Cisco UCS VIC 1380 Mezzanine Adapter

The Cisco UCS VIC 1380 Mezzanine Adapter is a high-performance networking card engineered for the Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) to turbocharge data center connectivity. Designed to integrate seamlessly with Cisco UCS blade servers and Fabric Interconnects, the VIC 1380 delivers scalable, low-latency networking that supports modern virtualization, dense workloads, and dynamic cloud-era workloads. Built to optimize both throughput and reliability, this mezzanine adapter enables administrators to provision a flexible mix of vNICs and vHBAs, consolidating network traffic with Cisco’s unified fabric philosophy. Whether you’re deploying bare-metal workloads, virtualized environments, or large-scale multi-tenant architectures, the VIC 1380 is crafted to reduce cabling complexity, improve cabling efficiency, and simplify management through Cisco UCS Manager. The result is a more agile data center that can rapidly adapt to changing business requirements while delivering predictable performance and strong data protection.

• Optimized for Cisco UCS ecosystems with unified fabric that simplifies cabling, reduces latency, and lowers total cost of ownership across the data center.
• Flexible virtualization support with configurable vNICs and vHBAs, enabling rapid provisioning of network and storage interfaces without hardware changes.
• High-performance connectivity capable of scaling across multiple speed tiers, including high-bandwidth 10/25/40/50 Gbps options to match workload demands and future growth.
• Robust reliability features, including hardware offloads, error detection, and hot-swappable design, to maximize uptime in demanding 24/7 environments.
• Seamless deployment and policy-driven management through Cisco UCS Manager, enabling automated provisioning, consistent configurations, and simplified lifecycle management.

Technical Details of Cisco UCS VIC 1380 Mezzanine Adapter

• Form factor: Mezzanine adapter designed for Cisco UCS B-Series blade servers and compatible with Cisco UCS Cisco UCS Manager workflows.
• Interface: PCIe mezzanine interface engineered to deliver high-speed data paths between the blade server and network fabric, with hardware offloads to optimize CPU utilization.
• Connectivity: Supports flexible, high-bandwidth networking options and is designed to work with Cisco Unified Fabric for streamlined uplink and downlink performance.
• Virtualization features: Supports multiple vNICs and vHBAs, enabling VM-aware networking, NPIV, VLAN tagging, and policy-based network segmentation for cloud-native workloads.
• Performance characteristics: Engineered to deliver low latency and predictable throughput under heavy virtualization and multi-tenant scenarios.
• Management integration: Fully compatible with Cisco UCS Manager and Cisco UCS Central for centralized policy-driven configuration, monitoring, and lifecycle management.
• Reliability and resilience: Includes error detection mechanisms and a design that emphasizes redundancy and smooth firmware upgrades to minimize downtime.
• Compatibility: Built to work within the Cisco UCS ecosystem, aligning with Cisco’s networking and data center strategies for simplified operations.

how to install Cisco UCS VIC 1380 Mezzanine Adapter

• Prepare the server: power down the blade, disconnect power, and follow the standard safety procedures for handling hot-swappable components.
• Access the mezzanine slot: remove the service cover as per Cisco maintenance guidelines and locate the correct mezzanine slot for the VIC 1380.
• Align and insert: carefully align the VIC 1380 with the slot connector and firmly seat it to ensure full contact. Do not force the card; if it doesn’t seat, recheck alignment.
• Secure and reassemble: fasten any slot screws and reattach the blade cover, ensuring proper clearance and cable routing to avoid interference.
• Power and configure: power on the server and use Cisco UCS Manager to verify recognition of the VIC 1380, then create and assign vNICs and vHBAs, apply policies, and verify uplink connectivity.

Frequently asked questions

Q: What is the Cisco UCS VIC 1380 Mezzanine Adapter?
A: The VIC 1380 is a high-performance mezzanine network adapter for Cisco UCS blade servers, delivering flexible, virtualized NIC and HBA functionality with unified fabric integration for streamlined data center networking.

Q: What speeds and virtualization features does it support?
A: It supports high-bandwidth interfaces (across multiple speed tiers) and virtual NICs (vNICs) and virtual HBAs (vHBAs), enabling efficient VM networking, storage connectivity, and NIC partitioning for cloud and virtualization workloads.

Q: Is the VIC 1380 compatible with all Cisco UCS models?
A: The VIC 1380 is designed for Cisco UCS blade servers and works within Cisco UCS Manager ecosystems. Compatibility specifics depend on chassis, blade generation, and firmware, so always verify against the current Cisco interoperability matrix within UCS Manager.

Q: How does it improve data center efficiency?
A: By enabling unified fabric and consolidating NICs/HBAs into virtual functions, the VIC 1380 reduces cabling complexity, streamlines policy-based management, and improves scalability—leading to lower operational costs and faster deployment times.

Q: What should I consider when deploying VIC 1380 in a production environment?
A: Plan for proper firmware alignment with UCS Manager, ensure license and feature support for virtualization, define vNIC/vHBA policies, and schedule maintenance windows to apply firmware updates without impacting critical workloads.