mkpath Command

Purpose

Adds to the system another path to an MPIO capable device.

Syntax

mkpath [ -l Name ] [ -p Parent ] [ -w Connection ] [ -i PathID]

mkpath [ -l Name ] [ -p Parent ] [ -w Connection ] [ -d ]

mkpath -h

Description

The mkpath command defines, and possibly configures, one or more paths to the target device (-l Name). The paths are identified by a combination of the -l Name, -p Parent, and -w Connection flags. Both the target device and parent must be previously defined in the system to define a path. They both must be "AVAILABLE" to configure a path.

If the -d flag is specified, the mkpath command only defines the new path definition to the system. If the -d flag is not specified, the mkpath command attempts to define the path, if it does not already exist, before it attempts to configure the path. Configuring a path requires the path to already be defined and both the device and the parent device to already be configured.

The mkpath command displays a status message upon completion. It is possible for some paths to configure and others to fail.

Note that any device that cannot be manually defined using the mkdev command will not be able to have paths manually defined to using the mkpath command. These limitations are due to the way that path information is stored for these devices. Fiber channel devices fall into this category.

The mkpath command provides status messages about the results of operation. Messages in one of the following formats will be generated:

path [ available | defined ]: This message is displayed when mkpath is run on a single path. If the path is successfully configured the message "path available" is displayed. If the path is not successfully configured and there is no explicit error code returned by the method, the message "path defined" is displayed.
paths available: This message is displayed if multiple paths were identified and all paths were successfully configured.
some paths available: This message is displayed if multiple paths were identified, but only some of them were successfully configured.
no paths processed: This message is generated if no paths were found matching the selection criteria.

Flags

Item	Description
-d	Defines a new path to a device by adding a path definition to the system. The new path will not automatically be configured when the -d flag is specified. Note that only one path may be defined at a time.
-h	Displays the command usage message.
-i PathID	Indicates the path ID associated with the path to be added and is used to uniquely identify a path. This flag cannot be used with the -d flag.
-l Name	Specifies the logical device name of the target device to which the path(s) are being added. The path(s) to be added are qualified by the -p and -w flags.
-p Parent	Indicates the logical device name of the parent device associated with the path(s) to be added. This flag is required if the -d flag is specified.
-w Connection	Indicates the connection information associated with the path to be added. This flag is required if the -d flag is specified.

Security

Privilege Control: Only the root user and members of the system group have execute access to this command.

Auditing Events:

Event	Information
DEV_Change	mkpath,Define,<define method arguments>
DEV_Change	mkpath,Configure,<configure method arguments>

Examples

To define and configure an already defined path between scsi0 and the hdisk1 device at SCSI ID 5 and LUN 0 (i.e., connection 5,0), enter:
```
mkpath -l hdisk1 -p scsi0 -w 5,0
```
The system displays a message similar to the following:
```
path available
```
To configure an already defined path from 'fscsi0' to fiber channel disk 'hdisk1', the command would be:
```
mkpath -l hdisk1 -p fscsi0
```
The message would look similar to:
```
path available
```
To only add to the Customized Paths object class a path definition between scsi0 and the hdisk1 disk device at SCSI ID 5 and LUN 0, enter:
```
mkpath -d -l hdisk1 -p scsi0 -w 5,0
```
The system displays a message similar to the following:
```
path defined
```

Files

Item	Description
/usr/sbin/mkpath	Contains the mkpath command.