How to run Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS on a UCS C460 M2 Chassis as a Bare Metal Installation

To all,

I have a fully operational out of the box installation of Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS (ie upgraded to 18.04.4 LTS post installation) running bare metal on a Cisco UCS C460 M2 Chassis. Here is the white paper I wrote up to install it:

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White Paper - How to run Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS on a UCS C460 M2 Chassis as a Bare Metal Installation:

1) Upgrade all Hardware/BIOS/CIMC firmware versions using the 1.5(9g) Hardware Upgrade Utility - Download from http:/www.cisco.com:

ucs-c460-huu-1.5.9g.iso

Cisco IMC - 1.5(9g)
BIOS - C460.1.5.4d.0
Broadcomm 5709 LOM - C460T7441-6.2
Broadcomm 5711 LOM - C460T7441-6.2-3.3-aa0.5ad
Intel I350 quad port adapter - 0x80000AA6-1.808.2
LSI 9260-8i - 2130.403-6359
Emulex OCe11102 - 10.6.144.21-10.6.144.21

NOTE: I believe the keys to the installation were the CIMC/BIOS/LSI 9260-8i (ie RAID Controller). But upgrade all of the firmware versions.

2) Cisco requires JAVA version 7 update 21 to run the KVM Console. This took me a while to realize as I was running the
latest JAVA version 8 and it never would launch the KVM Console, but you will need to ensure you are running ONLY this version:

jre-7u21-macosx-x64.dmg (ie MacOS) or whatever OS version you are running.

3) POST BIOS UPGRADE, these are the settings for the RAID controller to ensure the server boots (ie it took me a while to get these correct):

a) Reset the BIOS to Optimized Defaults (ie hit F9) - this resets all BIOS settings to factory defaults just in case something was incorrect from prior use

b) Advanced/Mass Storage Controller Configuration/

Onboard SATA Controller - Enabled
SATA Mode - AHCI
AHCI Option ROM - Enabled

c) Boot Options

Boot Option #1 - RAID controller (ie once I installed Ubuntu, the SAS Controller renamed this to “ubuntu”)

Boot Mode - Native UEFI

4) Storage Controller - At boot up, hist CNTL H to enter the LSI 9260-8i Web Console Configuration.

a) Delete all partitions/configurations
b) Create new partition (ie I used the wizard to create a RAID 6 single Virtual Drive 0 with all 12 - 600GB HDs or 6TB total local storage)
c) Save and exit

5) CIMC Storage Options

Left Frame Storage Tab: - Right Frame Virtual Drive Info Tab:

Actions: Set as Boot Drive

Save Changes - Lower Right Hand Corner

6) Download the Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS server image from http://www.ubuntu.com:

ubuntu-18.04.3-server-amd64.iso

Create a bootable USB Thumb Drive from the ISO image and insert it into a USB port on the UCS C460 M2 Chassis

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Might I suggest posting this to the certified/verified chassis web page.

Thanks,
Ted Hannock
919-349-2528
<email address hidden>