Inconsistant targets paths and devices seen on Fibre Channel storage adapters.

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms :

• Navigate to the affected Host > Configure > Storage adapters.
• The number of targets, devices and paths will detect inconsistent when compared across the Fibre Channel HBAs on a host connected to a storage array. 

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0
VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0 

Cause

This is due to inconsistent configuration of storage device presentation and zoning for each HBA of a host.

Cause Validation:

• Run the below command to identify the paths configured for each LUN
  

less esxcfg-mpath_-b
naa.####################### : EMC Fibre Channel Disk (naa.####################################)
 vmhba3:C0:T2:L1 LUN:1 state:active fc Adapter: WWNN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:## WWPN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:##  Target: WWNN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:## WWPN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:##
   vmhba3:C0:T1:L1 LUN:1 state:active fc Adapter: WWNN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:## WWPN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:##  Target: WWNN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:## WWPN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:##
   
naa.####################### : EMC Fibre Channel Disk (naa.##################################)
   vmhba3:C0:T4:L### LUN:### state:active fc Adapter: WWNN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:## WWPN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:##  Target: WWNN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:## WWPN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:##
   vmhba4:C0:T4:L### LUN:### state:active fc Adapter: WWNN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:## WWPN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:##  Target: WWNN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:## WWPN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:##
   vmhba3:C0:T3:L### LUN:### state:active fc Adapter: WWNN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:## WWPN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:##  Target: WWNN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:## WWPN: ##:##:##:##:##:##:##:##

From the above output it is confirmed that paths configured for each LUN is inconsistent.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, reconfigure the storage presentation and zoning of the storage devices to the WWPN of the HBA on the host. 

 

Additional Information

Maximum number of supported paths reached

Forcing a Fabric Login reset on Fibre Channel and FCOE Adapters