AIX

Hello folks,
I have an AIX server that is connected to a storage array via a Brocade switch using 4 ports from either side. The zoning is done such that there are 4 paths visible from the server to the storage.

My work involves frequent disabling or enabling the switch ports that are connected to the server. The switch ports connected to the server usually show status as "L Port Public". When I disable a port, the status for the corresponding port becomes disabled & the server starts seeing 3 paths. Everything as desired.

The issue is when I try to re-enable it. The port then shows the status as "L Port Private" & the server can not see that particular path to the storage in-spite of the port being enabled. Moreover, if I reboot the switch then all the 4 ports show status as " L Port Private"; leaving the server with zero access to the storage.

How do I make the disappeared path appear again?

This path appears again if I reboot both, the server & switch after enabling the port.

Had solved some days back, posting solution -


There is one attribute of the FC adapters called “INIT Link flags” that needs to be changed from “al” (loop) to “pt2pt” (use lsattr to figure this out). That did the trick. All my ports are now configured as F port.

procedure in short -

• Remove all scsi disks from vx & the OS first.
• Then remove all fscsi* & fcnet* devices.
• Then change the attribute (I used smitty. Devices-> FC Adapter-> FC Adapter -> Change or show attributes ... );
• Cfgmgr
• Reboot the switch & the server. (Not mandatory)

Done!