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What is new with UCP Boulder Release (version 6.x)

By Sreeram Vankadari posted 04-07-2023 00:35

  

Boulder release got delivered in multiple phases from August 2022 to December 2022.  Below blog summarizes the list of features delivered as part of this release.

G720 switches

 UCP CI introduced new FC switch option, Brocade G720

Brocade G720 brings in several benefits like 64G FC ports and better bundling price options.  There are sales promotions on G720 as well that can benefit our customers.  Brownfield deployment option is available where customers can add G720 to existing G620 fabric.  Green field deployments (All G720 fabric) are supported as well.  This also helps to address 32G SFP shortage situation.

 


GPUs

Long awaited GPU options are now available on CPQ with UCP solutions.  As DS120 G2 is a 1U compute node, it  only supports A2 GPU.  Below table summarizes the options

 

Nexus new spine / leaf switches

 Current Cisco Spine and Leaf are due for refresh as cisco is gearing up for their EOS announcement.  New Spine (93600CD-GX) and Leaf (93180YC-FX3) switches are qualified with UCP solutions.  Though new Spine/Leaf switch qualification is complete, because of supply chain issues old Spine/Leaf switches will continue to be shipped as part of UCP CI solution till Q1CY23.  Below table summarizes the planned transition

 The new leaf switch is pretty identical to existing leaf switch with same port count and port bandwidth and totally backward compatible for UCP CI solution.  New spine brings in additional bandwidth with few 400G ports, which are not available with old Spine switch (9332C)

 

Cisco switch

Current Switch

Planned Switch

Spine switch

9332C

93600CD-GX

Leaf Switch

93180YC-FX

93180YC-FX3

 


iSCSI Boot

 As of today UCP compute nodes can choose to boot via SATADOM/M.2 or Network boot via FC SAN.  Network boot can be performed via iSCSI as well.  This iSCSI boot is now qualified with UCP systems and is fully supported.  This particular network boot options eliminates the need for SAN Fabric, thus reducing the capex.


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