Cisco UCS Manager

Basic Information

• Model: Cisco UCS Manager
• Version: Cisco UCS Manager is a software component that manages the Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) infrastructure. Recent versions include 4.3(6c) and 6.0(1.250198).
• Release Date: Specific release dates vary by version. For instance, UCS Manager 4.0 had an End of Life (EOL) announcement date of November 8, 2021, and a Last Date of Support (LDOS) of February 28, 2027.
• Minimum Requirements: Cisco UCS Manager runs embedded on Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects. Client access requires a web browser for the HTML5 interface.
• Supported Operating Systems: For managed UCS servers (blades and rack servers), Cisco UCS supports a wide range of operating systems including Microsoft Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), VMware ESXi, Oracle Linux, Rocky Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES), and Ubuntu Server editions.
• Latest Stable Version: While various versions are in use and supported, recent advisories mention fixes for versions such as 4.2(3p) and 4.3(6c). Version 6.0 is also referenced in relation to Fabric Interconnects.
• End of Support Date: End of Support (EOS) and End of Life (EOL) dates are version-specific and are published by Cisco. For example, UCS Manager 4.0 had an End of Software Maintenance (EOSM) date of February 7, 2021, and a Last Date of Support (LDOS) of February 28, 2027.
• End of Life Date: End of Life (EOL) dates are specific to each UCS Manager software release and the hardware it runs on. Cisco provides advisories for these dates.
• Auto-update Expiration Date: Not explicitly specified as a standard feature; updates are typically managed through firmware upgrades.
• License Type: Proprietary. The UCS Manager and UCS Central software packages are included at no additional cost with the purchase of a pair of Cisco Fabric Interconnects.
• Deployment Model: Cisco UCS Manager is embedded within the Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects, which serve as the central management point for the UCS domain. It can also integrate with Cisco Intersight, a cloud-based or on-premises SaaS management platform, for extended capabilities.

Technical Requirements

Cisco UCS Manager operates on Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects (FIs), which are specialized network switches. The technical requirements are therefore tied to the specifications of these FIs.

• RAM/Processor/Storage: These resources are internal to the Fabric Interconnects. For instance, the Cisco UCS 6300, 6400, and 6500 Series Fabric Interconnects host the UCS Manager software. Specific RAM, processor, and storage capacities are not typically published as standalone requirements for UCS Manager, as it is an integrated component of the FIs.
• Display: Access to the UCS Manager graphical user interface (GUI) is typically via a web browser, supporting an HTML5 interface.
• Ports: Fabric Interconnects provide extensive connectivity. For example, the Cisco UCS 6332-16UP 40-Port Fabric Interconnect offers 10 and 40 Gigabit Ethernet, FCoE, and native 4-, 8-, and 16-Gbps Fibre Channel ports. The Cisco UCS 6400 Series FIs support 10/25/40/100 Gigabit Ethernet and 8/16/32-Gbps Fibre Channel connectivity.
• Operating System: UCS Manager runs on an embedded operating system within the Fabric Interconnect hardware.

Analysis of Technical Requirements: The technical requirements for Cisco UCS Manager are inherently linked to the Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects. These devices are designed to provide a unified fabric for compute, network, and storage, with UCS Manager acting as the central nervous system. The FIs are robust, high-throughput devices, ensuring that the embedded UCS Manager has sufficient resources to manage the UCS domain effectively. Users interact with UCS Manager primarily through a web-based interface, making client-side requirements minimal (a modern web browser).

Support & Compatibility

• Latest Version: Refer to the "Basic Information" section for details on recent versions.
• OS Support: Cisco UCS Manager supports a broad range of operating systems for the servers it manages, including various versions of Microsoft Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, VMware ESXi, Oracle Linux, Rocky Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, and Ubuntu Server. Compatibility is detailed in Cisco's Hardware and Software Interoperability Matrix.
• End of Support Date: End of Support (EOS) and End of Life (EOL) dates are specific to each UCS Manager software release and are communicated through Cisco's advisories.
• Localization: Cisco UCS Manager supports English.
• Available Drivers: Cisco provides necessary drivers for its UCS components, which are typically available through Cisco's support channels and integrated into the UCS ecosystem for seamless deployment and updates.

Analysis of Overall Support & Compatibility Status: Cisco UCS Manager offers extensive compatibility with major operating systems for the servers it manages, ensuring broad applicability in enterprise environments. Cisco maintains a detailed interoperability matrix to guide users on supported configurations. However, users must actively track version-specific End of Support and End of Life dates to ensure continued support and plan for necessary upgrades. While localization is primarily English, the robust documentation and support infrastructure from Cisco are key aspects of its overall support status.

Security Status

• Security Features: Cisco UCS Manager incorporates robust security features, including centralized management, granular Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), secure protocols like SSH for management sessions, comprehensive configuration management, strong password management, user management, SSL key management, and detailed logging capabilities. It integrates with Cisco Duo for enhanced identity security.
• Known Vulnerabilities: Recent vulnerabilities include command injection flaws (CVE-2025-20294, CVE-2025-20295) in both CLI and web interfaces, potentially allowing authenticated administrative attackers to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on affected Fabric Interconnect platforms (UCS 6300, 6400, 6500, and X-Series Direct Fabric Interconnect 9108 100G). Other vulnerabilities have addressed OpenSSL-related issues (CVE-2021-4160, CVE-2022-1292) and an OpenSSH security regression (CVE-2024-6387). A static key vulnerability (CVE-2023-20016) in backup configurations allowed decryption of sensitive information. An SSH sessions Denial of Service (DoS) vulnerability (CVE-2021-09-01) has also been identified.
• Blacklist Status: Not applicable for this type of enterprise management software.
• Certifications: Specific security certifications are not explicitly detailed in the provided search results, but Cisco products generally adhere to industry security standards.
• Encryption Support: Supports encryption for management sessions using secure protocols like SSH. While a past vulnerability existed with static keys in backup encryption, software updates have addressed this.
• Authentication Methods: Supports local user accounts and integration with external authentication domains for centralized user management.
• General Recommendations: It is crucial to monitor Cisco Security Advisories regularly and apply software updates promptly to mitigate known vulnerabilities. Best practices include using secure protocols, centralizing log collection, securing interactive management sessions, disabling unused services, and implementing network access control lists (ACLs).

Analysis on the Overall Security Rating: Cisco UCS Manager provides a strong foundation for secure infrastructure management through its built-in features like RBAC and secure communication protocols. However, like all complex enterprise software, it is subject to vulnerabilities. Cisco actively identifies and addresses these issues through security advisories and software updates. The overall security posture is good, provided that administrators diligently apply patches and follow Cisco's hardening guidelines and security recommendations to protect against potential exploits.

Performance & Benchmarks

• Benchmark Scores: Direct benchmark scores for Cisco UCS Manager as a standalone software are not typically published. Its performance is measured by the efficiency and responsiveness of the managed Cisco UCS infrastructure.
• Real-world Performance Metrics: UCS Manager significantly reduces management and administration expenses by automating routine tasks, thereby increasing operational agility. It enables rapid server deployment through service profiles. The system is praised for its efficient hardware management and quick server deployment capabilities. It offers high scalability, supporting up to 160 blades within a single UCS Manager domain.
• Power Consumption: Power consumption is associated with the underlying Fabric Interconnects. For example, the Cisco UCS 6332 Fabric Interconnect has a typical operating power of 212W and a maximum of 650W. The Cisco UCS 6536 Fabric Interconnect consumes 348W. Cisco provides a UCS Power Calculator tool for estimating power usage. Power policies like N+1 and grid redundancy are used for chassis power management.
• Carbon Footprint: While a specific carbon footprint metric is not provided, the power consumption data of the Fabric Interconnects contributes to the overall environmental impact of the UCS infrastructure.
• Comparison with Similar Assets: When compared to alternatives like HPE OneView, Cisco UCS Manager is highlighted for its flexible management, efficient hardware management, and quick server deployment via service profiles. It is noted for its stateless computing capabilities and policy-based management, with the UCS Manager software included without additional cost with the Fabric Interconnects. HPE OneView is also a strong competitor, with both solutions having distinct advantages.

Analysis of the Overall Performance Status: Cisco UCS Manager is a high-performance management solution that optimizes the operational efficiency of Cisco UCS environments. Its strength lies in automating complex tasks, enabling rapid provisioning, and providing a unified management plane for compute, network, and storage resources. While direct benchmarks for the software itself are not common, its impact on the performance and scalability of the managed infrastructure is significant. The power consumption is a factor of the underlying Fabric Interconnect hardware, which is designed for efficiency and redundancy. Its competitive standing against other management platforms is strong, particularly for large-scale, policy-driven data center operations.

User Reviews & Feedback

User reviews and feedback for Cisco UCS Manager generally highlight its effectiveness in managing Cisco UCS infrastructure, though some areas for improvement are noted.

• Strengths:
  • Ease of Management and Deployment: Users frequently praise its ease of deployment and management capabilities, especially with template-based service profiles that simplify system configuration and rapid server deployment.
  • Unified Management: It provides a single, centralized control point for server, fabric, and storage provisioning, along with device discovery, inventory, configuration, diagnostics, monitoring, and fault detection.
  • Scalability: The solution is considered highly scalable for enterprise needs, particularly for large virtual infrastructure environments, supporting up to 160 blades per UCS Manager domain.
  • Reliability and Stability: The underlying hardware is powerful, offering stability and robustness, contributing to consistent performance and uptime.
  • Operational Efficiency: Automates routine tasks, which helps reduce administration expenses and operational costs.
  • Integration: Integrates seamlessly with Cisco Intersight for cloud-based management and enhanced operational efficiencies.
• Weaknesses:
  • User Interface: Some users suggest improvements in user interface simplicity, particularly for creating policies, desiring a more intuitive design that requires less technical expertise.
  • Firmware Upgrades: The firmware upgrade process can be challenging and often requires downtime.
  • Training and Expertise: Obtaining training on UCS Manager can be difficult, leading to reliance on support for complex issues. A strong understanding of Cisco architecture is crucial for smooth deployment and operation.
  • Cost: The initial cost of Cisco UCS hardware and the overall solution can be high, making it less suitable or cost-effective for small businesses or shops with only a few dozen servers.
  • Scalability Limits: While scalable, there is a practical limit of 160 blades per UCS Manager domain, requiring additional managers for expansion beyond this threshold.
  • Security Enhancements: Users desire enhanced security features and better performance monitoring, especially for blades.
• Recommended Use Cases:
  • Large enterprise data centers requiring centralized management of server profiles and policies.
  • Virtualized infrastructure environments with resource-dense blades.
  • Mission-critical applications where stability and high availability are paramount.
  • Environments where optimizing rack space, cooling, and power consumption is a priority.

Summary

Cisco UCS Manager is a robust and highly capable management software integral to the Cisco Unified Computing System. It provides a unified, policy-driven approach to managing compute, network, and storage resources within a UCS domain. Its strengths lie in its ability to automate routine tasks, significantly reducing administrative overhead and operational costs, and enabling rapid, consistent deployment of server configurations through service profiles. The system is praised for its high scalability, making it well-suited for large enterprise data centers and virtualized environments where efficient resource utilization and centralized control are critical. Its integration with Cisco Intersight further extends its capabilities, offering cloud-based management options.

However, Cisco UCS Manager is not without its challenges. Some users find the user interface could be more intuitive, and the firmware upgrade process can be complex and potentially disruptive. The initial investment in Cisco UCS hardware can be substantial, making it less ideal for smaller organizations. Furthermore, while highly scalable, a single UCS Manager domain has a practical limit of 160 blades, necessitating additional management instances for larger deployments. Security is a continuous focus for Cisco, with regular advisories and patches addressing vulnerabilities, underscoring the importance of diligent update management.

Overall, Cisco UCS Manager is an excellent choice for organizations seeking a powerful, integrated solution for managing complex, large-scale data center infrastructures. Its policy-based automation and unified fabric management capabilities deliver significant operational efficiencies and flexibility. For optimal performance and security, it is recommended that organizations invest in proper training for their IT staff, adhere to Cisco's security best practices, and maintain a proactive approach to software updates and EOL tracking.

The information provided is based on publicly available data and may vary depending on specific device configurations. For up-to-date information, please consult official manufacturer resources.