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UEFI Setup for ThinkAgile MX nodes using V3 servers

Before deploying a Windows Server or Azure Stack HCI operating system on ThinkAgile MX nodes, it is essential that we configure the servers’ UEFI settings properly. These settings must be manually configured. It is a good idea to double-check that all critical UEFI settings are set properly prior to starting any deployment.

Introduction​

A few UEFI settings must be set correctly to ensure optimal performance, as well as improved system security for the systems that will become nodes in the Azure Stack HCI cluster. Although security settings are a matter of preference, we recommend the settings shown in this document to maximize system security.

At a high level, UEFI configuration consists of checking/applying settings in the following categories:

  • Operating Mode

  • Processors

  • Security

The rest of the sections in this topic contain detailed steps to check/apply the appropriate settings in each category. Since Lenovo servers support both graphical and text-based System Setup menus, each section first presents the steps required if using the graphical system setup, then shows the steps required if using the text-based system setup.
  • Operating Mode settings
    The system Operating Mode must be set to Maximum Performance to optimize system performance for its intended role as an Azure Stack HCI cluster node.
  • Processor settings
    Certain processor-specific features for virtualization must be enabled for the solution to perform as designed.
  • Security settings
    Ensure that system security settings are configured as intended.