is only used for data-plane traffic and does not impact management traffic. Fabric Evacuation will not change the the managing instance of the blade.

-Josh

[gagan.dogra1]

Because i am not having any ethernet Switch to connect both FI primary and
Secondary in a network. Thats why i can manage or take KVM access through
only single Management port.

[josoneal]

There is no limitation preventing you from connecting both Fabric Interconnects management ports to the same single upstream Ethernet switch.

Recommended:
Plug FI-B mgmt port into the same switch you have FI-A mgmt port plugged into.
Otherwise, rebooting the secondary FI to force managing instances to be managed by the primary FI. Not necessary step though.

- Josh