Cisco UCS Tools

Cisco UCS Tools is a host utility vSphere Installation Bundle (VIB) that collects information about the Operating System and driver versions and makes this information available in Cisco Intersight.

This information helps Cisco Intersight evaluate compliance with the Hardware Compatibility Tool (HCL). Cisco UCS Tools uses Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) over Keyboard Controller Style (KCS) to send the information collected to Cisco IMC.

Cisco UCS Tools includes the following:

  • Scripts to collect the ESXi driver inventory and OS information using esxcli commands and send this information to Cisco IMC

  • Scripts to read configuration files from Cisco IMC and use it to configure the management network on the ESXi host

  • The ipmitool binary, customized by Cisco to read or write files on Cisco IMC

  • init scripts to invoke the inventory collection and network configuration during boot. The host inventory is collected every 24 hours starting with version 1.0.3-1OEM for ESXi 6.0/6.5 and 1.1.0-1OEM for ESXi 6.7 and above.

Revision History

If your ESXi version did not previously include UCS Tools, you can download and install it manually. The following table shows the release history of Cisco UCS Tools VIB Versions and the compatibility information with the ESXi versions. Ensure that you install the appropriate version of UCS Tools that corresponds to your Cisco OEM ESXi version to evaluate HCL compliance of your systems. If you want to download a Cisco Custom ESXi OEM image bundled with UCS Tools, search for the Cisco Custom OEM Images for preferred ESXi version on the VMware software download site.


Important


  • The images on VMware.com might not contain the latest compatible VIB version. Cisco recommends that you refer to column 2 in the table for the latest VIB version and install it manually.

  • For HyperFlex clusters, use the latest ESXi upgrade image posted on the Cisco.com Software Download page for HyperFlex HX Data Platform. The HyperFlex Data Platform upgrade bundle comprises of the of latest version of UCS tools at time of release. Do not use any other non-HyperFlex ESXi upgrade bundle (including the Cisco Custom OEM bundles on VMware.com) for HyperFlex clusters.


Table 1. Cisco UCS Tools Release History and Compatible VIB Versions

ESXi Version

Latest Compatible VIB Version available on Cisco.com

Download location of the Cisco Custom Images on VMware.com

Download location of HyperFlex Upgrade bundles on Cisco.com

6.0

1.0.7-1OEM1

Download CISCO Custom Image for ESXi

HyperFlex HX Data Platform

6.5

1.0.12-1OEM

6.7

1.1.12-1OEM

7.0

1.2.1-1OEM

8.0

1.3.3-1OEM

8.0U3

1.4.1-1OEM2


Note


1Starting from Cisco UCS Tools VIB version 1.0.12-1OEM VMware ESXi 6.0 will be not be supported.

2UCS Tools VIB version 1.4.1-1OEM is compatible with VMware ESXi version 8.0U3 only and is not supported on any of the previous VMware ESXi versions.


System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems

  • Cisco OEM VMware ESXi image

For information about the exact versions of the supported Operating System, see https://intersight.com/help/resources#compliance_with_hardware_compatibility_list_(hcl).

Driver Requirements

Cisco UCS Tools needs IPMI drivers to communicate with Cisco IMC. The following IPMI drivers are installed and enabled by default on the ESXi system:

  • ipmi-ipmi-devintf

  • ipmi-ipmi-msghandler

  • ipmi-ipmi-si-drv

New Software Features

New Software Features in Cisco UCS Tools VIB Version 1.4.1-1OEM

VMware ESXi Support

  • UCS Tools is supported on ESXi version 8.0U3


Note


UCS Tools VIB version 1.4.1-1OEM is compatible with VMware ESXi version 8.0U3 only and is not supported on any of the previous VMware ESXi versions.


New Software Features in Cisco UCS Tools VIB Version 1.3.3-1OEM

VMware ESXi Support

  • UCS Tools is supported on ESXi version 8.0U2

New Software Features in Cisco UCS Tools VIB Version 1.3.1-1OEM

VMware ESXi Support

  • UCS Tools is supported on ESXi version 8.0

New Software Features in Cisco UCS Tools VIB Version 1.0.12-1OEM, 1.1.12-1OEM, and 1.2.1-1OEM

  • Added the ability to inventory management network information such as uplink, vSwitch and port group information.

  • Added the ability to change network configuration without requiring a full host reboot.

  • Added the ability to rename Management vSwitch.

  • Added optimization to reduce the number of periodic inventory updates.

New Software Features in Cisco UCS Tools VIB Version 1.0.7-1OEM and 1.1.5-1OEM

HCL GPU Support

  • Capability to determine hardware compliance for Cisco UCS and Cisco HyperFlex HX-Series servers with GPUs.

New Software Features in Cisco UCS Tools VIB Version 1.1.2-1OEM

VMware ESXi Support

  • UCS Tools is supported on ESXi version 7.0

New Software Features in Cisco UCS Tools VIB Version 1.0.3-1OEM and 1.1.0-1OEM

GPU Driver Inventory Support
  • Cisco UCS Tools enhanced to support GPU driver inventory collection.

  • Enhanced driver inventory collection to occur daily.

Install and Upgrade Guidelines

Downloading Cisco UCS Tools VIB

The Cisco UCS Tools VIB is packaged in the Cisco ESXi OEM images and is also available for download on Cisco.com. The location for each VIB version is available in the Revision History table.

Installing and Upgrading UCS Tools


Attention


  • UCS Tools is supported on ESXi version 6.0 and higher.

  • If you are trying to evaluate the HCL compliance for HyperFlex servers, proceed to Step 3 directly.

  • For all non-HyperFlex servers—If the Host Acceptance Level is VMwareCertified or VMwareAccepted, you cannot install the VIB unless you lower your Host Acceptance level to PartnerSupported. Steps 1 and 2 show the procedure to lower the Host Acceptance level. If your Host Acceptance level is already at Community or PartnerSupported, proceed to Step 3 directly.

    For more information about Host Acceptance Levels, see Understanding Acceptance levels for VIBs and Hosts.

  • ESXi Versions 7.0 and higher

    • If you are using ESXi version 7.0 and higher, run the command esxcli software component apply -d <path to UCS Tool component file (.zip)> to install UCS Tools.

    • To ensure UCS Tools works with ESXi version 7.0 and higher:

      • Fabric Interconnect Attached Cisco UCS M5 servers must be running UCS Manager 4.0(4h) or 4.1(1c).

      • Standalone Cisco UCS M5 servers must be running Cisco IMC 4.0(4k) or 4.1(1f).


After downloading the appropriate version of the Cisco UCS Tools VIB, use the instructions below to install it on the supported ESXi hosts.

  1. Run the command esxcli software acceptance get to obtain the current ESXi host acceptance level. To install the UCS Tools VIB, you must set the ESXi host acceptance level to PartnerSupported.

    The following example shows that the supported current acceptance level is set to VMwareAccepted:

    [root@hx-ucsm-qa-node-1:/opt/ucs_tool_esxi] 
    esxcli software acceptance get
    VMwareAccepted
  2. Run the command esxcli software acceptance set --level=PartnerSupported to set the current ESXi host acceptance level.

    The following example shows that the supported current acceptance level is set to PartnerSupported:

    [root@hx-ucsm-qa-node-1:/opt/ucs_tool_esxi] esxcli software acceptance set --level=PartnerSupported
    Host acceptance level that is changed to 'PartnerSupported'
    
  3. Download or copy the VIB onto the ESXi host and run the command. Copy the VIB to /tmp.

    1. For ESXi versions prior to 7.0

      Run the command esxcli software vib install -v <path pointing to location of VIB>

      --viburl|-v Specifies the URLs to the VIB packages to install.

      The following example shows the command for ESXi versions prior to 7.0:

      [root@localhost:~] esxcli software vib install -v /tmp/ucs-tool-esxi-1.0.4.vib
      Installation Result
         Message: Operation finished successfully.
         Reboot Required: false
         VIBs Installed: CIS_bootbank_ucs-tool-esxi_1.0.4-1OEM
         VIBs Removed:
         VIBs Skipped:
      [root@localhost:~]
    2. For ESXi version 7.0 and higher

      Run the command esxcli software component apply -d /tmp/ucs-tool-esxi.zip

      --depot | -d Specifies the full remote URL to the depot's index.xml, or a local file path to an offline bundle .zip file

      The following example shows the command for ESXi version 7.0 and higher:

      [root@localhost:~] esxcli software component apply -d /tmp/ucs-tool-esxi.zip
      Installation Result
         Components Installed: CIS-ucs-tool-esxi_1.1.2-1OEM
         Components Removed:
         Components Skipped:
         Message: Operation finished successfully.
         Reboot Required: false
      [root@localhost:~]
  4. Verify if the installation was successful and obtain more information about the installed VIBs.

    1. For ESXi versions prior to 7.0

      Run the command esxcli software vib list to obtain more information about the installed VIBs.

      The following example shows the list of VIBs installed on the ESXi host.

      [root@hx-ucsm-qa-node-1:/opt/ucs_tool_esxi] esxcli software vib list  
      ucs-tool-esxi       1.0.1-1OEM                             
      Cisco_Systems_Inc.  PartnerSupported  2017-11-06
      
    2. For ESXi version 7.0 and higher

      Run the command esxcli software component list | grep ucs to obtain more information about the installed VIBs.

      esxcli software component get -n CIS-ucs-tool-esxi

       [root@localhost:~] esxcli software component list | grep ucs
      CIS-ucs-tool-esxi  1.1.2-1OEM                         
      Cisco   06-04-2020     PartnerSupported
      
  5. Get detailed information about the VIB.

    1. For ESXi versions prior to 7.0

      Run the command esxcli software vib get --vibname ucs-tool-esxi to view detailed information about the VIB.

    2. For ESXi version 7.0 and higher

      Run the command esxcli software component get -n CIS-ucs-tool-esxi to view detailed information about the VIB.

      root@localhost:~] esxcli software component get -n CIS-ucs-tool-esxi
      CIS-ucs-tool-esxi_1.1.2-1OEM
         Name: CIS-ucs-tool-esxi
         Display Name: CIS-ucs-tool-esxi
         Version: 1.1.2-1OEM
         Display Version: 1.1.2-1OEM
         VIBs: CIS_bootbank_ucs-tool-esxi_1.1.2-1OEM
         Vendotr: Cisco
         Summary: ucs_tool_esxi: [Fling] Cisco Out-of-band Host Inventory and Network Configuration
         Severity: general
         Urgency: important
         Category: enhancement
         Release Type: extension
         Kburl: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/release/notes/UCS-Tools-ESXi-RN.html
         Description: Out-of-band host inventory and network configuration using Cisco CIMC.
         Contact: Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) http://tools.cisco.com/ServiceRequestTool/create/
         ReleaseDate: 06-04-2020

Note


  • Starting from Cisco UCS Tools VIB version 1.0.12-1OEM, 1.1.12-1OEM, and 1.2.1-1OEM you can change network configuration without requiring a full host reboot and rename Management vSwitch.

  • Starting from Cisco UCS Tools VIB version 1.0.12-1OEM VMware ESXi 6.0 will be not be supported.


Viewing Logs

You can view the following logs in syslog (/var/log/syslog.log):

  • Run the command cat /var/log/syslog.log | grep ucs-tool-esxi-inv to obtain the logs for inventory collection.

  • Run the command cat /var/log/syslog.log | grep ucs-tool-esxi-cfg to obtain the logs for host configuration.

Manually Trigerring Inventory Collection

Run the command python /opt/ucs_tool_esxi/ucs_host_inventory.py to manually trigger inventory collection.

[root@localhost:~] python /opt/ucs_tool_esxi/ucs_host_inventory.py

Resolved Caveats

Version 1.1.6-1OEM

The following caveats are resolved in Version 1.1.6-1OEM.

Table 2. Resolved Caveats in Version 1.1.6-1OEM
Defect ID

Description

First Bundle Affected

Resolved in Release

CSCvw46864

VMware vSphere 7.0 shows incorrect UCS Tools version.

1.1.2

1.1.6

Version 1.1.0-1OEM

The following caveats are resolved in Version 1.1.0-1OEM.

Table 3. Resolved Caveats in Version 1.1.0-1OEM
Defect ID

Description

First Bundle Affected

Resolved in Release

CSCvo23711

GPU driver inventory is collected from Cisco UCS Tools.

1.0.1

1.0.3, 1.1.0

Version 1.0.3-1OEM

The following caveats are resolved in Version 1.0.3-1OEM.

Table 4. Resolved Caveats in Version 1.0.3-1OEM
Defect ID

Description

First Bundle Affected

Resolved in Release

CSCvo23711

GPU driver inventory must be collected from Cisco UCS Tools.

1.0.1

1.0.3

Version 1.0.1-1OEM

The following caveats are resolved in Version 1.0.1-1OEM.

Table 5. Resolved Caveats in Version 1.0.1-1OEM
Defect ID

Description

First Bundle Affected

Resolved in Release

CSCvf53511

UCS tools host inventory needs ESXi update version, patch version. Network config should set gateway.

1.0.1

1.0.1