Chapter 1. About The Command Line Interface; How To Use The Command Line Interface - IBM System Storage DS3000 Programming Manual

Chapter 1. About the Command Line Interface

Attention: IBM recommends using the Storage Manager client GUI to manage your storage
subsystems. – The command-line interface does not have any mechanisms to prevent you from
inadvertently making unwanted changes to the storage subsystem. Because the script commands are
capable of damaging a configuration and causing loss of data access if not used correctly, IBM
recommends using the Storage Manager client GUI to manage your storage subsystem configurations.
The command-line interface (CLI) is a software tool that lets storage subsystem installers, developers, and
engineers configure and monitor storage subsystems using script commands. Using the CLI, you can run
commands from an operating system prompt, such as the Windows command prompt, a Linux operating
system console, or a Solaris operating system console. You have to install the IBM DS Storage Manager
client in order to run the script commands either through the script window, which is invoked from the
IBM DS Storage Manager client Enterprise window, or through the command line interface using the
SMcli program. The script command engine is automatically installed as part of the IBM DS Storage
Manager client installation.
Each command performs a specific action for managing a storage subsystem or returning information
about the status of a storage subsystem. You can enter individual commands, or you can run script files
when you need to perform operations more than once. For example, you can run script files when you
want to install the same configuration on several storage subsystems. The CLI lets you load a script file
from a disk and run the script file. The CLI provides a way to run storage management commands on
more than one network storage subsystem. You can use the CLI both in installation sites and in
development environments.

How to Use the Command Line Interface

The commands that you run on the CLI provide access to the script engine, specify the storage subsystem
to receive the script commands, and set operation environment parameters.
A CLI command consists of these elements:
v The term SMcli
v The storage subsystem identifier
v Parameters
v Script commands
A CLI command takes this form:
SMcli storageSubsystem parameters script-commands;
SMcli invokes the command line interface.
v
Note: If you issue the command from the directory or folder that does not contain the SMcli.exe
program, you need to include the appropriate path: directoryName/SMcli.
storageSubsystem is the name or the IP address of the storage subsystem.
v
parameters are CLI parameters that define the environment and the purpose for the command.
v
script-commands are one or more script commands or the name of a script file that contains script
v
commands. (The script commands are the storage subsystem configuration commands.)
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2008, 2012
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