Cisco UCS Platform Emulator 3.1(1ePE1) Downloads

[dsoper]

Cisco UCS Platform Emulator, Release 3.1(1ePE1)

CONFIGURATION IMPORT NOTE:  Importing configuration backups (All, System, or Logical) taken from the UCS Platform Emulator (UCSPE) to physical UCS Manager domains is not recommended or supported by Cisco TAC.  UCSPE backups should only be imported to UCSPE domains.

New Features and Significant Changes in Cisco UCS PE, Release 3.1(1ePE1)

• Unified release supporting all platforms and components (e.g., UCS Classic, UCS Mini, and UCS Modular Servers)
• UCSM 3.1(1e) with HTML5 (Java version still available)
• Emulation of full scale configuration (same scaling as UCSM 3.1(1e))
• Dynamic insertion, removal, and modification of components without restarting the Platform Emulator

New Platform Emulator GUI Features

• Single "Inventory" Navigation Pane with expandable Equipment menu
• Icon based control and menus in the Content/Work Pane (see User Guide for icon descriptions and functions)
• NOTE: Browser focus follows UCSM when HTML5 UCSM is launched.  HTML5 UCSM can be opened in a New Tab/Window if there is a need to continue viewing the PE Navigation Pane.
  

New Hardware FeaturesSee the User Guide for additional details on supported Hardware.  Here is a summary of M4 and 3rd Generation Fabric Interconnect Hardware:

• Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnect 6332
• Cisco UCS Mini Fabric Interconnect 6324
• Cisco UCS I/O Module 2304
• Cisco UCS Fabric Extender C2348
• Cisco UCS Blade Server Chassis 5108
• Cisco UCS M-Series Chassis 4308
• Cisco UCS B200/B420 M4 Blade Server
• Cisco UCS Scalable M4 Blade Module (2S/4S)
• Cisco UCS C220/C240 M4 Rack Server
• Cisco UCSME M4 Modular Server
• Cisco Blade Server Adapter VIC 1340/1380
• Cisco Rack Server Adapter VIC 1387/1385

Known Limitations

• Imported configurations should be manually checked to ensure there are no missing or unsupported components.  If issues are experienced following an import, any unsupported components can be manually deleted and missing components manually added through the Equipment menu on the Navigation pane.
• Firmware Management and Firmware Auto Install have not been fully validated in this release.  See below for additional information on Firmware Management using metadata files.

Backup/Import of UCSM Configuration

• The Platform Emulator does not save UCSM configuration state across Emulator resets (to avoid consistency issues in UCSM configuration and the emulator HW configuration).  To preserve UCSM state, UCSM backup and import operations can be performed.  See an example backup/import flow here: PythonSDK for backup/restore (import) of UCSM config

Firmware Management Note: UCS PE supports uploading B-Series, C-Series, and M-Series server firmware bundles.  Because of the large file sizes of the firmware bundles, UCS PE only supports uploading of stripped-down versions (link below).  Stripped-down versions include only the firmware metadata (not the actual firmware binaries).

• Download UCSPE Firmware Bundles:  UCS Platform Emulator Firmware Bundles (includes firmware meta-data only)

Download Note: If you have issues downloading the attached OVA or Zip file, please try the following cisco.box.com links:

• OVA file: https://cisco.box.com/v/UCSPE-3-1-1e-ova
• ZIP file: https://cisco.box.com/v/UCSPE-3-1-1e-zip

MD5 sums for each download:

• OVA file: 1e7a0575470b9271515da007bac9d129
• ZIP file: c11c919fd1df58b0e7e53a6b359ddd9d

[EDUARD LEUTWYLER]

It is a good tool but when you change something from the defaults that given, UCS Manger will not recognise other memory an CPU. Also you can not change Raid controller there is a mayor bug

[dsoper]

Hi edleu,

The procedure for editing devices is usually the following:

1.  Remove the device (or parent device) in the HW inventory.  For example, if you're editing chassis components you'll need to remove the chassis.

2.  Edit device properties.  For example, you can change a CPU on a blade server.

3.  Re-insert the device.  It usually takes a few minutes for the remove and insert to be effective and shown in UCSM.

Can you let me know the steps you are doing to change CPUs/memory/controllers? 

Thanks!

[robertshaw22]

Thanks for the emulator. A future request would be to allow for the emulator to send SNMP traps outbound on behalf of state changes and hardware faults within the emulated server objects, power supplies, etc so that I can develop, test and POC an end to end monitoring solution. The documentation implies you can set outbound settings in the emulator but, I need to test an infrastructure solution and would prefer those processes be performed in a true emulator versus having to maintain a physical lab for this purpose. Thanks! Rob

[dsoper]

Hi Rob,

We’ve added SNMP trap generation as a feature request for the Emulator, but the timeframe for implementation isn’t known. The emulator currently doesn’t have any SNMP generation capability built in so it will take some time to implement and test.

Please let us know of any other questions or comments!

[Kirk J]

What are the max number of web sessions?  The same as the regular UCSM, 256?

Thanks,

Kirk...

[dsoper]

Yes, the emulator supports the same number of connections as UCSM. Thanks for using the emulator and let us know of any other questions!

[nabil.netapp]

Greetings all,

I am trying to ssh directly into the FIs, is that possible?  I tried to SSH with no luck using the common user/password combos listed around, is there a trick to this?

If I use the UCSPE username/password I am dropped into the UCSPE menu screen, I need to be dropped into the CLI instead.

Thanks.

[dsoper]

The behavior you mention of being sent to the UCSPE menu 1st, then having to navigate (type “c”) to the CLI is the expected behavior. If you’re scripting access to the UCSPE through SSH, you can send the “c” after login to reach the CLI (which provides the same functionality as SSH to a real FI). Let me know if there is a use for ssh that you’re not able to do with the UCSPE.

Thanks.

[nabil.netapp]

Hello David,

Thanks for the explanation.  One more question, is it possible to use the admin username instead of UCSPE?

Thanks,

Nabil

[dsoper]

Unfortunately the user/password can’t be changed for console or ssh logins. ucspe/ucspe is the only valid user/password.

[rameshsundararamaiah]

I'm new to UCSM emulator, what are the limitations when compared to actual UCSM

[dsoper]

The Platform Emulator is the Cisco UCS Manager application bundled into a virtual machine (VM). The VM includes software that emulates hardware communications for the UCS hardware that is configured and managed by Cisco UCS Manager. Because the UCS HW is emulated, you cannot execute server CPU code or boot server OS images, but most other UCS Manager features are supported. Please see the release notes for each Platform Emulators versions for specific limitations.

Thanks.

[it@tangoe.com]

Hello,

Are these fireware bundles required to use the emulator?

Thanks!

[dsoper]

FW bundles are not required to use the emulator, but are available for testing FW downloads and FW policy management.

[it@tangoe.com]

10-4. Too bad the connect nxos feature is not available, oh well, the emulator has many features as it is!