Configure iscsi disk in AIX

It may be quite confusing to configure iscsi disk in AIX 6.1 in the very beginning, because you might not get full context on the information center, like http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systems/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.aix.commadmn/doc/commadmndita/iscsi_config.htm

then, you might confuse on the following commands, files, and menus:

• mkiscsi, lsiscsi, cfgmgr -l
  
• /etc/iscsi/targets
• smitty iscsi

finally, you might confuse on how to get parameters from the iSCSI target server, like netapp.

In general, I use smitty iscsi for the configuration, and use commands to verify the configuration due to its simpligicity.

I used netapp FAS2020 for the iSCSI target server, and attempted to configuration iscsi disk in AIX which use a LUN in FAS 2020.

• The FAS2020 use 172.,16.1.49:3260, and define by default initiator group, iqn.1992-08.com.netqapp:sn.xxxxxxxxx
• within FAS2020, an LUN with an initiator group: iqn.2009-03.net.2web:sn0002
• iSCSI protocol device is for the LUN, so

Then here is the steps:

• define /etc/iscsi/targets

172.16.1.49 3260 iqn.1992-08.com.netqapp:sn.xxxxxxxxx

• smitty iscsi, and choose iSCSI Target Device Parameters in ODM

adding iSCSI Target Device in ODM with file /etc/iscsi/targets

• you can verify the setting/change with the lsiscsi command

• smitty iscsi, and choose iSCSI Protocol Device

change/Show characteristics of an iSCSI Protocol Device with your LUN initiators.

• you can configure the iSCSI disk now with the above setting by using command cfgmgr

cfgmgr -l iscsi0

• verify the disk with lspv, you should get new disk

other useful URLs:

http://unix.ittoolbox.com/groups/technical-functional/ibm-aix-l/re-configuring-iscsi-access-with-aix-52-and-ibm-san-1183309