UCS C240 M4 Network and Storage

[Hythim Ali El Hadad]

Hi,

I have a C240 M4 UCS server and we are installing win server 2012 R2 and have 2 questions here

1- the server contains 9-4TB Disks. I configured them as RAID 5 . Is it the better RAID for 9 Disks ? Also there are 2 480 GB 2.5 inch Enterprise Value  6G SATA SSD for Boot. But I don't see them on CIMC to configure them for RAID. how can I detect them

2- the second is a strange problem, I have 2 RJ45 ethernet ports and 2 Fiber ethernet ports with SFP+-SR and MM fiber cable

I installed the driver for the ethernet. and storage controller which is now show as FCOE

The problem is when I configure the RJ45 port with ip address and gw. it work good and ping the gateway

But when I configure the same ip address on the fiber port, it is't pinging the gateway at all. Network status show packets sent but not received. win firewall disabled. Do I need to install any other driver for this to work ? I see PCIe is unknown in the device manager is it affect ? or what may be the problem

Thanks

[mojafri]

Hi @Hythim Ali El Hadad,

Please find the answers below: 

1- the server contains 9-4TB Disks. I configured them as RAID 5 . Is it the better RAID for 9 Disks ? Also there are 2 480 GB 2.5 inch Enterprise Value  6G SATA SSD for Boot. But I don't see them on CIMC to configure them for RAID. how can I detect them

Configuring different RAID levels required min number of disks, total no. of disks doesn't matter. More on RAID consideration-https://www.datarecovery.net/articles/raid-level-comparison.aspx . For internal boot drive, you can't manage it from CIMC as it is controlled by embedded raid controller. For configuration follow:- https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/hw/C240M4/install/C240M4/raid.html#69893

2. Do I need to install any other driver for this to work ? I see PCIe is unknown in the device manager is it affect ? or what may be the problem.

If you are seeing network adapter on OS level, you don't need additional drivers. "unknown" PCIe devices are expected as you might need to install additional drivers like chipset etc. but shouldn't be related to ping issue.   Please provide the below details:

1.  What is the network adapter model you are using? Is it a Cisco VIC card? if  yes, then we can manage stuffs from CIMC.

2. Running-cfg of switch port where this card is connected?

3. Do you see Rx/Tx counters on switch-port? 

5. Is gw configured on switch directly connect to server? 

6. If its a VIC card, what is the VLAN-mode for vnics, trunk or access?  

7. Do you see MAC of OS NIC interface being learned on switch? 

Regards,

MJ

[Hythim Ali El Hadad]

Hi @mojafri

Thanks you very much for your reply

I found my VIC is 1227 and found that it support FCOE . So I think it may be connected to my FI and to configure a vNIC with a service profile.

Or I'm thinking to let it connected to the core switch and try to configure the vNIC from CIMC interface !! Is it doable ?

Also for installing the windows OS over internal SSD. Do I need to only enable the embedded RAID controller in BIOS ? then The SSDs will be shown on the CIMC to configure the RAID for them ? or what should happen ?

Thanks

Haitham

 

[mojafri]

Yes either way is fine, use SP (In case of FI integration) or use CIMC to configure vnics. For internal SSDs, as mentioned before you can't manage it from CIMC. Please go through the link which I provided, you will find all your answers. 

Regards,

MJ