Defining a remote target

Use the target_define command to define a new remote target for remote mirroring or data migration.


target_define target=TargetName  protocol=<FC|iSCSI> [ iscsi_name=iSCSIName ]
[ xiv_features=<yes|no> ]  [ system_id=SystemId ] [ domain=DomainList ]
[ uses_4k_sectors=<yes|no> ]

Parameters

Name Type Description Mandatory Default
target Object name Local name of the remote target. Y N/A
protocol Enumeration FC (Fiber Channel) or iSCSI, depending on the communication protocol supported by the remote host. Y N/A
iscsi_name iSCSI initiator name iSCSI name of the remote target. This field is mandatory for iSCSI hosts. N N/A
system_id String ID of the remote system. Should be the same as the output of the system_id parameter on the remote system (see Displaying the values of configuration parameters. N N/A
xiv_features Boolean Defines the remote system as an XIV system. Non-XIV systems are used only for data migration. N Yes
domain N/A The cluster will be attached to the specified domains. To define more than one domain, separate them with a comma. To specify all existing domains, use "*". N none
uses_4k_sectors Boolean

Optimize the Asynchronous mirror data transfer for remote targets with 4KB sector size, such as 6TB or larger disks.

 N No

This command defines the communication topology between a local storage system and a remote storage system to enable various features, such as remote mirroring. The local storage system can write to or read from the remote storage system, or allow the target storage system to write to or read from it.

The first step when defining a new target connectivity is to specify the name of the remote storage system and the protocol used to communicate with it. There are two possible protocols: Fiber Channel (FC) and iSCSI. Each remote target is available through only one of these protocols.

This step only defines the remote system object. No connectivity definitions are defined yet and no communications are performed yet.

Once you have defined a remote target, the only way to change its protocol type is to delete the remote target and define it again.

Larger capacity disks, such as 6TB and 10TB, use 4KB sector size and therefore may suffer performance degradation as a direct result of an existing performance optimizations added for the benefit of smaller sector disks. The uses_4k_sectors parameter allows the user to prevent the performance optimization in the cases where it may prove harmful. The disks affected by the performance optimization are large capacity disks (6TB and higher) inside the remote target system.

Example: 

target_define target=Nextra2 protocol=FC

Output: 

Command executed successfully.

Access control

User Category Permission
Storage administrator Allowed
Storage integration administrator Allowed
Application administrator Disallowed
Security administrator Disallowed
Read-only users Disallowed
Technicians Disallowed

Warnings

  • ARE_YOU_SURE_YOU_WANT_TO_DEFINE_ANOTHER_TARGET_ON_SYSTEM

    Defining more than one target to the same remote system is not supported, and may compromise the data on the slave system. Are you sure the remote system is not already defined as a target?

Return codes

  • MAX_TARGETS_REACHED

    Maximum number of targets already defined

  • TARGET_NAME_EXISTS

    Target name is already assigned to another target

  • TARGET_ISCSI_MUST_HAVE_A_NAME

    iSCSI Target must have an iscsi_name

  • ISCSI_NAME_NOT_ALLOWED_FOR_FC

    FC Target does not have an iscsi_name

  • TARGET_BAD_SCSI_TYPE

    Target SCSI type does not exist

  • DOMAIN_DOESNT_EXIST

    Domain does not exist.