vfcctrl command

Purpose

Enables, disables, or lists the protocols that are supported by the virtual Fibre Channel host (vfchost) adapters.

Syntax

vfcctrl -list -protocol [-disabled]

vfcctrl -enable -protocol {scsi | nvme} {-cpname clientPartitionName | -cpid clientPartitionIdDecimal | -vadapter ServerVirtualAdapter}

vfcctrl -disable -protocol {scsi | nvme} {-cpname clientPartitionName | -cpid clientPartitionIdDecimal | -vadapter ServerVirtualAdapter}

Description

The vfcctrl command enables or disables the protocols that are supported by vfchost adapters. The command also lists the status of the supported protocols. The protocol can be disabled as a result of the Live Partition Mobility (LPM) operation or by you as a user.

You can enable or disable protocols for every vfchost adapter that is provisioned for a specific client partition by using the client partition name (-cpname option) or client partition identifier (-cpid option). The client partition name, client partition ID, or both might not be available for vfchost adapters that depend on the client state irrespective of whether it is logged in or activated. If the client partition name or the identifier is not available, you can use the -vadapter option to enable or disable the protocol for an individual vfchost adapter.

The vfcctrl command with the -list -protocol option lists the protocol state of all the vfchost adapters on the Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) and the associated client partition name, the client partition identifier, or both when those values are available. The -disabled option lists only the adapters that have at least one protocol disabled. If the protocol is disabled during the live LPM operation, it is listed under the disabled_by_lpm column. If you as a user have disabled the protocol, it is listed under the disabled_by_user column.
Note: If the information is not available, the listed value is displayed as "--".

Flags

Flag name Description
-list Lists the information about all the vfchost adapters on the VIOS.
-protocol Lists the protocol information about all vfchost adapters.
-disabled Lists only adapters that have at least one protocol that is disabled.
-enable Enables the protocol for vfchost adapters that are currently disabled.
-disable Disables the protocol for vfchost adapters.
Note: The Small Computer Serial Interface (SCSI) protocol cannot be disabled.
-cpname Specifies the client partition name that you want to enable or disable.
-cpid Specifies the client partition ID in decimal value that you want to enable or disable.
-vadapter Specifies the vfchost adapter that you want to enable or disable.
-protocol Specifies the protocol, either SCSI or Nonvolatile Memory express (NVMe), that you want to enable or disable.

Examples

  1. To list the protocol status for all virtual adapters, type the following command:
    $ vfcctrl -list -protocol
Adapter         disabled_by_lpm         disabled_by_user       ClntId     ClntName        
--------------- ----------------------- ---------------------- ---------- ----------------
vfchost0        none                    NVMe                   5          clientlpar1      
vfchost1        none                    NVMe                   5          clientlpar1      
vfchost2        none                    NVMe                   18         --              
vfchost3        none                    NVMe                   5          --
  2. To enable NVMe protocol for the vfchost2 adapter, type the following command:
    $ vfcctrl -enable -protocol nvme -vadapter vfchost2
The "nvme" protocol for "vfchost2" is enabled.
  3. To enable NVMe protocol for all adapters that are owned by the client identifier 5, type the following command:
    $ vfcctrl -enable -protocol nvme -cpid 5           
The "nvme" protocol for "vfchost0" is enabled.

The "nvme" protocol for "vfchost1" is enabled.

The "nvme" protocol for "vfchost3" is enabled.
  4. To disable NVMe protocol for all adapters that are owned by the client name clientlpar1, type the following command:
    $ vfcctrl -disable -protocol nvme -cpname clientlpar1
The "nvme" protocol for "vfchost0" is disabled.

The "nvme" protocol for "vfchost1" is disabled.