Configuring the system for iSCSI using the CLI

You need to complete several tasks to configure the system to work with iSCSI-attached hosts. The tasks include general tasks on the host system before you configure a system.

Before you complete any iSCSI-configuration tasks on the system, it is important that you complete all the iSCSI-related configuration on the host machine. Because the system supports various host machines, consult the documentation for specific instructions and requirements for a particular host. For a list of supported hosts, see this website:

http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/products/servers/lenovo-storage

To configure a system for iSCSI, follow these general tasks on the host system:

  1. Select a software-based iSCSI initiator, such as Microsoft™ Windows™ iSCSI Software Initiator and verify the iSCSI driver installation.
  2. If required, install and configure a multipathing driver for the host system.

In addition, determine a naming convention for iSCSI names, such as iSCSI qualified names (IQNs) for your system. Hosts use iSCSI names to connect to the node. Each node, for example, has a unique IQN, and the system name and node name are used as part of that IQN. Each node, for example, has a unique IQN, and the system name and node name are used as part of that IQN.

Port IP addresses are the IP addresses that are used by iSCSI-attached hosts to process I/O.

  1. To configure a new port IP address to a specified Ethernet port of a node with an IPv4 address, enter the following command-line interface (CLI) command:
    cfgportip -node node_name | node_id -ip ipv4addr
    -gw ipv4gw -mask subnet_mask -failover -vlan vlan_idport_id

    where node_name | node_id specifies the name or ID of the node that is being configured, ipv4addr is the IPv4 address for the Ethernet port, ipv4gw is the IPv4 gateway IP address, subnet_mask is the IPv4 subnet mask, and port_id specifies the Ethernet port ID (1 or 2). To view a list of ports, use the lsportip command.

    The optional -failover parameter specifies that the IP is a failover IP and is related to the partner node. If the node that is specified is the only online node in the I/O group, the address is configured and presented by this node. When another node in the I/O group comes online, the failover address is presented by that node. If two nodes in the I/O group are online when the command is issued, the address is presented by the other node to the partner node.

    The optional -vlan parameter sets the virtual local area network (VLAN) ID for an IPv4 address that is configured for iSCSI host attachment.

    For details regarding the -vlan parameter, see the information about configuring VLAN for iSCSI using the CLI.

  2. To configure a new port IP address to a specified Ethernet port of a node with an IPv6 address, enter the following CLI command:
    cfgportip -node node_name | node_id -ip_6 ipv6addr
    -gw_6 ipv6gw -prefix_6 prefix -failover -vlan_6 vlan_idport_id

    where node_name | node_id specifies the name or ID of the node that is being configured, ipv6addr is the IPv6 address for the Ethernet port, ipv6gw is the IPv6 gateway IP address, subnet_mask is the IPv6 subnet mask, and port_id specifies the Ethernet port ID (1 or 2). To view a list of ports, use the lsportip command.

    The optional -failover parameter specifies that the IP is a failover IP that is related to the partner node. If the node that is specified is the only online node in the I/O group, the address is configured and presented by this node. When another node in the I/O group comes online, the failover address is presented by that node. If two nodes in the I/O group are online when the command is issued, the address is presented by the other node to the node that is specified.

    The optional -vlan_6 parameter sets the virtual local area network (VLAN) ID for an IPv6 address that is configured for iSCSI host attachment.

    For details regarding the -vlan parameter, see the information about configuring VLAN for iSCSI using the CLI.

  3. To remove an iSCSI IP address from a node Ethernet port, enter either of these CLI commands.
    The following command deletes an IPv4 configuration for the specified iSCSI Ethernet port:
    rmportip -failover 
    -node node_name | node_idport_id

    where node_name | node_id specifies the name or ID of the node with the Ethernet port that the IP address is being removed from and port_id specifies the Ethernet port ID. To list the valid values for the Ethernet port, enter the lsportip command. The optional -failover parameter indicates that the specified data is failover data.

    The following command deletes an IPv6 configuration for the specified iSCSI Ethernet port:
    rmportip -ip_6 -failover 
    -node node_name | node_idport_id

    where -ip_6 indicates that this command removes an IPv6 configuration, node_name | node_id specifies the name or ID of the node with the Ethernet port that the IP address is being removed from, and port_id specifies the Ethernet port ID. To list the valid values for the Ethernet port, enter the lsportip command. The optional -failover parameter indicates that the specified data is failover data.

After you configure your IP addresses, you can optionally create configure the following iSCSI items: