The UCS C-series rack-mount server driver hell

[Stephan Perschke]

Hello Cisco,

Why does it have to be so complicated to find the drivers matching your UCSM host firmware package?

Yesterday we installed UCSM version 3.1(2b) with the corresponding host firmware package. Before we update the host firmware on our C240 M3S and M3L rack-mount servers we tried to find the matching drivers for the operating system.

Cisco provides the UCS Hardware and Software Interoperability Matrix Tool (New) that should make my life easier. But when I choose my C-Series, Cisco UCS C240 M3S server – to my surprise the Intel Xeon v2 processor is not an option here – the tool provides download links to driver DVDs for blade servers only.

Next I checked the Hardware and Software Interoperability for UCSM Managed Servers in Release 3.1(2) PDF document. Here I found the following hint

For C-Series servers managed by UCSM,unless otherwise indicated in this document, the supported firmware and drivers are those

listed in the 2.0.13 C-Series Compatibility guide, located at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10477/prod_technical_reference_

list.html

The link brings me back to the Technical Reference Web page where I find version 2.0(13) in the section for “Standalone C-Series UCS Server Compatibility”. The linked UCS Hardware and Software Interoperability Matrix Tool (New) is the same as for UCS Managed servers that again presents the driver DVDs for blade servers (grr).

The PDF “Hardware and Software Interoperability for Standalone C-Series Servers in Release 2.0(13)” does not provide any link to the DVDs so I checked the general download page next. Choosing “Support”, “All Downloads” on the home page I found the Download tool. I selected “Servers – Unified Computing”, “UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Standalone Server Software”, “UCS C240 M3 Rack Server Software”. The link to the drivers brought me to different versions of ISO images but version 2.0(13) was not included. The latest version is 2.0(10).

At that point I was really frustrated and asked Google for help. I learned that I should have selected “Servers – Unified Computing”, “UCS C-Series Rack-Mount UCS-Managed Server Software”. I didn’t know that I had to search for the Standalone Server software in the UCS Managed Server Software section.

However, finally I got my DVD.

[Walter Dey]

Hi Stephan

Next time I would start here:

http://www.cisco.com/web/techdoc/ucs/interoperability/matrix/matrix.html

[Stephan Perschke]

Hello Walter,

Thank you for your reply and the link. Unfortunately the Interoperability Matrix doesn't help in my case. For UCS Managed Servers and UCSM Version 3.1(2b) the only available OS is CentOS and I do not see any hint to Version 2.0.13.

Starting with Standalone Servers and selecting 2.0.13 I see the Details for the Drivers but no hint where I can download the DVD.

Kind regards,

Stephan

[Walter Dey]

Hi Stephan

2 comments

- in the interop tool, C240-M3(LFF)-w/E5 shows all OS, however, C240-M3(LFF)-w/E5-2600-v2 only shows CentOS

- I assume you are aware of

Table 1.       End-of-Life Milestones and Dates for the Cisco UCS C240 M3 Rack Server

Milestone	Definition	Date
End-of-Life Announcement Date	The date the document that announces the end of sale and end of life of a product is distributed to the general public.	July 2, 2016
End-of-Sale Date	The last date to order the product through Cisco point-of-sale mechanisms. The product is no longer for sale after this date.	December 31, 2016
Last Ship Date: HW	The last-possible ship date that can be requested of Cisco and/or its contract manufacturers. Actual ship date is dependent on lead time.	March 31, 2017
End of Routine Failure Analysis Date: HW	The last-possible date a routine failure analysis may be performed to determine the cause of hardware product failure or defect.	December 31, 2017
End of New Service Attachment Date: HW	For equipment and software that is not covered by a service-and-support contract, this is the last date to order a new service-and-support contract or add the equipment and/or software to an existing service-and-support contract.	December 31, 2017
End of Service Contract Renewal Date: HW	The last date to extend or renew a service contract for the product.	March 28, 2021
Last Date of Support: HW	The last date to receive applicable service and support for the product as entitled by active service contracts or by warranty terms and conditions. After this date, all support services for the product are unavailable, and the product becomes obsolete.	December 31, 2021

[James McDonald]

Hi Stephan,

As far as I can tell, the choice of processor in the selection tool affects only the choice of motherboard chipset driver (which is usually included in the OS and OS patches, not downloaded separately) and does not affect the choice of driver version for adapters or storage devices.

If anyone knows differently, please correct me.

As you found out, always be careful when choosing between UCS-managed and standalone configurations for rack-mounted servers. A simple design change to the compatibility tool could help users avoid that error, by having a separate drop-down menu for the three categories - Blade, UCS-managed rack mount, and standalone rack mount - before going on to choose server models.

Also, you will find the "Driver ISO" link below any "Firmware Bundle" sometimes does, and sometimes does not, lead to a positively selected driver ISO. If it doesn't then don't go hunting for it, or you will waste days on a wild goose chase as I did.

In those cases, just expand the component list, find the individual driver versions listed against your components, and download them separately from another vendor.

Hi Walter,

The O.P. did start at the interoperability tool - his link points to the same place as your link - and I don't see the relevance of an EOL notice showing his model has support until 2021.

If you have nothing useful to offer it really is better to say nothing, instead of forestalling more useful replies that someone else might have made.