Cisco E1120D M3 Blade Server — 1 x Intel Xeon D-1557 1.50 GHz with SAS Controller

The Cisco E1120D M3 Blade Server is a compact, data center-class blade designed to extend enterprise-grade compute capabilities to the branch office. Part of the Cisco UCS E-Series family, this blade brings scalable performance into a small-form-factor, residing inside Cisco 4000 Series Integrated Services Routers (ISRs). It is engineered to deliver virtualization-ready processing, enabling organizations to consolidate workloads at the edge while maintaining centralized management through Cisco UCS Manager. With a focus on efficiency, reliability, and streamlined deployment, the E1120D M3 helps remote sites run critical applications—from lightweight databases to virtualized workloads—without the need for a full-scale data center footprint.

• High-efficiency blade performance: Powered by a dedicated Intel Xeon D-1557 processor at 1.50 GHz, the E1120D M3 is built to handle virtualization, multi-task workloads, and edge computing with consistent, predictable throughput in a compact form factor.
• Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) controller integration: The SAS controller delivers fast, reliable storage I/O for databases, virtual machines, and data-intensive applications, enabling responsive performance for branch-office workloads.
• Cisco UCS integration for centralized management: Designed to slot into Cisco UCS E-Series deployments within Cisco 4000 Series ISRs, this blade leverages policy-based management, service profiles, and streamlined firmware updates via Cisco UCS Manager.
• Edge-optimized design for branch offices: The blade is purpose-built to operate in remote or edge locations, delivering data-center-class compute with space-saving rigor, efficient cooling, and robust remote monitoring capabilities.
• Virtualization-ready and workload-flexible: Ideal for running multiple lightweight VMs or virtualization-enabled applications at the edge, while preserving integration with Cisco’s virtualization strategies and security features.

Technical Details of Cisco E1120D M3 Blade Server

• Processor: Intel Xeon D-1557 @ 1.50 GHz
• Storage Controller: Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) Controller
• Form Factor / Series: Cisco UCS E-Series Blade Server within Cisco 4000 Series ISRs
• Deployment: Designed for branch offices and edge data centers, with centralized management through Cisco UCS Manager
• Virtualization: Supports virtualization workloads when used with compatible hypervisors and UCS policy-based provisioning

how to install Cisco E1120D M3 Blade Server

• Prepare the Cisco 4000 Series ISR chassis and ensure power and cooling are available at the remote site. Verify compatibility with UCS Manager and service-profile-based deployment.
• Power down the chassis (if required) and identify an available blade slot in the E-Series enclosure. Remove any blanking plates and confirm slot readiness.
• Insert the Cisco E1120D M3 blade into the designated slot with care, ensuring all connectors align properly. Secure the blade according to the chassis guidelines.
• Connect the blade to the chassis backplane, including any SAS cables or storage adapters as required by your storage configuration. Attach management interfaces and console access to enable initial configuration.
• Power on the blade and access Cisco UCS Manager to create or apply a service profile. Bind the blade to the service profile to provision CPU, memory, storage, and network resources per your workload needs.
• Install the operating system or virtualization stack on the provided storage, configure network interfaces, and apply security policies. Validate boot integrity and perform baseline health checks using UCS Manager and vendor utilities.

Frequently asked questions

What workloads is the Cisco E1120D M3 blade best suited for?
The E1120D M3 is designed for branch-office and edge deployments, where data-center-class compute is needed in a compact blade. It is well-suited for virtualization at the edge, lightweight databases, distributed services, and remote analytics workloads that benefit from centralized management and faster application proximity to users.

How does it integrate with Cisco UCS Manager?
The blade is built to slot into Cisco UCS E-Series environments and integrates with Cisco UCS Manager via service profiles. This enables policy-based provisioning, streamlined firmware management, and consistent configuration across multiple blades, which simplifies operations at remote sites.

What are the storage options for this blade?
The blade includes an integrated Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) controller to support high-speed SAS storage. Storage choices depend on your chassis, backplane, and attached SAS drives or SSDs, with performance tuned by your service profiles and storage policy settings.

Can I run VMware, Hyper-V, or other virtualization platforms on this blade?
Yes. The E1120D M3 is virtualization-ready when deployed with a compatible hypervisor and Cisco UCS Manager service profiles. You can allocate resources, create virtual machines, and manage virtualization policies from the centralized UCS interface for consistent edge deployment.

What kind of support and updates can I expect?
As part of the Cisco UCS ecosystem, the E1120D M3 blade benefits from Cisco’s ongoing firmware and software updates, security patches, and enterprise-level support for UCS Manager and related infrastructure. Regular maintenance and firmware updates help ensure compatibility with evolving workloads and security requirements.