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Define a host

Using ThinkSystem System Manager, you define the hosts that send data to the storage array. Defining a host is one of the steps required to let the storage array know which hosts are attached to it and to allow I/O access to the volumes. You can define a host automatically or manually.

Note
If you installed the Host Context Agent on every host connected to the storage array, the host is already defined.Select Storage > Hosts. to see the automatically defined hosts. Verify that the information provided by the HCA is correct (name, host type, host port identifiers). The host type should be Linux DM-MP (Kernel 3.10 or later).

Keep these guidelines in mind when you manually define a host:

  • You must define the host identifier ports that are associated with the host.
  • Make sure that you provide the same name as the host's assigned system name.
  • This operation does not succeed if the name you choose is already in use.
  • The length of the name cannot exceed 30 characters.
  1. Select Storage > Hosts.
  2. Click Create > Host.
    The Create Host dialog box appears.
  3. Select the settings for the host as appropriate.

    Field details

    SettingDescription
    NameType a name for the new host.
    Host operating system typeSelect Linux DM-MP (Kernel 3.10 or later) from the drop-down list.
    Host interface typeSelect the host interface type that you want to use. If the array you configure only has one available host interface type, this setting might not be available to select.
    Host portsDo one of the following:
    • Select I/O Interface

      If the host ports have logged in, you can select host port identifiers from the list. This is the recommended method.

    • Manual add

      If the host ports have not logged in, look at /etc/nvme/hostnqn on the host to find the hostnqn identifiers and associate them with the host definition.

      You can manually enter the host port identifiers or copy/paste them from the /etc/nvme/hostnqn file (one at a time) into the Host ports field.

      You must add one host port identifier at a time to associate it with the host, but you can continue to select as many identifiers that are associated with the host. Each identifier is displayed in the Host ports field. If necessary, you also can remove an identifier by selecting the X next to it.

  4. Click Create.

After the host is successfully created, ThinkSystem System Manager creates a default name for each host port configured for the host.

The default alias is <Hostname_Port Number>. For example, the default alias for the first port created for host IPT is IPT_1.