Configuring host objects

You can use the management GUI or command-line interface (CLI) to create host objects.

Before you begin

If you are configuring a host object on a Fibre Channel attached host, ensure that you have completed all zone and switch configuration. Also test the configuration to ensure that zoning was created correctly.

If you are configuring a host object on the system that uses iSCSI connections, ensure that you have completed the necessary host-system configurations and have configured the system for iSCSI connections.

At least one WWPN or iSCSI name must be specified.

To create a host object in the management GUI, select Hosts > Hosts > Add Hosts.

About this task

To create host objects with the command-line interface, use the following steps:

Procedure

Issue the mkhost CLI command to create a logical host object for a Fibre Channel attached host. Assign your worldwide port name (WWPN) for the host bus adapters (HBAs) in the hosts.
This is an example of the CLI command that you can issue to create a Fibre Channel attached host:
```
mkhost -name new_name -fcwwpn wwpn_list
```
where new_name is the name of the host and wwpn_list is the WWPN of the HBA.
To create an iSCSI-attached host, issue the following CLI command:
```
mkhost -iscsiname iscsi_name_list
```
where iscsi_name_list specifies one or more iSCSI qualified names (IQNs) of this host. Up to 16 names can be specified, provided that the command-line limit is not reached. Each name should comply with the iSCSI standard, RFD 3720.
To add ports to a Fibre Channel attached host, issue the addhostport CLI command.
For example, issue the following CLI command:
```
addhostport -hbawwpn wwpn_list new_name 
```
This command adds another HBA WWPN wwpn_list to the host that was created in step 1.
To add ports to an iSCSI-attached host, issue the addhostport CLI command.
For example, issue the following CLI command:
```
addhostport -iscsiname iscsi_name_list new_name 
```
where iscsi_name_list specifies the comma-separated list of IQNs to add to the host. This command adds an IQN to the host that was created in step 2.
To set up Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) to authenticate iSSCI-attached hosts, issue the chhost CLI command.
The system supports both one-way and two-way CHAP authentication. In one-way CHAP authentication, the system authenticates to the host and with two-way chap authentication, both the host and the system authenticate to each other. You can specify the one-way chap secret and the user name for that host object by using the chhost command that will be used in one-way chap authentication. For example, issue the following CLI command:
```
chhost -chapsecret chap_secret –iscsiusername  username
```
where chap_secret is the CHAP secret that is used to authenticate the host for iSCSI I/O and username is the user name for the host object and is used in one-way authentication for iSCSI host logins. If this parameter is not specified, the IQN for the host is used as the user name. To list the CHAP secret and the user name for each host, use the lsiscsiauth command. To clear any previously set CHAP secret for a host, use the chhost -nochapsecret command.

What to do next

After you create the host object on the system, you can map volumes to a host.

If you are unable to discover the disk on the host system or if there are fewer paths available for each disk than expected, test the connectivity between your host system and the system. Depending on the connection type to the host, these steps might be different. For iSCSI-attached hosts, test your connectivity between the host and system ports by pinging the system from the host. Ensure that the firewall and router settings are configured correctly and validate that the values for the subnet mask and gateway are specified correctly for the system host configuration.

For Fibre Channel attached hosts, ensure that the active switch configuration includes the host zone and check the host-port link status. To verify end-to-end connectivity, you can use the lsfabric CLI command or the View Fabric panel under the Service and Maintenance container in the management GUI.