Creating an HSCI interface

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 LPAR mode

Combine a HiperSockets network interface with an external OSA- or RoCE port to create a single network interface.

Before you begin

It is useful to assign the participating adapters and HiperSockets channels to the same PNET ID in the IOCDS.

Procedure

Ensure that the HiperSockets interface and the OSA or RoCE interface that you want to work with are up.
Merge the HiperSockets interface and the OSA or RoCE interface by issuing a command of the form:
```
# hsci add <HipSock_if> <Ext_if>
```
The resulting HSCI interface name is based on the device-bus ID of the HiperSockets interface.
As a simple example, Figure 1 illustrates how a Linux instance running in an LPAR is changed to use one HSCI interface instead of one OSA interface and one HiperSockets interface.
Figure 1. A Linux instance where interfaces are merged to a single HSCI interface

Assume you want to set up an HSCI interface by converging a HiperSockets interface named encb112, and an OSA-Express interface named enca100. Connect the two by issuing:
```
# hsci add encb112 enca100
...
Successfully added HSCI interface hscib112
```
In the example, the device-bus ID of 0.0.b112 results in HiperSockets interface encb112, and then in the HSCI interface name hscib112. The HSCI interface name is predictable.
For more information about the hsci command, see hsci - Manage HSCI interfaces.
Assign an IP address to the new HSCI interface, for example, with the ip command.
Issue a command of the form:
```
# ip addr add <IP_address> dev <interface>
```
For example, assuming that the new HSCI interface is called hscib112:
```
# ip addr add 10.1.0.1/16 dev hscib112
```

Optional: You can list the new HSCI interface with the hsci show command:

# hsci show
HSCI      PNET_ID  HiperSockets  External
------------------------------------------------------------
hsci8410  NET1     enca100       hscib112

What to do next

You can delete an HSCI interface with the hsci del command, for example:

hsci del hscib112
Deleting HSCI interface hsci8410 with the HiperSockets enc8410 and the
external enca100
Deleting MAC fe:c2:f4:35:00:12 on enca100
Successfully deleted device hscib112