Registering the filer with an iSNS server

What an iSNS server does

The Internet Storage Name Service (iSNS) is a protocol that enables automated discovery and management of iSCSI devices on an IP storage network. An iSNS server maintains information about active iSCSI devices on the network, including their IP addresses, iSCSI node names, and portal groups. An iSCSI initiator can query the iSNS server to discover iSCSI target devices.

How the filer interacts with an iSNS server

The filer automatically registers its IP address, node name, and portal groups with the iSNS server when the iSCSI service is started and iSNS is enabled. You use the iscsi isns update command to notify the iSNS server when the filer's iSCSI configuration information changes.

Command to register the filer

You use the iscsi isns command to configure the filer to register with an iSNS server. This command specifies the information the filer sends to the iSNS server.

Note
You cannot configure or manage the iSNS server from the filer console. To manage the iSNS server, use the iSNS server administration tools.

Configuring the filer to register with an iSNS server

To configure the filer to register with the iSNS server, complete the following steps.

Step	Action
1	On the filer console, enter the following command to identify the iSNS server that the filer registers with: iscsi isns config -e entity_id_string -i ip_addr entity_id_string is the filer's network entity on the iSNS server. A network entity consists of storage node objects and portal objects. A storage node object is the filer's iSCSI node name. A portal object is the IP address and port through which the filer is accessed. ip_addr is the IP address of the iSNS server.
2	Enter the following command: iscsi isns start Result The iSNS service is started and the filer registers with the iSNS server. Note iSNS registration is persistent across reboots if the iSCSI service is running and iSNS is started.

Step

Action

On the filer console, enter the following command to identify the iSNS server that the filer registers with:

iscsi isns config -e entity_id_string -i ip_addr

entity_id_string is the filer's network entity on the iSNS server. A network entity consists of storage node objects and portal objects. A storage node object is the filer's iSCSI node name. A portal object is the IP address and port through which the filer is accessed.

ip_addr is the IP address of the iSNS server.

Enter the following command:

iscsi isns start

Result

The iSNS service is started and the filer registers with the iSNS server.

Note
iSNS registration is persistent across reboots if the iSCSI service is running and iSNS is started.

Reregistering the filer with the iSNS server

You must reregister the filer with the iSNS server when you change the filer's iSCSI configuration information, such as its node name or portal information.

To reregister the filer, complete the following step.

Step	Action
1	On the filer console, enter the following command: iscsi isns update

Disabling iSNS

When you stop the iSNS service, the filer stops registering its iSCSI information with the iSNS server.

To stop the iSNS service, complete the following step.

Step	Action
1	Enter the following command: iscsi isns stop