Service Profile Templates
With a service profile template, you can quickly create several service profiles with the same basic parameters,
such as the number of vNICs and vHBAs, and with identity information drawn from the same pools.
If you need only one service profile with similar values to an existing service profile, you can clone a
service profile in the Cisco UCS Manager GUI.
Tip
For example, if you need several service profiles with similar values to configure servers to host database
software, you can create a service profile template, either manually or from an existing service profile. You
then use the template to create the service profiles.
Cisco UCS supports the following types of service profile templates:
Initial template
Service profiles created from an initial template inherit all the properties of the template. However,
after you create the profile, it is no longer connected to the template. If you need to make changes to
one or more profiles created from this template, you must change each profile individually.
Updating template
Service profiles created from an updating template inherit all the properties of the template and remain
connected to the template. Any changes to the template automatically update the service profiles created
from the template.
Policies
Policies determine how Cisco UCS components will act in specific circumstances. You can create multiple
instances of most policies. For example, you might want different boot policies, so that some servers can PXE
boot, some can SAN boot, and others can boot from local storage.
Policies allow separation of functions within the system. A subject matter expert can define policies that are
used in a service profile, which is created by someone without that subject matter expertise. For example, a
LAN administrator can create adapter policies and quality of service policies for the system. These policies
can then be used in a service profile that is created by someone who has limited or no subject matter expertise
with LAN administration.
You can create and use two types of policies in Cisco UCS Manager:
• Configuration policies that configure the servers and other components
• Operational policies that control certain management, monitoring, and access control functions
Configuration Policies
Boot Policy
The boot policy determines the following:
• Configuration of the boot device
Cisco UCS Manager GUI Configuration Guide, Release 2.0
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Server Architecture and Connectivity