EMC Symmetrix Cheat Sheet

Updated 04 Apr 2015 Read time 5 min(s) 57 sec(s) (786 views). Storage

This article is a simple cheat sheet to remind me of the symcli usage which I rarely use these days.

SYMMASKDB

Table 1 — SYMMASKDB commands
sub-command	Comments / Example
init	create and initialises a device masking database. On completion, the database device cannot be written to by the operating system. # symmaskdb -sid 1234 init -f vcmdb.db NOTE: This command only needs to be run once otherwise all SAN configuration is lost.
backup	backs up the database to a specified file # symmaskdb -sid 1234 -file <backup_filename> backup
restore	restore a database file # symmaskdb -sid 1234 -file <restore_filename> restore
remove	removes the meta member devices
list database	lists for each symmetrix fibre director which devices in a symmetrix system a WWN can access # symmaskdb –sid 1234 list database # symmaskdb -sid 1234 list database -wwn 10000000ab12cd34 # symmaskdb -sid 1234 list database -wwn 10000000ab12cd34 -dir 07a -p 1
list database	Check which devices are masked to given FA port # symmaskdb -sid 1234 list database -dir 11f -p 0
list devs (-wwn)	lists all devices accessible to an HBA on a specified symmetrix system and all directors that access each device # symmaskdb -sid 1234 list devs -wwn 10000000ab12cd34 (shows one line per device and its size, lun number etc)
list assignment (-dev)	list the HBA assignments to devices # symmaskdb -sid 1234 -dev 0A1,0BC3:0BC7 list assignment
list capacity (-host)	lists the capacity of devices assigned to a particlur host # symmaskdb -sid 1234 list capacity -host hostA # symmaskdb -sid 1234 list capacity -host hostA -dir 0A1 -p 1

SYMDEV

Table 2 — SYMDEV commands
sub-command	Comments / Example
list	list all available devices # symdev list
-v list	detailed information for a device (may take a long time to run) # symdev -v list
show <symdevname>	display meta device information # symdev -sid 1234 show 512 # symdev -side 1234 -range 0a0:0a7
-noport list	list available devices that are not mapped to any ports # symdev -sid 1234 -noport list

SYMPD

Table 3 — SYMPD commands
sub-command	Comments / Example
list	list the symmetrix devices that are accessed through fibre channel # sympd list
list -vcm	list all the physical devices in the device masking database # sympd list -vcm

SYMCFG

Table 4 — SYMCFG commands
sub-command	Comments / Example
list -v	lists whether the symmetrix director has device masking turned on
list -address -fa -available -all	lists all fibre directors in a symmetrix system and which devices they can access # symcfg –sid 1234 list -address -available -fa 7e –p 0
list -fa all	lists all fibre directors (FA) in a symmetrix system # symcfg –sid 1234 -fa all list
list -fa <port> -v	lists detailed information on a FA port # symcfg -side 1234 -fa 7B list -v
-application list	list applications using the symmetrix # symcfg -side 1234 -application list
-connections list	list host connections to the array # symcfg -side 1234 -connections list

SYMMASK

Table 5 — SYMMASK commands
sub-command	Comments / Example
add devs	add a device to the list of devices that a WWN can access in the database # symmask -sid 1234 -dir 9b -p 0 -wwn 1000000ab12cd34 add devs 4a5,4b9:4c5
remove devs	remove a device from the list of devices that a WWN can access in the database # symmask -sid 1234 -dir 9b -p 0 -wwn 1000000ab12cd34 remove devs 4a5,4b9:4c5
delete	deletes all access rights for a WWN in the database # symmask -sid 1234 -wwn 1000000ab12cd34 delete -dir 9b -p 0 -login
replace	allows one HBA to replace another
set lockdown	sets or clears the fibre channel ID lockdown # symmask set lockdown
set visibility	sets or clears visibility for noncontiguous LUNS # symmask set visibility
set lunoffset	sets or clears a LUN base/offset skip for noncontiguous LUNS # symmask set lunoffset
set heterogeneous	sets or clears heterogeneous host inform with distinctive attributes # symmask set heterogeneous
rename	changes the AWWN for the specified WWN in the database and login history table # symmask -sid 1234 -dir 8a -p 0 -wwn 1000000ab12cd34 rename hostA/hba1> # symmask -sid 1234 -dir 8a -p 0 -wwn 1000000ab12cd34 rename -alias hostA/hba1
refresh	causes the symmetrix system to refresh its WWN related memory tables with the contents of the database NOTE:If you update the VCMDB you must run this command to see your changes # symmask -sid 1234 refresh
discover hba	discovers the HBA on the host and assigns AWWN to the login history table entries for thoses WWNs that are not set # symmask discover hba
list logins	lists foreach fibre director which hosts and HBAs are logged into the symmetrix. (displays the login history table contents) # symmask -sid 1234 list logins (whole array) # symmask -sid 1234 list logins -dir 3a -p 0 (on given port)
list hba	lists WWNs of the fibre HBAs on this host. # symmask list hba # symmask list hba -v

SYMCONFIGURE

Table 6 — SYMCONFIGURE commands
sub-command	Comments / Example
verify	verify that we have access to the symmetrix and we can make changes # symconfigure -sid 1234 -f <filename> verify
preview	confirm that the syntax is correct (since we use a mapping files) # symconfigure -sid 1234 -f <filename> preview
commit	commit the changes to the database # symconfigure -sid 1234 -f <filename> commit

Contol File & Log File locations

Table 7 — Common control file and log file locations
Location	Comments
/var/symapi/db/symapi_db.bin	default symapi database file
/var/symapi/config/netcnfg	lists the network services available from that host
/var/symapi/config/options	the options file contains behavior parameters that can be set tocritically change default behavior of SYMCLI operations, SYMAPI calls and their control actions
/var/symapi/config/symavoide	identifies devices to skip over when looking for devices
/var/symapi/config/gkavoid	identifies devices not chosen as gatekeepers
/var/symapi/config/inqfile	lists devices to be added to the symapi database
/var/symapi/log/symapi-<date>.log	logfile for symcli.symapi functions, calls, activities

Examples

VCMDB

Initialize the VCMDB
```
# symmaskdb -sid 1234 init -f newinit.db
```
Note: This command only needs to be run once otherwis SAN configuration is lost, also make sure the database is up regularly.

Backup the VCMDB

# symmaskdb -sid 1234 -file <filename> backup

Restore the VCMDB

# symmaskdb -sid 1234 -file <filename> restore

Refresh the database
```
# symmask -sid 1234 refresh
```
Note: Remember any changes to the VCMDB have to be uploaded to the symmetrix memory, otherwise you will loose your changes
List the database
```
# symmaskdb -sid 1234 list database
```

List a specific device

# symmaskdb -sid 1234 -dev abcd list assignment -v

FA Ports

List currently configured FA port settings
```
# symcfg -sa <##|all> [-p <#>] list -v
```
List currently visable devices on a FA port
```
# symcfg -side 1234 -FA 13D -address list
```

Disk Devices

List all devices within the array
```
# symdev list
# inq
```

List a specific device within the array

# symmaskdb -sid 1234 -dev 0029 list assignment -v

Add access to the symmetrix devices
```
# symmask -sid 1234 -wwn 10000000ab12cd34 -dir 15c -p 0 add 0029,002A,002B
```
- dir — director port
- p — port number on the director port
Note: The devices are symmetrix devices ID's not LUN ID this is know as LUN masking.

Remove access from the symmetrix devices

# symmask -sid 1234 -wwn 10000000ab12cd34 remove devs 0029,002A,002B

List devices available assigned to the specific host

# symmaskdb -sid 1234 -host 10000000ab12cd34 list capacity

Display meta devices
```
# symdev show <symdevname>
```

HBA

Register the HBA with the VCMDB
```
# symmask discover hba
```
List HBAs in local host
```
# symmask list hba -v
```
List HBAs to FA port logins
```
# symmask -sid 1234 list logins
```