Managing NVMe-oF Subsystems

After configuring a NVMe-oF subsystem, you can change the subsystem by adding, editing, or deleting a namespace, removing or adding a port, or adding, removing, or deleting a host.

To access the subsystem configuration screen from the Shares screen:

1. Click the more_vert dropdown menu on the row for the subsystem listed in the NVMe-oF Subsystems widget.

2. Select View to open the NVMe-oF screen for that subsystem and showing the Details widgets for it.

   or

   Click on the NVMe-oF Subsystems widget header to open the NVMe-oF screen, and then locate and select the row in the Subsystem table for the desired subsystem to show the Details widgets for that subsystem.

To change a subsystem name, while on the NVMe-oF screen, select the subsystem row in the table, then click on the subsystem name or the edit icon in the Details widget. The name changes to a text entry field. Enter a new name for the subsystem, then click outside the field to save the change.

The subsystem NQN is not modified by this operation. You must choose to modify the NQN by clicking on the NQN or edit icon for the NQN shown in the Details widget, then enter or copy/paste a new correctly-formatted NQN in the field.

To copy the NQN identification number for the subsystem, while on the NVMe-oF screen, select the subsystem row in the table, then click Copy in the Details widget. TrueNAS copies the identification number to the clipboard.

While on the NVMe-oF screen, select the subsystem row in the table, then click Delete to the right of Details for name. The Delete Subsystem dialog opens.

Verify the name of the subsystem listed in the dialog to confirm you have the desired subsystem.

Click Delete to delete the subsystem and namespace(s) associated with it. Cancel closes the dialog without deleting the subsystem.

Select Force if the delete operation fails to start, and click Delete.

While on the NVMe-oF screen, select the subsystem row in the table, then click the edit edit icon to the right of the zvol path to open the Edit Namespace screen.

The zvol or file is the namespace.

Select the tab for the change you want to make. You can:

• Change the current zvol to a new or different existing zvol
• Change the current zvol to an existing file
• Change the current zvol to a new file

TrueNAS NVMe-oF allows repurposing an existing zvol exposed in iSCSI. The zvol can be exposed by either iSCSI or NVMe-oF, but not at the the same time. If you delete a namespace you can make the zvol available through iSCSI again. Data is not lost when associating the existing zvol with an NVMe subsystem.

With the Zvol tab on the Edit Namespace screen selected, browse to and select a different parent dataset, and then click Create Zvol if you want to use a new zvol. To select a different zvol, browse to and select that existing zvol.

The Path to Zvol blank field populates with the path selected using the file browser field below it.

Create Zvol activates after selecting the parent dataset. Click to opens the Add Zvol screen. Only the Zvol tab has the Create Zvol option.

Click Save.

To change the namespace storage to an existing file, select Existing File on the Edit Namespace screen.

Browse to and select the parent dataset or zvol location where the existing file is located, and select it.

Click Save.

You can use this procedure to add files to the parent dataset for the namespace, from the New File tab on the Add Namespace or Edit Namespace screens.

If adding a new file, click Add open the Add Namespace screen, then select the New File tab.

If using the edit edit icon associated with an existing namespace zvol to disable the namespace. If the system shows a validation error saying you must disable the namespace, stop the service, and then retry adding a new file.

While on the Edit Namespace screen, select the New File tab.

Browse to and select the dataset where you want to add a new file. This populates the blank field under Parent Directory with the path.

Enter a name in Filename.

Enter a size as a number with a measurement value, for example, 10 MB, in File Size.

Click Save.

The new file shows on the Namespaces widget.

To access the Add Zvol screen, click Create Zvol while on the Zvol tab of the Edit Namespace screen.

To delete a zvol namespace, while on the NVMe-oF screen, select the subsystem row in the Subsystem table, then click the delete delete icon to the right of the zvol in the Namespace widget.

The Delete Namespace dialog opens. Deleting the namespace from the zvol does not delete the zvol it only removes it from the subsystem.

Click Delete to delete the namespace.

To delete a file namespace, while on the NVMe-oF screen, select the subsystem row in the Subsystem table, then click the delete delete icon to the right of the file in the Namespace widget.

The Delete Namespace dialog opens with the option to delete the underlying file.

Select the Also delete the underlying file option, then click Delete to delete both the namespace and the file.

You can add new ports or edit existing ports from the Ports widget on the NVMe-oF screen. First, select the subsystem row in the table, then click the Add dropdown on the right of the Ports widget header.

Click Create New to open the Add Port screen and add a new port.

To edit or delete a port, click Manage Ports to open the Ports dialog.

While on the NVMe-oF screen, with the subsystem selected in the table, click Add on the Ports widget. Click Create New to open the Add Port screen.

The Add Port screen creates a new port IP address:port assignment on the system for use by a subsystem.

1. Select the transport type. TCP is the default setting. If your system has an Enterprise license, and it supports RDMA, this option is listed as available.

2. Enter an available port number of at least four digits in length. For example, 4420.

3. Select the IP address from the dropdown list. Only static IP addresses in the TrueNAS system show on this list.

4. Click Save.

The next time you click Add on the Ports widget, the added port shows as an option on the dropdown list.

While on the NVMe-oF screen, with the subsystem selected in the table, click Add on the Ports widget. Click Manage Ports to open the Ports window.

Select the edit edit icon for the port listed in the table to open the Edit Port screen. The Edit Port screen shows current port settings for the selected subsystem.

Select the transport type from the dropdown list. Leave TCP as the default option unless your system has an Enterprise license and it supports RDMA.

Enter a port number that is at least four digits in length. 4420 is a port number commonly selected for NVMe-oF with IP addresses.

Leave the IP address for the TrueNAS system, or select any static IP address shown on the list.

Click Save.

You can change the port number assigned to the subsystem using the Remove this port from the subsystem icon on the Ports widget.

After removing a port, the Add button lists any available port on the system, including the port removed from the subsystem, in the format IP address:port.

Deleting a port does not remove it from the system; it removes the port from the selected subsystem. A deleted port shows on the Add dropdown list on the Ports widget for a selected subsystem on the NVMe-oF screen.

To delete the port, click on the delete delete icon at the right of the port row on the Ports window.

The Delete Port confirmation dialog opens. You are asked to confirm that you want to delete the port.

Delete Anyway removes the port assignment from the subsystem specified in the dialog.

The Associated Hosts widget on the NVMe-oF screen shows a list of hosts associated with the subsystem selected on the table. All hosts are allowed is selected by default, and allows all clients to connect to the subsystem if a host is not specified.

To add connection security, limit the hosts allowed to connect to the subsystem. Select All Hosts are allowed to clear the checkbox and show the option to add a host.

To add a host, click Add to open the Add Host screen.

Obtain the NQN number from the host system and enter or copy/paste it into the NQN field. TrueNAS uses this to determine if the host(s) can access the subsystem namespace.

To require authentication and add secret keys to further secure communication between the TrueNAS subsystem and the host system, select Require Host Authentication. This shows the additional setting options.

Accept the default in Hash or click the edit edit edit icon and select a hash option from the dropdown list. Options are SHA-256, SHA384, and SHA-512.

Obtain the DH-CHAP key from the host you are allowing to connect to the subsystem, and enter or copy/paste it in the Key For Host To Present field. Alternatively, TrueNAS can create a key for the host system if you click Generate Key directly under the field. Copy this key from TrueNAS, and paste it into the host system as the key it presents to TrueNAS to authenticate the connection.

To use bidirectional authentication, click Generate Key directly below the Key For TrueNAS To Present (Optional). It populates the field with a secret key. Copy this key from TrueNAS, and paste it into the host system to validate the TrueNAS connection.

For additional authentication security, select Also use Diffie-Hellman key exchange for additional security.

Click Save, then close the screen.

Hosts added to the subsystem show in the Associated Hosts widget with options to edit, delete, or remove them from the host.

Click the Removes this host from the subsystem icon to remove the host from the subsystem. This does not delete it from TrueNAS; the removed host shows on the Add dropdown list if you want to add the host to the subsystem again.

To edit a host, click Add, then select Manage Hosts. The Hosts window opens.

The Hosts window shows a table listing the host NQN, if it requires authentication, and the number of subsystems that use it.

Click the edit edit icon to the right of the host row to open the Edit Host screen.

The Edit Host screen shows the fields associated with the subsystem and allows you to change the host settings.

Make the desired change, then click Save.

To delete a host from the subsystem, click Add, then select Manage Hosts. The Hosts window opens. click the delete delete icon to the right of the host.

The Delete Host confirmation dialog opens, showing the hosts associated with the subsystem.

Click Delete Anyway to delete the host from the subsystem(s) specified in the dialog.