Dummy devices

I figured out how to create dummy (non-existent but defined) disk devices on AIX. I think the procedure should work for different device types as well where the parent has connection locations and the device driver's define method supports the procedure at all. For example, sysplanar0 doesn't have values for connections, even if it's the parent of proc*, mem0 and bus devices, among others.

SAS disk

Determine the device class, subclass and type, and the parent of the device you need to create.

# lsdev -l hdisk0 -F class,subclass,type,parent

disk,sas,scsd,sas0

List valid connection values for the parent device

# lsconn -p sas0 -F connwhere

sas

Create device (all flags are mandatory)

# mkdev -l hdisk100 -c disk -s sas -t scsd -p sas0 -w sas -d

hdisk100 Defined

Ultra SCSI (don't ask me why I chose 9,0)

# lsdev -l hdisk0 -F class,subclass,type,parent

disk,scsi,scsd,scsi0

 # lsconn -p scsi0

0,0   scsi

0,1   scsi

0,2   scsi

0,3   scsi

0,4   scsi

0,5   scsi

0,6   scsi

0,7   scsi

0,8   scsi

0,9   scsi

...

# mkdev -l hdisk4 -c disk -s scsi -t scsd -p scsi0 -w 9,0 -d

hdisk4 Defined

EMC LUN via physical FC adapter

# lsdev -l hdisk2 -F class,subclass,type,parent

disk,fcp,MSYMM_VRAID,fscsi2

# lsconn -p fscsi2 -F connwhere

<empty>

Here I have no idea what the connection location should be.

Some of the error messages

Invalid parent

Method error (/etc/methods/define):

        0514-025 Cannot perform the requested function because the

                 parent of the specified device does not exist.

Existing device

Method error (/etc/methods/define):

        0514-013 Logical name is required.

Without the -w flag

Method error (/etc/methods/define):

        0514-015 Parent or connection required.