Hi Experts: I have a UCS managed C460-M4 and I would like to REDUCE SPOF for my Management Network [KVM Console] which is currently limited to Slot 4 with my Cisco VIC.Firmware is 2.2(5b). Q1. How to achieve it if VIC in Slot 4 has hardware issues (both ports is busted/downed) if I am using Direct Connect (direct to UCS FI-1 port to FI-A and the other to FI-B)? Q2. I am using IPMI too and since IPMI is configured to use the Management Network on Slot 4 and once Slot 4 is DOWN, my IPMI will stop working too? Can I use other network ports for IPMI like the MLOB - x 1 Dual-1G Ports and x 1 Dual-10G Ports? Can I use these above for my Management Network too rather than using the 10G VIC in Slot 4? If I do this, I WILL HAVE to move the VIC in slot 4 to other slot, AM I right? Will this VOID the Direct Connect framework and supportability or WILL IT work or not? Please help to shed some lights. SiM ... View more

N5596UP & CAT6509E hi, Cisco Experts: I am not a network expert, so I need advices: Example: Customer has X 2 N5596, X 2 N2224TP and X 2 CAT6509E & others like UCS 5108 Chassis, etc. Q1. Customer has X 2 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-A to CAT6509E-A. Customer has X 2 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-B to CAT6509E-B. CAT6509E is in Independence Mode (NO VSS) N5596UP is in vPC Mode Customer wants to do Ethernt Uplink Functional Test so they told me they wanted to PLUG OUT both of the X 2 Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-A or N5596-B. What will be the outcome with regard to the following? CAT6509E is their L3 whereby customer clients can access the application hosted in Bare-Metal UCS Blades? They will issue ping test from their notebooks to one of the L3 IP. Will the ping break? Q2. Will the following connection make a difference at all? Customer has X 1 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-A to CAT6509E-A, follows by another X 1 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-A to CAT6509E-B, Customer has X 1 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-B to CAT6509E-B, follows by another X 1 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-B to CAT6509E-A, CAT6509E is in Independence Mode (NO VSS) N5596UP is in vPC Mode Q3. What is Cisco's recommended Best Practices ASSUMING customer is NOT RUNNING VSS in their X 2 CAT6509E in terms of Physical Connectivity & Redundancy in this case? Thank a lot. SiM ... View more

hi, Cisco Experts: I am not a network expert, so I need advices: Example: Customer has X 2 N5596, X 2 N2224TP and X 2 CAT6509E & others like UCS 5108 Chassis, etc. Q1. Customer has X 2 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-A to CAT6509E-A. Customer has X 2 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-B to CAT6509E-B. CAT6509E is in Independence Mode (NO VSS) N5596UP is in vPC Mode Customer wants to do Ethernt Uplink Functional Test so they told me they wanted to PLUG OUT both of the X 2 Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-A or N5596-B. What will be the outcome with regard to the following? CAT6509E is their L3 whereby customer clients can access the application hosted in Bare-Metal UCS Blades? They will issue ping test from their notebooks to one of the L3 IP. Will the ping break? Q2. Will the following connection make a difference at all? Customer has X 1 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-A to CAT6509E-A, follows by another  X 1 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-A to CAT6509E-B, Customer has X 1 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-B to CAT6509E-B, follows by another  X 1 10G Ethernet Uplinks from N5596-B to CAT6509E-A, CAT6509E is in Independence Mode (NO VSS) N5596UP is in vPC Mode Q3. What is Cisco's recommended Best Practices ASSUMING customer is NOT RUNNING VSS in their X 2 CAT6509E in terms of Physical Connectivity & Redundancy in this case? Thank a lot. SiM ... View more

hi: Can I use C220-M3's Serial Port (RJ45) to connect to my notebook so I can get the Video Display and using my keyboard of my notebook? I am thinking hard now if customer DOES NOT allow us to use their network as yet to access CIMC via a browser. Opton 1: Assign an IP in the same subnet as the CIMC on my notebook but even that I need a physical connection to that C220-M3 right? OR I have to copy everything I need like ISO files to an external Hard Drive, plug it to C220-M3, plug in a USB Keyboard. plug in a VGA Monitor, etc. Thanks. Sim ... View more

Hi, Cisco Experts: Can I have a definitive answer to the following? q1. EMC mentioned that they do not support FC Port Channel & Trunking with regard to our UCS Fabric Interconnects/MDS/VNX5300? Is that any truth in that? We are trying a Cisco UCS solutions with MDS and EMC VNX in the mix-SAN Boot basically, ESXi 5.1 and all others. q2. From MDS all the ways up to EMC VNX, is there such concept too-FC Port Channel & Trunking, assuming we are doing FC Port Channel & Trunking from FInterconnect to MDS? Please let me know. Appreciate it. SiM ... View more

Hi, Cisco Gurus: I need you guys to answer the following burining questions of mine: Q1. I have seen many UCS implementations being done by Cisco partners with VSAN 1, the default VSAN, due to its easiness and pre-configured to be active in both fabrics A & B. I know it is not recommended as per Cisco's best practice, but I know to know the LIMITATIONS or CONS of using Default VSAN 1, 1- Un-isololated as it is a single vlan found in both fabrics, AM I right? -Or it is OK 2-Single Point Of Failure 3-Any others as I would really like to know so that we are on the same page and others will learn from our discussions here, etc. Thanks. SiM ... View more

Hi, Folks: Any idea is UCS 2.0(2r) is still having the old bug of 2.0(1#)? After upgrading to UCS 2.0(2r), apparently some of the UCS vNICs have been renumbered as seen in ESXi 5. This is a full-width blade with 2 adapters. I have been researching and it looks like 1 way is to edit esx.conf file to put the vmnic back to their original number. Other option is to use vNIC/vHBA placement policy, but my question is how to do this? Will it work as in UCS, it is still the same old vNIC and vHBA. IT is the VMware which we have seen it being renumbered. Appreciate some authoritative advices from Cisco guys or someone else. Cheers. SiM ... View more