Registering the filer with an iSNS server

What an iSNS server does

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

How you manage the iSNS server

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

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. In addition, Data ONTAP automatically updates the iSNS server any time the filer's configuration settings change.

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.

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 -i ip_addr 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 -i ip_addr

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

Configuring iSNS for vFilers

You can configure iSNS separately for each vFiler by using the iscsi isns command on each vFiler to:

Configure which iSNS server to use
Configure which iSNS Entity ID to use
Turn iSNS registration on or off

For information about vFilers, see the sections on iSCSI service on vFilers in the MultiStore Management Guide.