Fibre Channel Target Port Management - Revision history

Qadmin: Link the new Clustered SCSI-3 Persistent Reservations page

2026-09-28T16:32:27Z

Link the new Clustered SCSI-3 Persistent Reservations page

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:32, 28 September 2026
Line 283:		Line 283:
	* [[Hardware Controllers & Enclosures]] -- SAS and RAID controllers, which are a separate inventory from FC adapters		* [[Hardware Controllers & Enclosures]] -- SAS and RAID controllers, which are a separate inventory from FC adapters
	* [[HA Cluster Setup (JBODs)]] -- ALUA path roles and what clients see on a failover		* [[HA Cluster Setup (JBODs)]] -- ALUA path roles and what clients see on a failover
			* [[Clustered SCSI-3 Persistent Reservations]] -- keeping Windows failover cluster reservations across an HA failover, for FC and iSCSI
	* [[QuantaStor CLI Command Reference]] -- full argument lists for the commands above		* [[QuantaStor CLI Command Reference]] -- full argument lists for the commands above

Qadmin: Rework the FC assignment section to lead with the web interface and put the CLI after it, per the Administrator Guide convention. Adds the three numbered WUI steps with verified breadcrumbs - create the host with its FC WWPN, assign the volume, rescan on the client - including the Select Initiator picker and why it is empty in target-only mode. The CLI equivalents follow as a note, and the ALUA and multipath material is unchanged

2026-09-05T06:06:07Z

Rework the FC assignment section to lead with the web interface and put the CLI after it, per the Administrator Guide convention. Adds the three numbered WUI steps with verified breadcrumbs - create the host with its FC WWPN, assign the volume, rescan on the client - including the Select Initiator picker and why it is empty in target-only mode. The CLI equivalents follow as a note, and the ALUA and multipath material is unchanged

@@ Line 167: / Line 167: @@
 == Assigning a storage volume over FC ==
-Assignment over FC is the same operation as assignment over iSCSI, and [[Storage Volumes]] owns it: create a host record carrying the client's FC WWPN, then assign the volume to that host. [[Hosts and Host Groups]] owns the host record and its initiator list, including how a WWPN is added and how the '''Select Initiator...''' search works. From the CLI:
+Assignment over FC is the same operation as over iSCSI: create a host record carrying the client's FC WWPN, then assign the volume to that host. What differs is only where the WWPN comes from.
 <code>[[QuantaStor CLI Command Reference#host-add|qs host-add]] --hostname=&lt;name&gt; --iqn=&lt;WWPN&gt;</code>
@@ Line 173: / Line 204: @@
 <code>[[QuantaStor CLI Command Reference#volume-assign|qs volume-assign]] --volume=&lt;volume&gt; --host-list=&lt;host&gt;</code>
-The {{Code|1=--iqn}} argument takes an FC WWPN as readily as an iSCSI IQN, and QuantaStor records it as an FC initiator by its format.
+{{Code|1=--iqn}} is the initiator argument for all three initiator types -- pass it a WWPN and the service classifies the value by its format. Note there is no {{Code|1=--lun}} argument; LUN numbering is assigned by the appliance.
 What the assignment programs on the appliance is worth knowing, because it explains what the client then sees. QuantaStor creates an initiator group named after the host's WWPN under '''every''' FC target port on the appliance, and maps two LUNs into each: LUN 0 is a QuantaStor control device, and the volume lands at LUN 1 and upwards. When the volume's pool belongs to an HA group, the same groups and LUNs are programmed on every appliance in that group, so the client gets paths to the standby appliances as well as the active one.

Qadmin: Rewrite from the product on real FC hardware: corrected breadcrumb (Storage Management > Storage Systems > FC Ports tab, not 'System Management > FC Target Ports'), corrected the --port argument and the host-add/volume-assign argument names, corrected the dialog and menu labels (Enable FC Target Mode / Enable FC Initiator Mode / Issue FC LIP), documented that FC remote ports only exist on a port with an initiator role, that Force on Issue LIP means all ports, and that an FC assignment yields...

2026-09-04T05:34:51Z

Rewrite from the product on real FC hardware: corrected breadcrumb (Storage Management > Storage Systems > FC Ports tab, not 'System Management > FC Target Ports'), corrected the --port argument and the host-add/volume-assign argument names, corrected the dialog and menu labels (Enable FC Target Mode / Enable FC Initiator Mode / Issue FC LIP), documented that FC remote ports only exist on a port with an initiator role, that Force on Issue LIP means all ports, and that an FC assignment yields...

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Qadmin: New page: FC target port enable/disable, LUN masking, remote port discovery, performance monitoring, troubleshooting

2026-06-17T03:45:28Z

New page: FC target port enable/disable, LUN masking, remote port discovery, performance monitoring, troubleshooting

New page

QuantaStor supports Fibre Channel (FC) block storage alongside iSCSI, exposing storage volumes as LUNs to FC initiator hosts. FC target mode is managed through the SCST kernel driver and requires QLogic FC HBAs — other vendors' HBAs operate in initiator mode only and cannot be switched to target mode by QuantaStor.

__TOC__

== Overview ==

=== How FC Target Mode Works ===

A QLogic FC HBA in QuantaStor operates in one of two modes:

{| class="wikitable"
! Mode !! Description
|-
| '''Target''' || The port presents storage volumes as LUNs to connected FC initiator hosts. This is the operating mode for storage provisioning.
|-
| '''Initiator''' || The port connects to remote storage targets. Used for external SAN connectivity in HA configurations. This is the default mode before enabling.
|}

QuantaStor manages FC LUN masking through the SCST driver's sysfs interface. Access control is WWN-based (World Wide Name) — each FC initiator is identified by its port WWN (WWPN), and LUNs are explicitly mapped per initiator.

=== FC vs iSCSI ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Feature !! Fibre Channel !! iSCSI
|-
| Infrastructure || Dedicated FC fabric and switches || Existing Ethernet network
|-
| Initiator ID || Port WWN (WWPN) || iSCSI Qualified Name (IQN)
|-
| Authentication || WWN + LUN masking (ACL) || IQN + optional CHAP
|-
| Speed || 8/16/32 Gbps (HBA-dependent) || 1/10/25/40/100 GbE
|-
| Latency || Very low || Low (higher than FC)
|-
| Zoning || Managed on FC switch || N/A (IP routing / VLANs)
|-
| QuantaStor mgmt || Target ports, LUN masking || Portal groups, CHAP, IQNs
|}

Volumes can be exposed simultaneously over both FC and iSCSI — each protocol assigns independent LUN numbers to the same underlying block device.

=== Prerequisites ===

* QLogic FC HBA installed in the QuantaStor appliance
* SCST kernel module loaded (managed automatically by QuantaStor)
* FC switch zoning configured so the target port WWN is visible to the desired initiator host WWPNs
* Storage pool and volumes created before enabling FC target mode

'''Note:''' QuantaStor does not configure FC switch zoning. Zone management must be performed on the FC switch fabric using the switch vendor's tools (e.g., Brocade Zone Admin, Cisco DCNM/NDFC).

== Viewing FC Target Ports ==

'''Navigation:''' System Management → FC Target Ports

'''CLI:'''
<pre>
# List all FC target ports on the system
qs fiber-channel-port-list

# Get details for a specific port
qs fiber-channel-port-get --fc-target-port=<wwpn-or-id>
</pre>

Key fields returned:

{| class="wikitable"
! Field !! Description
|-
| <code>portWwn</code> || Port World Wide Name — unique identifier for this FC port
|-
| <code>nodeWwn</code> || Node World Wide Name — identifies the HBA
|-
| <code>fabricWwn</code> || WWN of the FC fabric/switch this port is connected to
|-
| <code>isTargetModeEnabled</code> || Whether this port is enabled as an FC target
|-
| <code>status</code> || Current port status (e.g., Online)
|-
| <code>firmwareVersion</code> || HBA firmware version
|-
| <code>driverVersion</code> || HBA driver version
|-
| <code>vendor</code> / <code>model</code> || HBA vendor and model (e.g., QLogic QLE2742)
|}

== Enabling and Disabling FC Target Mode ==

=== Enable (Switch to Target Mode) ===

Enabling a port puts it into FC target mode. QuantaStor registers the port with the SCST driver and begins presenting LUNs to connected initiators. The port will be automatically re-enabled in target mode on each service restart.

'''Navigation:''' System Management → FC Target Ports → (right-click port) → Enable FC Target Port

'''CLI:'''
<pre>
qs fiber-channel-port-enable --fc-target-port=<wwpn-or-id>
</pre>

=== Disable (Return to Initiator Mode) ===

Disabling a port removes it from SCST and returns it to initiator mode. Active FC sessions on this port will be dropped.

'''Navigation:''' System Management → FC Target Ports → (right-click port) → Disable FC Target Port

'''CLI:'''
<pre>
qs fiber-channel-port-disable --fc-target-port=<wwpn-or-id>
</pre>

== Assigning Volumes to FC Initiator Hosts ==

FC LUN masking is managed at the storage volume level. Each host is identified by its initiator WWPN, and volumes are explicitly mapped to those hosts.

=== Register a Host ===

Before assigning volumes, register the initiator host and its WWPN.

'''Navigation:''' Storage Management → Hosts → (toolbar) Create Host

'''CLI:'''
<pre>
qs host-create --name=esxi-host-01 --description="VMware ESXi host"
</pre>

=== Add an FC Initiator Port to the Host ===

'''Navigation:''' Storage Management → Hosts → (right-click host) → Add Initiator Port → enter initiator WWPN

'''CLI:'''
<pre>
qs host-initiator-add --host=esxi-host-01 --wwpn=21:00:00:24:ff:8a:1b:2c
</pre>

=== Assign a Volume to the Host ===

'''Navigation:''' Storage Management → Storage Volumes → (right-click volume) → Assign to Host

'''CLI:'''
<pre>
qs volume-assign --volume=vol1 --host=esxi-host-01
</pre>

QuantaStor automatically selects an available LUN number and programs the SCST ACL. The LUN assignment can be static (fixed) or dynamic (automatic):

<pre>
# Assign with a specific LUN number (static assignment)
qs volume-assign --volume=vol1 --host=esxi-host-01 --lun=5
</pre>

=== Unassign a Volume ===

<pre>
qs volume-unassign --volume=vol1 --host=esxi-host-01
</pre>

== Viewing Connected FC Initiators ==

Remote FC ports (initiators) that are visible through the fabric and connected to an FC target port are listed as remote ports.

'''Navigation:''' System Management → FC Target Ports → (expand port) → Remote Ports

'''CLI:'''
<pre>
# List all visible remote FC initiator ports
qs fc-remote-port-list

# Get details for a specific remote port
qs fc-remote-port-get --fc-remote-port=<id>
</pre>

Each remote port entry shows the initiator WWPN and which local target port it is visible through. If an expected initiator is not visible, verify FC switch zoning is configured correctly.

== Forcing Remote Port Discovery (LIP) ==

The Loop Initialization Primitive (LIP) triggers fabric-wide device rediscovery. Issue a LIP if newly zoned initiator hosts are not appearing as remote ports.

'''Navigation:''' System Management → FC Target Ports → (right-click port) → Issue LIP

'''CLI:'''
<pre>
qs fiber-channel-port-issuelip --fc-target-port=<wwpn-or-id>
</pre>

To issue a LIP on all FC ports at once:
<pre>
sudo /opt/osnexus/quantastor/bin/qs_fc_issue_lip.sh
</pre>

Remote ports are also re-scanned automatically every 10 seconds by the QuantaStor fabric manager.

== WWN Emulation ==

QuantaStor supports WWN emulation — presenting an alternate WWPN to the fabric instead of the physical HBA WWN. This is useful when migrating from another storage system where hosts already have ACLs programmed to a specific WWN.

WWN emulation is configured at the system level. Contact OSNEXUS support for setup procedures.

The physical WWN is preserved in <code>portWwn</code> / <code>nodeWwn</code>; the active emulated WWN appears in <code>activePortWwn</code> / <code>activeNodeWwn</code>.

== FC Port Performance Monitoring ==

QuantaStor includes a background FC port monitoring daemon (<code>qs-fcportmon</code>) that collects per-port statistics and writes them to InfluxDB for display in Grafana dashboards.

=== Metrics Collected ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Metric !! Description
|-
| <code>fc_port_tx_iops</code> || Transmitted frames per second
|-
| <code>fc_port_rx_iops</code> || Received frames per second
|-
| <code>fc_port_tx_bytes</code> || Transmitted bytes per second
|-
| <code>fc_port_rx_bytes</code> || Received bytes per second
|-
| <code>fc_port_ping</code> || Round-trip latency to remote port (via fcping)
|}

=== Manual Statistics Inspection ===

<pre>
# Raw statistics from the kernel (hex values)
cat /sys/class/fc_host/host5/statistics/tx_frames
cat /sys/class/fc_host/host5/statistics/rx_frames
cat /sys/class/fc_host/host5/statistics/tx_words
cat /sys/class/fc_host/host5/statistics/rx_words

# Check port state
cat /sys/class/fc_host/host5/port_state

# Check fabric name the port is connected to
cat /sys/class/fc_host/host5/fabric_name
</pre>

Replace <code>host5</code> with the appropriate host number shown in the FC target port listing.

=== FC Monitoring Service ===

<pre>
# Check service status
systemctl status qs-fcportmon

# Run a one-time metric collection (debug)
sudo /opt/osnexus/quantastor/scripts/qs_fcportmon.py --runonce --showports
</pre>

== Troubleshooting ==

=== FC Port Not Appearing as Target ===

# Confirm the HBA is a supported QLogic model: <code>qs fiber-channel-port-list</code> — non-QLogic HBAs will show but cannot be enabled as targets.
# Verify the SCST driver is loaded: <code>ls /sys/kernel/scst_tgt/targets/qla2x00t/</code>
# Check the QuantaStor service log for SCST errors: <code>journalctl -u quantastor --since "10 minutes ago" | grep -i scst</code>
# Confirm the port is enabled: <code>qs fiber-channel-port-get --fc-target-port=<wwpn></code> — check <code>isTargetModeEnabled</code>.

=== Initiator Host Not Visible as Remote Port ===

# Confirm FC switch zoning includes both the initiator WWPN and the target WWPN in the same zone.
# Issue a LIP to trigger re-discovery: <code>qs fiber-channel-port-issuelip --fc-target-port=<wwpn></code>
# Verify the physical FC link is up: <code>cat /sys/class/fc_host/host5/port_state</code> — should read <code>Online</code>.
# Confirm the target port is online on the switch (check switch port status for the connected SFP/cable).

=== Volume Not Visible to Host After Assignment ===

# Confirm the initiator WWPN registered on the host matches the actual HBA WWPN on the initiating server.
# On the initiator server, rescan the HBA: for Linux, run <code>echo "- - -" > /sys/class/scsi_host/host0/scan</code> or use <code>rescan-scsi-bus.sh</code>.
# For VMware ESXi, rescan the storage adapters from vCenter: Storage → Adapters → Rescan.
# Verify the LUN assignment is present: <code>qs volume-get --volume=vol1</code> — check the host assignment.
# Check the SCST ACL entry is programmed: <code>ls /sys/kernel/scst_tgt/targets/qla2x00t/<target_wwn>/ini_groups/</code>

=== Active Sessions Blocking Port Disable ===

If disabling an FC port fails because active sessions exist, list and force-close them:
<pre>
# List active sessions on a target port (replace WWN)
ls /sys/kernel/scst_tgt/targets/qla2x00t/21:00:00:24:ff:1a:2b:3c/sessions/

# Force-close a specific initiator session
echo "1" > /sys/kernel/scst_tgt/targets/qla2x00t/<target_wwn>/sessions/<initiator_wwn>/force_close
</pre>

=== Poor FC Throughput ===

# Check the HBA link speed negotiated with the switch: <code>cat /sys/class/fc_host/host5/speed</code> — should match the HBA and SFP capability (e.g., <code>16 Gbit</code>).
# Verify the SFP type matches the cable type (SR vs LW) and switch port configuration.
# Check for CRC errors on the switch port — CRC errors indicate a physical layer problem (bad cable, dirty SFP, or SFP mismatch).
# Review FC port metrics via the Grafana dashboard for sustained throughput baselines.

== CLI Quick Reference ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Command !! Short Form !! Description
|-
| <code>fiber-channel-port-list</code> || <code>fcp-list</code> || List all FC target ports
|-
| <code>fiber-channel-port-get</code> || <code>fcp-get</code> || Get details for a specific FC port
|-
| <code>fiber-channel-port-enable</code> || <code>fcp-enable</code> || Enable target mode on a port
|-
| <code>fiber-channel-port-disable</code> || <code>fcp-disable</code> || Disable target mode on a port
|-
| <code>fiber-channel-port-issuelip</code> || <code>fcp-issuelip</code> || Issue LIP to force remote port rediscovery
|-
| <code>fc-remote-port-list</code> || <code>fcrp-list</code> || List all visible remote FC initiator ports
|-
| <code>fc-remote-port-get</code> || <code>fcrp-get</code> || Get details for a specific remote port
|-
| <code>host-create</code> || — || Register a new initiator host
|-
| <code>host-initiator-add</code> || — || Add a WWPN to a host
|-
| <code>volume-assign</code> || — || Assign a volume (LUN) to a host
|-
| <code>volume-unassign</code> || — || Remove a volume assignment from a host
|}

== See Also ==

* [[Storage_Pools,_Volumes,_System|Storage Volumes]] — Creating volumes and managing LUN assignments
* [[HA_Cluster_Setup_(external_SAN_%26_JBODs)|HA Cluster Setup]] — Using FC for back-end SAN connectivity in HA pairs
* [[Multipath_Configuration|Multipath Configuration]] — Configuring MPIO for FC paths on the initiator side
* [[Performance_Monitoring_%26_Tuning|Performance Monitoring & Tuning]] — FC throughput dashboards and metrics

[[Category:admin_guide]]