When you map a physical device from a VIOS to a LPAR, a logical device is created, called VTD. Virtual Target Device (VTD) Name, is unique on a VIOS, it'a a label, but it cannot be changed easily.

• Map a LUN on a vhost:

# mkvdev -vdev hdisk4 -vadapter vhost6  -dev labotest_b1

• Map the same LUN on multiple vhost (LPAR):

# mkvdev -f -vdev hdisk4 -vadapter vhost7  -dev labotest123_b1

• Unmap a LUN from vhost (LPAR):

# rmvdev -vtd labotest123_b1

2 ways to change the VTD name:

• unmap and remap
• use mig_name option on VTD, and do a LPAR mobility

$ chdev -dev vtd01 -attr mig_name=mig_vtd01

Apply recommended settings

$ rulescfgset  [ENTER]
Do you want to deploy default rules on top of the current system
settings now [y/N]?

Displays the differences between the factory default rules and the current system settings.

$ rules -o diff -d -s

Lists rules that will be deployed.

$ rules -o list

Lists the factory default rules.

$ rules -o list -d

Methods to disable rulescfgset message reminder after upgrading VIOS level

$ chdev -l viosrules0 -a motd=no

• On an LPAR find the corresponding vhost on VIOS:

[root@nimsrv]/etc# echo "cvai" | kdb | grep vscsi
read vscsi_scsi_ptrs OK, ptr = 0x5AB0380
vscsi1     0x000007 0x0000000000 0x0                p550-vios1->vhost0
vscsi2     0x000007 0x0000000000 0x0                p550-vios2->vhost0

• On an LPAR find the corresponding vfchost on VIOS:

[root@arwen]/root # echo "vfcs" | kdb | grep fcs
(0)> vfcs
NAME      ADDRESS             STATE   HOST      HOST_ADAP  OPENED NUM_ACTIVE
fcs2      0xF1000A00001EA000  0x0008  p7vios1   vfchost0  0x01    0x0000
fcs3      0xF1000A00001EC000  0x0008  p7vios1   vfchost1  0x01    0x0000

[root@nimsrv]/root/script/bin# kdb
           START              END <name>
0000000000001000 00000000058A0000 start+000FD8
F00000002FF47600 F00000002FFDF9C8 __ublock+000000
000000002FF22FF4 000000002FF22FF8 environ+000000
000000002FF22FF8 000000002FF22FFC errno+000000
F1000F0A00000000 F1000F0A10000000 pvproc+000000
F1000F0A10000000 F1000F0A18000000 pvthread+000000
read vscsi_scsi_ptrs OK, ptr = 0x5AB0380
(0)> cvai
NAME       STATE    CMDS_ACTIVE  ACTIVE_QUEUE       HOST
vscsi1     0x000007 0x0000000000 0x0                p550-vios1->vhost0
vscsi2     0x000007 0x0000000000 0x0                p550-vios2->vhost0

(0)> quit

Starting with AIX 7.2 TL5 SP3 (and VIOS 3.1.3.00), AIX/Power system administrators can use an alternative to kdb for viewing VIOS “identifying info” from client AIX LPAR’s. i.e.

# cat /proc/sys/adapter/fc/fcs0/hostinfo
fcs0
VFC client adapter name                   : fcs0
Host partition name  (VIOS)               : vio1
VFC host adapter name                     : vfchost0
VFC host adapter location code            : U9009.22A.7871D00-V3-C7
FC adapter name on VIOS                   : fcs2
FC adapter location code  on VIOS         : U78D3.001.WZS0AL9-P1-C8-T1

Note If your VIOS is not running the latest VIOS code, 3.1.3.00, you'll find that the “FC adapter name on VIOS” attribute will be blank

It is worth noting that you can prevent this information from being available to the client LPAR by changing the secure_va_info attribute on your 3.1.3.00 VIOS.

For example, if we were to change the secure_va_info value from no to yes, like so:

$ chdev -dev viosnpiv0 -attr secure_va_info=yes
viosnpiv0 changed

$ virtadapinfo -list
secure : yes

Then the client LPAR will see the following (Secure) output for that VIOS:

# cat /proc/sys/adapter/fc/fcs1/hostinfo
VFC client adapter name                   : fcs1
Host partition name  (VIOS)               : Secure
VFC host adapter name                     : Secure
VFC host adapter location code            : Secure
FC adapter name on VIOS                   : Secure
FC adapter location code  on VIOS         : Secure

https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/wikis/home?lang=en#!/wiki/IBM+Removable+Media+on+IBM+i/page/Virtual+IO+Server+(VIOS)+partition+owned+SAS+and+USB+Tape+Drives

Note: The VIO Server cannot use Atape drive when attempting to virtualize a SAS tape drive such as the 3580 to AIX client lpar. The Atape driver can be used on the running AIX client lpar.

• Attach a tape drive to a virtual SCSI adapter (do not mix disks and tape on the same virtual SCSI):

$ mkvdev -vdev rmt0 -vadapter vhost3
vttape0 Available
$ lsmap -all

SVSA            Physloc                                      Client Partition ID
--------------- -------------------------------------------- ------------------
vhost3          U9117.MMD.1089BDP-V2-C16                     0x00000017

VTD                   vttape0
Status                Available
LUN                   0x8100000000000000
Backing device        rmt0
Physloc               U2C4B.001.DBJG730-P2-C8-L1
Mirrored              N/A

• Create an etherchannel 802.3ad (LACP):

# mkvdev -lnagg ent0 ent1 ent2 ent3 -attr mode=8023ad

• Create an etherchannel in failover mode:

# mkvdev  -lnagg ent0 -attr backup_adapter=ent1

• Add or remove an adapter from an etherchannel (ent5):

# cfglnagg -add -parent ent5 ent4 ent1
# cfglnagg -rm  -parent ent5 ent4 ent1

• Create a SEA (shared ethernet adapter), ent0(physical port), ent4(virtual port into VLAN 2,with flag external access and the right priority 1 or 2):

# mkvdev -sea ent0 -vadapter ent4 -default ent4 -defaultid 2 -attr ha_mode=auto 
ent2 Available
en2
et2

• Create a SEA (shared ethernet adapter), as load sharing

#  mkvdev -sea ent0 -vadapter ent1,ent2 -default ent1 -defaultid 1 -attr ha_mode=sharing

Do not specify a control channel adapter if you have a power7 with firmware higher than 7.8

• Force a SEA (ent2) as backup adapter:

# chdev -dev ent2 -attr ha_mode=standby 

To check for a result, list errlog on both associated VIOS. Change again to auto to put it into normal mode.

• Put an IP and hostname on an adapter (en2 is the ethernet standard emulation on the SEA):

# mktcpip -hostname vio2 -interface en2 -inetaddr 9.3.5.137 -netmask 255.255.255.0 -gateway 9.3.5.41 -nsrvaddr 9.3.4.2 -nsrvdomain itsc.austin.ibm.com -start

If you want to know what AIX command is behind the command you issued as user padmin yo can use a special debug mode:

 $ export CLI_DEBUG=33

That's the output of the lsnports command in this mode:

 $  lsnports
 AIX: "/usr/lib/methods/viosmgr -t npiv -f query_fc_ports >/dev/null"
 name             physloc                        fabric tports aports swwpns  awwpns
 fcs0             U789C.001.DQDH231-P1-C2-T1          1     64     64   2048    2047
 fcs1             U789C.001.DQDH231-P1-C2-T2          1     64     62   2048    2043

[root@viostst1]/home/padmin# ioscli ioslevel
AIX: "cat /usr/ios/cli/ios.level "
2.2.6.41
[root@viostst1]/home/padmin# cat /usr/ios/cli/ios.level
2.2.6.41

If you are unsure of the allowable value to use to deactivate the SCSI reserve lock, use the following command to provide a list of allowable values:

# lsdev -dev hdisk6 -range reserve_policy