Cisco UCS B420 M3 Manual

Cisco UCS B420 M3 High Performance Blade Server Installation and
Service Note
Cisco UCS B420 M3 High Performance Blade Server 2
LEDs 3
Buttons 4
Local Console Connector 4
Drive Replacement 5
Blade Server Removal and Installation 7
Secure Digital Cards 10
Removing a Blade Server Cover 11
Working Inside the Blade Server 15
Installing and Enabling a Trusted Platform Module 31
Server Troubleshooting 33
Server Configuration 33
Physical Specifications for the Cisco UCS B420 M3 33
Related Cisco UCS Documentation 35
Obtaining Documentation and Submitting a Service Request 36

Revised: September 28, 2016, OL-22475-01
Cisco UCS B420 M3 High Performance Blade Server
This document describes how to install and service the Cisco UCS B420 M3 High Performance Blade Server, a full-width blade
server meaning up to four of these high-density, four-socket blade servers can reside in a Cisco UCS 5108 Blade Server chassis.
The B420 M3 Blade Server has the following features:
•Up to four Intel Xeon processor E5-4600 processor family CPUs, with up to 32 cores per server
•48 DIMM slots for registered ECC DIMMs, with up to 1.5-TB memory capacity (using 32-GB LRDIMMs)
•3 adapter connectors for up to 160-Gb/s bandwidth:
◦One dedicated connector for the Cisco VIC 1240 modular LAN-on-motherboard (mLOM)
◦Two connectors for Cisco the VIC 1280, VIC Port Expander, or third-party network adapter cards
•Four hot-plug drive bays that support SAS or SATA SSD drives
•LSI 2208R controller that provides RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 with an optional 1-GB flash-backed write cache
Figure 1: B420 M3 Blade Server Front Panel
Power button and LED8Drive bay 11
Network link status LED9Drive bay 22
Blade health LED10Drive bay 33
Local console connection11Drive bay 44
Reset button access12Left ejector handle5
Beaconing button and LED13Asset Tag
Each server has a blank plastic tag that pulls out of
the front panel so you can add your own asset
tracking label without interfering with the intended
air flow.
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Right ejector handle7
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LEDs
Server LEDs indicate whether the blade server is in active or standby mode, the status of the network link, the overall health of the
blade server, and whether the server is set to give a blinking blue locator light from the locator button.
The removable drives also have LEDs indicating hard disk access activity and disk health.
Table 1: Blade Server LEDs
DescriptionColorLED
Power off.OffPower
Main power state. Power is supplied to all server components and
the server is operating normally.
Green
Standby power state. Power is supplied only to the service processor
of the server so that the server can still be managed.
If you press and release the front-panel power button, the
server performs an orderly shutdown of the 12 V main
power and goes to standby power state. You cannot shut
down standby power from the front-panel power button.
See the Cisco UCS Manager Configuration Guide for
information about completely powering off the server from
the software interface.
Note
Amber
None of the network links are up.OffLink
At least one network link is up.Green
Power off.OffHealth
Normal operation.Green
Minor error.Amber
Critical error.Blinking Amber
Blinking is not enabled.OffBlue locator button and LED
Blinking to locate a selected blade—If the LED is not blinking, the
blade is not selected. You can control the blinking in UCS Manager
or by using the blue locator button/LED.
Blinking blue 1 Hz
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DescriptionColorLED
Inactive.OffActivity
(Disk Drive) Outstanding I/O to disk drive.Green
Rebuild in progress. Health LED will flash in unison.Flashing Amber
4 Hz
Identify drive active.Flashing Amber
4 hz
Can mean either no fault detected or the drive is not installed.OffHealth
(Disk Drive) Rebuild drive active. If the Activity LED is also flashing amber, a
drive rebuild is in progress.
Flashing Amber
4 hz
Fault detected.Amber
Buttons
The Reset button is recessed in the front panel of the server. You can press the button with the tip of a paper clip or a similar item.
Hold the button down for five seconds, and then release it to restart the server if other methods of restarting do not work.
The locator function for an individual server may get turned on or off by pressing the locator button/LED.
The power button allows you to manually take a server temporarily out of service but leave it in a state where it can be restarted
quickly. If the desired power state for a service profile associated with a blade server is set to "off," using the power button or Cisco
UCS Manager to reset the server will cause the desired power state of the server to become out of sync with the actual power state
and the server may unexpectedly shut down at a later time. To safely reboot a server from a power-down state, use the Boot Server
action in Cisco UCS Manager.
Local Console Connector
The local console connector allows a direct connection to a blade server to allow operating system installation and other management
tasks to be done directly rather than remotely. The port uses the KVM dongle cable that provides a connection into a Cisco UCS
blade server; it has a DB9 serial connector, a VGA connector for a monitor, and dual USB ports for a keyboard and mouse. With this
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cable, you can create a direct connection to the operating system and the BIOS running on a blade server. A KVM cable ships standard
with each blade chassis accessory kit.
Figure 2: KVM Cable for Blade Servers
VGA connection for a monitor3Connector to blade server local console
connector
1
2-port USB connector for a mouse and keyboard4DB9 serial connector2
Drive Replacement
Each blade has up to four front-accessible, hot plug capable, 2.5-inch SAS or SATA drive bays. Unused hard drive bays should
always be covered with cover plates to ensure proper cooling and ventilation.
You can remove and install hard drives without removing the blade server from the chassis.
The drives supported in this blade server come with the drive sled attached. Spare drive sleds are not available. A list of currently
supported drives is in the specification sheets at this URL:http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/servers-unified-computing/
ucs-b-series-blade-servers/datasheet-listing.html
Before upgrading or adding a drive to a running blade server, check the service profile in Cisco UCS Manager and make sure the
new hardware configuration will be within the parameters allowed by the service profile.
To prevent ESD damage, wear grounding wrist straps during these procedures.Caution
Removing a Blade Server Hard Drive
To remove a hard drive from a blade server, follow these steps:
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Procedure
Step 1 Push the button to release the ejector, and then pull the hard drive from its slot.
Step 2 Place the hard drive on an antistatic mat or antistatic foam if you are not immediately reinstalling it in another server.
Step 3 Install a hard disk drive blank faceplate to keep dust out of the blade server if the slot will remain empty.
Figure 3: Removing and Installing a Drive
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Installing a Blade Server Hard Drive
To install a hard drive in a blade server, follow these steps:
Procedure
Step 1 Place the hard drive lever into the open position by pushing the release button.
Step 2 Gently slide the hard drive into the opening in the blade server until it seats into place.
Step 3 Push the hard drive lever into the closed position.
You can use Cisco UCS Manager to format and configure RAID services. For details, see the Configuration Guide for the
version of Cisco UCS Manager that you are using. The configuration guides are available at the following URL: http://
www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10281/products_installation_and_configuration_guides_list.html
If you need to move a RAID cluster, see the Cisco UCS Manager Troubleshooting Reference Guide.
Blade Server Removal and Installation
Before performing any internal operations on this blade server, you must remove it from the chassis.
To prevent ESD damage, wear grounding wrist straps during these procedures and handle modules by the
carrier edges only.
Caution
Powering Off a Blade Server
You can also shut down servers remotely using Cisco UCS Manager or CIMC. For details, see the
Configuration Guide for the version of Cisco UCS Manager that you are using. The configuration guides
are available at the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10281/products_installation_
and_configuration_guides_list.html
Tip
Procedure
Step 1 If you are local to the server, check the color of the Power Status LED for each server in the chassis that you want to
power off.
•Green indicates that the server is running and must be shut down before it can be safely powered off. Go to Step 2.
•Amber indicates that the server is already in standby mode and can be safely powered off. Go to Step 3.
Step 2 If you previously enabled front power button control through Cisco UCS Manager, press and release the Power button,
then wait until the Power Status LED changes to amber. Otherwise, you cannot press the front power button because it
is disabled by default.
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The operating system performs a graceful shutdown and the server goes to standby mode.
To avoid data loss or damage to your operating system, you should always invoke a graceful shutdown of the
operating system.
Caution
Step 3 (Optional) If you are shutting down all blade servers in a chassis, disconnect the power cords from the chassis to completely
power off the servers.
Step 4 Remove the appropriate servers from the chassis.
Removing a Blade Server
You must decommission the server using Cisco UCS Manager before physically removing the blade server.
Procedure
Step 1 Turn off the blade server using either Cisco UCS Manager.
Step 2 Completely loosen the captive screws on the front of the blade.
Step 3 Remove the blade from the chassis by pulling the ejector levers on the blade until it unseats the blade server.
Step 4 Slide the blade part of the way out of the chassis, and place your other hand under the blade to support its weight.
Step 5 Once removed, place the blade on an antistatic mat or antistatic foam if you are not immediately reinstalling it.
Step 6 If the blade server slot is to remain empty, reinstall the slot divider and install two blade server blanking panels to maintain
proper thermal temperatures and to keep dust out of the chassis.
Installing a Blade Server
For installations of UCS blades with differing widths and heights in a chassis, the guideline is to load the heaviest and largest blades
at the bottom of the chassis. Therefore, if a UCS B460 M4 blade server is present, it should be installed at the bottom, followed by
full-width blades such as the UCS B420 M3 (and M4) above the UCS B460 M4, and then half-width blades such as the UCS B200
at the top of the chassis.
Procedure
Step 1 If necessary, remove the slot divider from the chassis.
a) Simultaneously pull up on the left side catch and push down on the right side catch as shown in callout 1 of the following
figure.
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b) Pull the slot divider out of the chassis as shown in callout 2 of the following figure. Keep the slot divider in case it is
needed at another time.
Figure 4: Removing a Slot Divider
To reinstall the slot divider, align it with the dimples in the slot top and bottom and slide it back in until it clicks
into place.
Tip
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Step 2 Grasp the front of the blade server and place your other hand under the blade to support it.
Figure 5: Positioning a Blade Server in the Chassis
Step 3 Open the ejector levers in the front of the blade server.
Step 4 Gently slide the blade into the blade slot opening until you cannot push it any farther.
Step 5 Press the ejector levers so that they latch with the edge of the chassis and press the blade server all the way in.
Step 6 Tighten the captive screw on the front of the blade to no more than 3 inch pounds of torque. Tightening with bare fingers
will prevent stripped or damaged captive screws.
Secure Digital Cards
Secure Digital (SD) card slots are provided and one or two SD cards can be populated. If two SD cards are populated, they can be
used in a mirrored mode.
Do not mix different capacity cards in the same server.Note
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Due to technical limitations, if the server is running a Cisco UCS Manager version earlier than release
2.2(3a) with the 32-GB SD card, only 16-GB usable capacity is available (regardless of mirroring) in the
server.
Note
Figure 6: SD Card Slots
Removing a Blade Server Cover
Procedure
Step 1 Press and hold the button down as shown in the figure below.
Step 2 While holding the back end of the cover, pull the cover back and then up.
Figure 7: Opening a B420 M3 Blade Server
Air Baffles
The air baffles shown below ship with this server; they direct and improve air flow for the server components. No tools are necessary
to install them. Place them over the DIMMs and align them to the standoffs.
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Be sure that the tabs on the baffles are set in the slots provided on the motherboard; otherwise, it may be
difficult to replace the server cover or damage to the motherboard might occur.
Caution
Figure 8: Cisco UCS B420 Air Baffles
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Internal Components
Figure 9: Inside View of the Blade Server
Drive bay 22Hard drive bay 11
Drive bay 44Hard drive bay 33
Internal USB connector
Cisco UCS-USBFLSH-S-4GB= is recommended, but
if you use another USB drive it must be no wider than
0.8 inches (20 mm), and no more than 1.345 inches
(34 mm) long in order to provide needed clearances to
install or remove the USB drive. Third-party USB flash
memory is allowed but not subject to support by Cisco
and is at the user’s risk.
6CMOS battery5
Transferable Flash-backed Write Cache Module (TFM)
for flash-backed write cache
The flash-backed write cache feature is not supported
at the initial server release.
8Diagnostics Button7
DIMM slots for CPU 210DIMM slots for CPU 19
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DIMM slots for CPU 412DIMM slots for CPU 311
Adapter card
This slot is shown in Cisco UCS Manager as “Adapter
2,”but is shown in the BIOS as “Mezz 1.”Mixing
adapter types is supported.
14mLOM card
This slot is shown in Cisco UCS Manager as “Adapter
1”but the BIOS lists it as “mLOM.”The VIC 1240 is a
type of adapter with a specific footprint that can only be
used in this slot.
13
Adapter card
This slot is shown in Cisco UCS Manager as “Adapter
3,”but it is shown in the BIOS as “Mezz 2.”Mixing
adapter types is supported.
16Supercap for flash-backed write cache
The flash-backed write cache feature is not supported
at the initial server release.
15
Note •A squeeze-to-remove retaining clip is provided to secure the internal USB flash memory, the clip
must always be securely fastened when the flash memory is in use. Third party memory that will
not fit in the clip should not be used.
•Use of this server may require an upgrade to the FEX in the chassis. The 2104XP fabric extender is
not compatible when any Cisco-certified adapter is installed in slot 1 or slot 2. If a VIC 1240 modular
LOM card is installed, you will have connectivity through the mLOM but other adapters will not be
recognized.
Diagnostics Button and LEDs
At blade start-up, POST diagnostics test the CPUs, DIMMs, HDDs, and adapter cards, and any failure notifications are sent to UCS
Manager. You can view these notifications in the Cisco UCS Manager System Error Log or in the output of the show tech-support
command. If errors are found, an amber diagnostic LED also lights up next to the failed component. During run time, the blade BIOS
and component drivers monitor for hardware faults and will light up the amber diagnostic LED as needed.
LED states are saved, and if you remove the blade from the chassis the LED values will persist for up to 10 minutes. Pressing the
LED diagnostics button on the motherboard causes the LEDs that currently show a component fault to light for up to 30 seconds for
easier component identification. LED fault values are reset when the blade is reinserted into the chassis and booted, and the process
begins from its start.
If DIMM insertion errors are detected, they may cause the blade discovery process to fail and errors will be reported in the server
POST information, which is viewable using the UCS Manager GUI or CLI. DIMMs must be populated according to specific rules.
The rules depend on the blade server model. Refer to the documentation for a specific blade server for those rules.
Faults on the DIMMs or adapter cards also cause the server health LED to light solid amber for minor error conditions or blinking
amber for critical error conditions.
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Working Inside the Blade Server
Installing a CMOS Battery
All Cisco UCS blade servers use a CR2032 battery to preserve BIOS settings while the server is not installed in a powered-on chassis.
Cisco supports the industry standard CR2032 battery that is available at most electronics stores.
There is danger of explosion if the battery is replaced incorrectly. Replace the battery only with the same
or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Dispose of used batteries according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.
Warning
To install or replace the battery, follow these steps:
Procedure
Step 1 Remove the existing battery:
a) Power off the blade, remove it from the chassis, and remove the top cover.
b) Push the battery socket retaining clip away from the battery.
c) Lift the battery from the socket. Use needle-nose pliers to grasp the battery if there is not enough clearance for your
fingers.
Step 2 Install the replacement battery:
a) Push the battery socket retaining clip away from where the battery fits in the housing.
b) Insert the new battery into the socket with the battery’s positive (+) marking facing away from the retaining clip. Ensure
that the retaining clip can click over the top of the battery to secure it in the housing.
c) Replace the top cover.
d) Replace the server in the chassis and power on the blade by pressing the Power button.
Removing a CPU and Heat Sink
You will use these procedures to move a CPU from one server to another, to replace a faulty CPU, or to upgrade from one CPU to
another.
The CPU pick and place tool is required to prevent damage to the connection pins between the motherboard
and the CPU. Do not attempt this procedure without the required tool, which is included with each CPU
option kit.
Note
Procedure
Step 1 Unscrew the four captive screws securing the heat sink to the motherboard.
Loosen one screw by a quarter turn, then move to the next screw. Continue loosening until the heat sink can be lifted off.
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Step 2 Remove the heat sink.
Remove the existing thermal compound from the bottom of the heat sink using the cleaning kit included with each CPU
option kit. Follow the instructions on the two bottles of cleaning solvent.
Step 3 Unhook the first socket hook, which has the following icon: See callout 3 in the following figure.
Step 4 Unhook the second socket hook, which has the following icon: See callout 4 in the following figure.
Step 5 Open the socket latch.
Figure 10: Removing the Heat Sink and Accessing the CPU Socket
Step 6 Press the central button on the provided CPU pick and place tool (UCS-CPU-EP-PNP=) to release the catch.
The CPU pick and place tool is included with each CPU option kit, or the tool may be purchased separately.
Step 7 Remove an old CPU as follows:
a) Place the CPU pick and place tool on the CPU socket aligned with the arrow pointing to the CPU registration mark.
b) Press the button/handle on the tool to grasp the installed CPU.
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c) Lift the tool and CPU straight up.
Figure 11: Proper Alignment of CPU Pick and Place Tool
Alignment mark on the socket2Alignment mark on the button/handle of the pick and
place tool
1
Installing a New CPU and Heat Sink
Before installing a new CPU in a server, verify the following:
•The CPU is supported for that given server model. Refer to the Specification Sheet for this server to see the list of supported
CPUs. The Specification Sheets are available at this URL: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/servers-unified-computing/
ucs-b-series-blade-servers/datasheet-listing.html
•A BIOS update is available and installed that supports the CPU and the given server configuration.
•If the server will be managed by Cisco UCS Manager, the service profile for this server in Cisco UCS Manager will recognize
and allow the new CPU.
The Pick-and-Place tools used in this procedure are required to prevent damage to the contact pins between
the motherboard and the CPU. Do not attempt this procedure without the required tools, which are included
with each CPU option kit. If you do not have the tool, you can order a spare.
Caution
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Procedure
Step 1 To install a CPU in an empty socket, remove the protective cap that is intended to prevent bent or touched contact pins.
The pick and pull cap tool provided can be used in a manner similar to a pair of tweezers. Grasp the protective cap and
pivot as shown.
Figure 12: Protective Cap Removal
Step 2 Release the catch on the pick and pull tool by pressing the handle/button.
Step 3 Remove the new CPU from the packaging, and load it into the pick and place tool as follows:
a) Confirm that the pedestal is set up correctly for your processor. The pedestal ships configured with the markings
“LGA2011-R1”facing upward, and this is the correct orientation.
b) Place the CPU on the pedestal. The CPU corners should fit snugly at the pedestal corners and the notches should meet
the pegs perfectly.
c) Place the CPU pick and place tool on the CPU pedestal aligned with the A1 arrow pointing to the A1 registration mark
on the pedestal.
d) Press the button/handle on the tool to grasp the CPU.
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e) Lift the tool and CPU straight up off of the pedestal.
Figure 13: Loading the Pick and Place Tool
Alignment mark on the pick and place tool, CPU and pedestal1
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Step 4 Place the CPU and tool on the CPU socket with the registration marks aligned as shown.
Step 5 Press the button/handle on the pick and place tool to release the CPU into the socket.
Figure 14: Using the CPU Pick and Place Tool to Insert the CPU
Alignment mark on the CPU socket2Alignment mark on the tool button/handle1
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