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.

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. The 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.

The following steps show how to create a service profile template:

Step 1. In the Navigation pane, click the Servers.

Step 2. Expand Servers > Service Profiles Templates.

Step 3. Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the service profile template. If the system does not include multitenancy, expand the root node.

Step 4. Right-click the organization and select Create Service Profile Template, as shown in Figure 12-50.

Figure 12-50 Creating a Service Profile Template

Step 5. In the Create Service Profile Template wizard, complete the following:

Page 1: Identifying the Service Profile Template, as in Figure 12-51.

Page 2: Configuring the Storage Options, as in Figure 12-52.

Page 3: Configuring the Networking Options, as in Figure 12-53.

Page 4: Setting the vNIC/vHBA Placement, as in Figure 12-54.

Page 8: Setting the Server Boot Order, as in Figure 12-55.

Page 9: Adding the Maintenance Policy, as in Figure 12-56.

Page 10: Specifying the Server Assignment, as in Figure 12-57.

Page 11: Adding Operational Policies, as in Figure 12-58.

Figure 12-51 Service Profile Template Wizard Page 1

Figure 12-52 Service Profile Template Wizard Page 2

Figure 12-53 Service Profile Template Wizard Page 3

Figure 12-54 Service Profile Template Wizard Page 4

Figure 12-55 Service Profile Template Wizard Page 8