Cisco UCS Platform Emulator 3.1(2ePE1)

[dsoper]

Cisco UCS Platform Emulator, Release 3.1(2ePE1)

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(2ePE1)

• Note that Release 3.1(2ePE1) is a patch release based on 3.1(2bPE1).  There are limited changes from the previous release:
  • New default HW config to reduce some startup warnings in UCS Manager.
    • Note that an example 2nd Generation Fabric Interconnect (6248 FI) configuration has also been attached below.  The attached UCSPE config can be imported from the UCSPE Equipment page.
  • Bug fixes to avoid chassis and service profile association issues in some cases.
• UCSPE 3.1(2ePE1) is featured in a Cisco dCloud programmability demo.   The demo includes a comprehensive lab guide including the following content for the Cisco UCS PowerTool and Python SDK:
  • Overviews of PowerShell and Python programming environments with step-by-step usage instructions
  • Code generation examples including code generation with UCS Manager's HTML5 interface
  • Sample script creation and use with UCSPE

Feature Summary of 3.1(2ePE1) based on previous release information:

• Full scale emulation of UCS Manager 3.1(2e) which features HTML 5 User Interface improvements
  • NOTE: Browser focus follows UCSM when HTML5 UI is launched.  HTML5 UI can be opened in a New Tab/Window if there is a need to continue viewing the PE Configuration page.
• Software and configuration features include the following:
  • Disk Zoning, Chassis Profiles, and Storage Profiles for C3260 systems
    • UCS Platform Emulator 3.1(2b) Storage Server Demo
  • Server and Chassis equipment templates for easy addition of emulated resources
  • Numerous emulator stability fixes including fixes for HW discovery across VM reboots

Hardware Feature Summary

See the User Guide for additional details on supported Hardware.  Here is a summary of newly supported Hardware:

• Cisco UCS C3260 chassis, servers, and storage controllers
• M4 B-Series and C-Series servers including HX220C and HX240C
• NVMe-based PCIe storage options

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.
  • If issues are experienced during FW download, please try alternate methods such as API based download (e.g., using PowerTool or Python SDK).
  • If issues are experienced with FW policies, please try excluding all components from the policy.
• AAA-based authentication (LDAP, RADIUS, TACACs)— The Platform Emulator accepts security configuration changes, but does not enforce local or remote password authentication.  Any username and password combination can successfully log into the Cisco UCS Manger UI with administrator privileges.

IMPORTANT CONFIGURATION NOTE: 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: UCS PE supports uploading B-Series and C-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)

Alternate Download Location: If you have issues downloading the attached OVA or Zip file, please try the cisco.box.com links in the attached Box_Download_Links_3_1_2ePE1.txt.zip file.
MD5 hashes for downloads:

• OVA: 3422b2d6c4eadcc68837e8325767fefc
• ZIP: eafd1e66c03eae1069e3c1c52b99c8d1

[fabdipasquale]

Hello,

There used to be a "database persistence" option.

Not there anymore ?

[dsoper]

There is no longer an option to persist the UCSM database. Logical configuration backups of UCSM are recommended to save UCSM state across emulator or VM restarts.

[fabdipasquale]

Thanks!

[dougsimar]

You shouldn't have to move your location just change your DNS servers to bypass your local cache server. You can use OpenDNS or Google's DNS servers. That should fix your problem.

[sazidmoyal]

Getting error unable to start network services after launching ova file in vmware workstation. No dhcp address assigned to VIP and FIA and FIB. Any idea?

[aungsithu.pol]

I can't open ova file on vm ware 14 pro. How should i do?

[jhead67]

If your having issues downloading, my recommendation is to try it very early in the morning. I tired multiple times last night and couldn't get it done, after reviewing comments from multiple sources I noted the times that people who were successful were posting comments. I kicked the download off at 8 AM CST and it downloaded in about 45 minutes.

Hope this helps someone, because it was driving me crazy last night.

[gman66]

Hi Dave - I configured the UCS emulator to connect to our Microsoft AD, never seen a single error in the process, but after logging out to do a test login the first thing I see wrong is that there isn't a additional field that contains the AD option.   I remember in the past there was always an option to type in the user, pw, and also select the remote authentication source, such as AD, that was defined.  

Please let me know if the Emulator is not set up for this activity (integration with remote LDAP), or whether the 3rd field in the logon page to select the proper ldap source is not longer used..

When you don't get errors in your configuration efforts, you expect things are working properly.   I don't want to begin a troubleshooting process with the emulator if its not coded to actually integrate with an LDAP source.

Thanks in advance if you can get to this question.  

[sazidmoyal]

Emulator doesn’t have ldap capability and also you can’t install OS on blades

Sent from my iPhone

[dsoper]

Hi Ken,

I’ve just added this section to the 3.1(2e) page regarding user authentication and I’ll ensure that’s on the release page going forward:

· AAA-based authentication (LDAP, RADIUS, TACACs)— The Platform Emulator accepts security configuration changes, but does not enforce local or remote password authentication. Any username and password combination can successfully log into the Cisco UCS Manger UI with administrator privileges.

Sorry this was dropped from release notes along the way (was in the 2.x notes but was lost as we moved to 3.x). Let me know of other questions.

[omhpos1976]

it works..thanks

[azzeddine salem]

Hi all

i am unable ti download the files with both methods, can anyone uploadit on dropbox or mega

[autoko1@3]

I also had issues downloading both files. I think it might be related to the inactivity timeout. Just keep browsing Cisco Communities while downloading so you don't get logged out. It worked for me.

[krmalino]

Hello dsoper

Could you please update the box upload as they are not available.

Thanks

[dsoper]

Sorry for the inconvenience.  I have reposted the images to box and the links should now be valid.