UCS IMC Developer API Toolkit

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers and UCS S-Series Storage Servers deliver customers the option of integrating their rackmount systems into a unified computing platform or running them as discreet platforms in standalone mode. Each platform addresses varying workload challenges through a balance of processing, memory, I/O, and internal storage resources. Every Cisco UCS C-Series Server includes a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) and every S-Series Server includes a Chassis Management Controller (CMC) that is embedded with the Cisco Integrated Management Controller (IMC) interface.



The most recent release of the Cisco IMC software is version 3.0 and this is supported on the following Cisco C-Series and S-Series servers:

  • M5 Servers
    • UCS C220 M5
    • UCS C240 M5
    • UCS C480 M5
  • M4 Servers
    • UCS C220 M4
    • UCS C240 M4
    • UCS C460 M4
    • UCS S3260 M4
  • M3 Servers
    • UCS C22 M3
    • UCS C24 M3
    • UCS C220 M3
    • UCS C240 M3
    • UCS C3160 M3
    • UCS S3260 M3

IMC 3.0 supports multiple interfaces, WebUI, CLI, XML API and RedFish REST API. Key feature enhancements in IMC 3.0 are listed below, be sure to view the release notes and the server data sheets.

IMC 3.0 Key Feature Enhancements

  • HTML5 WebUI
  • HTML5 vKVM
  • Redfish 1.0.1 Support (REST/JSON API) Read the blog!!
  • XML API Transactional Support
  • Security Updates
  • One Click HW Inventory
  • BIOS Profiles
  • One-Time Boot
  • Local / LDAP User Search Priority
  • Power On Password
  • Cisco IMC IP Whitelisting
  • Cisco IMC Asset Tag
  • SMART SSD Data Reporting
  • Language Localization (Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish)

UCS IMC Redfish - New Redfish Compliant RESTful API

IMC 3.0 supports Redfish 1.0.1 and also includes OEM extensions for firmware operations. IMC Redfish operations include but are not limited to the following components:

  • Authentication and RBAC
  • Server Inventory
  • Power and Cooling
  • Boot Order
  • Network Controllers
  • Storage Controllers
  • BIOS Settings
  • Firmware Management

Be sure to view the Cisco IMC Redfish REST API guide for detailed explanations of the available operations for each component.

UCS IMC SDKs

  • IMC Python SDK

Cisco UCS IMC Python SDK for UCS IMC is a Python module that helps automate and manage configurations within UCS IMC including users, bios, storage, self encrypting drives, network and firmware.

Cisco UCS IMC Python SDK enables easy integration with existing IT management processes and tools. The Python SDK manipulates the Cisco UCS IMC Management Information Tree (MIT). The Python SDK allows you to query, create, modify, and delete the Managed Objects (MOs) in the tree.

The UCS IMC Python SDK is host at Github and is currently an Beta release. You can give it a try, provide feedback and be involved in the initial development of the UCS IMC Python SDK

Get More Information

Cisco UCS IMC PowerTool for UCS IMC is a PowerShell module that helps automate and manage configurations within UCS IMC including users, bios, storage, self encrypting drives, network and firmware.

Cisco UCS IMC PowerTool enables easy integration with existing IT management processes and tools. The PowerTool Cmdlets manipulate the Cisco UCS IMC Management Information Tree (MIT). The PowerTool Cmdlets allow you to query, create, modify, and delete the Managed Objects (MOs) in the tree.

IMC Core Features Accessible via the XML API

  • IMC 3.0 Core API Features
    • Power on, power off, power cycle, reset, and shut down the server
    • Toggle the locator LED
    • Configure the server boot order
    • View server properties and sensors
    • Complete out of band storage configuration
    • Manage remote presence
    • Firmware management
    • Create and manage local user accounts and enable authentication through Active Directory & LDAP
    • Configure network-related settings, including NIC properties, IPv4, IPv6, VLANs, and network security
    • Configure communication services, including HTTP, SSH, and IPMI over LAN
    • Manage certificates
    • Configure platform event filters
    • Monitor faults, alarms, and server status

IMC Supervisor

  • IMC Supervisor Version 2.0

Cisco IMC Supervisor is a management system that enables management (monitoring, inventory, vKVM launch, firmware updates and policy-driven configuration of up to 1,000 Standalone C-Series and E-Series Servers. IMC Supervisor is delivered as a virtual appliance and supports VMware 5.1, 5.5 and 6.0 as well as Microsoft Hyper-V 6.1.7 and 6.3.9. Key features of IMC Supervisor include:

- Hardware Health Status (Monitoring)
- Platform Hardware Inventory
- Platform Management with vKVM Launcher
- Firmware Inventory + Management
- Diagnostic Tools Management (Non-Interactive Diagnostics)
- Scheduler (System Discovery & Firmware Updates)
- Call Home (E-mail Alerting)
- Cisco Smart Call Home
- Platform Grouping & Tagging
- Group Discovery
- Server Utilization Stats Collection
- REST/XML API
- Policy Import & Deletion
- Policy Deployment
- Profile Deployment (Policy Group)
- Server Group Deployment</br></br>
  • IMC Supervisor Version 2.1 Supports:
    • Cisco UCS C-Series M3/M4 Servers
    • Cisco UCS S-Series M3/M4 Servers
    • Cisco UCS E-Series M1/M2/M3 Servers

Be sure to view the release notes for the latest information.

UCS Management Programming Guides

View the latest and previous versions of the programming guides

Get More Information

Companion Utilities

Server Configuration Utility

  • The Server Configuration Utility (SCU) is a utility ISO that provides a number of functions including:

  • Platform Configuration (Including RAID)

  • OS Deployment (Incl. Slipstreaming drivers)

  • Driver Update Utility (Windows & Linux)

  • Platforms running IMC v3.0 support OS deployment non-interactively through the IMC XML API which is facilitated through this utility.

Host Upgrade Utility

  • The Host Upgrade Utility (HUU) is a firmware update ISO providing firmware updates for components including BMC, CMC, BIOS, RAID Controller, Cisco Virtual Interface Card, Hard Drives and 3rd Party PCI Cards. It provides the following modes:

    • Interactive HUU Graphical User Interface
    • Non-Interactive HUU initiated through the XML API (and by integrations including PowerShell & Python SDKs as well as IMC Supervisor.

    Check out the Cisco Communities post about the Cisco HUU Update Utilities

UCS Diagnostic Utility

  • The Diagnostic Utility provides customers a diagnostic toolset which can be used to troubleshoot Cisco servers running in standalone mode. This utilitiy can be run in interactive mode through an embedded GUI or non-interactive mode which can be initiated through the XML API.

Check out the Cisco Communities post about the UCS Diagnostic Tool

UCScfg & BIOS configuration Tool

  • The UCS Configuration Tool or UCScfg allows customers to configure key IMC Management and BIOS settings from the host operating system, and in the latest release supports full IMC configuration using an IMC Import/Export XML Configuration file.

Check out the Cisco Communities post about UCScfg and Puppet