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How to reset Cisco Integrated Management Controller password

Cisco Integrated Management Controller (CIMC) is similar to HP iLO and DELL iDRAC. The following process is for Cisco CMS 1000 M5 K9 server. CMS 1000 is based on UCS chasis.

# Serial Number
    WMP2427011H
    WMP24270134
    WMP242700ZN
    WMP24270131
    Category: Conferencing
    Product ID: CTI-CMS-1000-M5-K9

# Process to reset CIMC admin password
1. Connect the KVM console/monitor to the server physically
2. Reboot the server
3. Press F8 during the BIOS screen to enter CIMC configuration utility
4. Change the password accordingly

Cisco CIMC Firmware Update Utility User Guide

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/sw/fwp/user/guide/Firmware_Upgrade_Utility/Using.html#wp1054954

Overview

The CIMC Firmware Update Utility is used to update the firmware versions for host(x86)-based systems for standalone servers. To update the firmware, you must restart the host system to either the Linux operating system or to the EFI prompt. You can use the procedures to update the firmware version using KVM as well. Although the procedure to update the firmware version using Linux, EFI, or KVM is the same, be aware that when you activate the new firmware version, the connection to the CIMC is reset, and the KVM window will close.

Before updating the firmware, ensure that the rack-mounted servers are compliant with Intelligent Platform Management Interface Specification (IPMI) v2.0. In addition, you must be logged in as the root user or the super-user.

To update the firmware version on your server, follow these steps:

Step 1 Determine the current version of the firmware that is installed on the system.
Step 2 Download the most recent firmware version image and copy it to a directory on the server.
Step 3 Update the firmware version.
Step 4 Activate the new firmware.

The subsequent sections explain each of these steps in detail.

In this document, commands that are used on a Linux server are shown. To use the same commands at the EFI prompt, you must add .efi to the command. For example, to view the currently installed firmware version on a Linux server, enter the following command:
    ./fwup cimc show version

To view the currently installed firmware version in the EFI prompt, enter the following command:
    fwup.efi cimc show version

Downloading the Most Recent Firmware Version

After you determine the current version of the CIMC, you must download the most recent firmware version image files using the following steps:

Step 1 Download the image file from the following location:
    www.cisco.com > Products and Services 
        > Unified Computing > All Products 
            > Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Servers 
                > Download Software

    On this page, select the appropriate server and select Unified Computing System (UCS) Software Container for Rack Mount Servers. 
    A zipped file is downloaded to your local system.

Step 2 Unzip the file on your system. A folder structure is created. Within this folder structure, you will find the CIMC folder.
    Within this folder, you will find the image file. It is saved with the .bin extension. 
    Typically, the image file is labeled in the following format:

    upd-pkg-[board-name]-m1-cimc.full.[latest firmware version].bin

    For example:
        upd-pkg-c200-m1-cimc.full.1.2.0.16.bin

Step 3 Note the complete path of the location where the image file is available.
    You will need to provide the complete path and filename when you update the firmware version.

Updating the Firmware to the Most Recent Version

To complete this step, you must have already downloaded the most recent firmware version from www.cisco.com and copied it to a directory on the server.

Prior to updating the firmware, ensure that the most recent firmware version that you downloaded is supported on your server. Enter the following command to view the details of the firmware version:

`./fwup cimc show version upd-pkg-[board-name]-m1-cimc.full.[latest firmware version].bin

# Process
Updating the firmware version includes the following two major steps:
a. Step 1 Transferring the image
b. Step 2 Flashing the image

Updating the firmware version of the system takes a minimum of 15 minutes. Transferring the image takes up to 3 minutes, while flashing the image can take up to 12 minutes. In total, the firmware update process can take up to 15 minutes. After you initiate the update, we recommend that you not terminate the process as it affects the system adversely.

# Enter the following command to update the firmware version:
    ./fwup cimc update <complete path to the location where the file is available, and the file name>

For example:
    ./fwup cimc update /root/sw/fw_pkgs/update-pkg-c200-m1-cimc.full.1.2.0.16.bin

Viewing the Status of the Firmware Update

# To view the status of the firmware update process, enter the following command:
    ./fwup cimc show updatestatus

Activating the Most Recent Firmware

After the firmware update is completed, you must activate the updated firmware to use it. To activate the firmware, enter the activate command at the command prompt. Powering off the server, either manually, or by using the Power Cycle option in the CIMC Web UI activates the updated firmware. You can activate the firmware at any time after updating it.

# To activate the firmware using the utility, enter the following command:
    ./fwup cimc activate

Note:   When you enter the command to activate the firmware, the CIMC is reset.

To avoid interrupting any task that is in progress in the CIMC Web UI, you can activate the updated firmware after the task is completed. Until you activate the updated firmware, the server will use the previously installed firmware version.

The activate command resets the CIMC. Any task that was in progress using the CIMC Web UI is aborted because the connection is lost.

Reverting to the Previous Firmware Version

There may be instances when you might have to revert to the previously installed firmware version.After installing and activating a later version, you can revert to the previous version using the following options in the CIMC Web UI:

Admin > Firmware Management > Activate CIMC Firmware

Installing the CIMC Firmware Update Utility

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/sw/fwp/user/guide/Firmware_Upgrade_Utility/Installing.html

The CIMC Firmware Update Utility is used to update firmware versions for host(x86)-based systems for standalone servers. Use this utility to update firmware versions of systems that are not on the network.

Cisco Host Upgrade Utility

The Cisco Host Upgrade Utility (hereafter referred to as HUU) is a tool that you can use to upgrade the firmware on a Cisco UCS C-Series server. HUU includes an option that enables you to download a container for a selected platform on a Windows operating system. You can download the container from the HUU ISO by burning the ISO on a physical media. When you insert the physical media into the server, auto-run launches an Index.html page in your browser. This index.html page provides access to the location from where you can download the container. You also can download the container from the ISO using the standard ISO extraction utilities.

HUU provides a user interface where you can choose the firmware components that need an upgrade. In the previous releases (1.4(x)), HUU provided a text menu from which you could choose the components and initiate the upgrade. From version 1.5(x) onwards, HUU provides a graphical user interface to perform an upgrade.

Cisco Host Upgrade Utility User Guide - For the M5 Servers

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/sw/lomug/4_0/b_huu_4_0_2/b_huu_4_0_2_chapter_01.html

Installing Operating Systems

Cisco UCS-SCU has integrated device drivers including RAID drivers to seamlessly install operating systems on supported RAID logical arrays without additional load driver steps or devices such as the USB.

This chapter provides procedure and information on how to use SCU with Cisco UCS C-Series rack-mount standalone servers

# UCS-SCU supports OS installation on the following:
    Virtual disks
    NVMe device
    M.2 device
    Disks in JBOD mode
    SD Cards
    SW RAID

Note:
This is available only on Cisco UCS M4, M5 and M6 servers.

ESXi Custom Installation

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/ucsscu/user/guide/6-2/b-cisco-ucs-scu-user-guide-release-6-2/m_installing_operating_systems.html

# Installing ESXi
The ESXi Install option allows you to install the operating system and customize the default settings.

Note    
    ESXi installation is also supported on SD cards for Cisco UCS C220 M4/M5 and C240 M4/M5 servers, 
    after enabling the virtual drive on the HV partition and rebooting the host.

# Procedure
Step 1  
    Select OS Installation in the left navigation pane.
    The OS Installation page displays all the OS installation options.

Step 2  
    From the OS category drop-down list, select VMware.

Step 3  
    From the OS version drop-down list, select the desired ESXi version.

Step 4  
    From the Installing Disk drop-down list, select the disk location.

Step 5  
    Click Custom install button.
    The VMware ESXi Custom Install page of the selected ESXi version appears.

Step 6  
    Perform the following in the VMware ESXi Custom Install page:
    In the Basic Configuration area, do the following:
        1. From the Keyboard drop down list, select the desired language.
            By default, the language is English.
        2. In the Root Password field, enter the root password.
        3. In the Confirm Root Password field, re-enter the root password.
        4. In the Product key field, enter the product license key.
        5. For Installation Disk area, perform the steps in Selecting a Installation Disk.
        6. For Network Settings area, perform the steps in Network Settings.

Non Interactive Operating System Installation

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/ucsscu/user/guide/6-2/b-cisco-ucs-scu-user-guide-release-6-2/m_ni_os_installation.html

Non Interactive Server Configuration Utility (NI-SCU) helps deploy operating systems without user intervention.

# To install operating systems using NI-SCU, do the following:
1. Modify the niscu.cfg configuration file to include information such as the target server, 
    the SCU ISO file location, and the log collection details.
2. See Modifying the niscu.cfg File.
3. See Modifying conf_file.
4. Prepare the answer file for kickstart installation.
    For sample answer files, see the Custom OS Installation Examples chapter.
5. Run the os_install-4.2.yc.yyyymmddab.py script to begin the installation.

How to upgrade Cisco CMS 1000 ESXi host

https://community.cisco.com/t5/telepresence-and-video/cisco-cms1000-esxi-host-upgrade/td-p/4014479

As the CMS1000 is based on a standard UCS chassis, there should be no issue with the VM's after - just make sure to check and follow any procedure for VM Tools installation. Also be careful, ESXi has option to upgrade and retain data or upgrade and wipe data. You dont want to wipe all your VM's out.

Example Cisco UCS Host Upgrade Utility

https://software.cisco.com/download/home/286318800/type/283850974/release/4.1(3f)?catid=282558030

Cisco software download and trial license

Log Cisco support case

Cisco UCS Server Configuration Utility User Guide, Release 6.2