The following procedure will help you to unmask paths to a storage device:
- SSH into the ESXi host.
- Identify the claim rule corresponding to the device. The claim rules on the host can be listed by using the following command syntax:
esxcli storage core claimrule list
Once you run the preceding command, you will see the following output:
- Remove the rule identified by using the following command syntax:
esxcli storage core claimrule remove -r <Rule ID>
Doing so will remove the file entry corresponding to the rule specified. As shown in the following screenshot, the file entry corresponding to the runtime entry gets removed.
- Reload the claim rules for the changes to take effect by running the following command:
esxcli storage core claimrule load.
Doing so will remove the rule's runtime entry since the rule's file entry has already been removed, thereby deactivating the claim rule. The following screenshot shows that the runtime has also been removed.
- Once the claim rule has been deactivated, the paths can be claimed back from the MASK_PATH plugin by using the following command syntax:
esxcli storage core claiming unclaim -t location -A <vmhba number>-C <channel number> -L <LUN ID> -P MASK_PATH
- Now, issue a rescan on the adapter by using the following command syntax:
esxcfg-rescan <vmhba number>
- Verify the outcome of the unmasking operation by listing all the paths corresponding to the device. Do so by using the following command syntax:
esxcfg-mpath -l -d <naa.id of the LUN>
Once you run the preceding command syntax, you will see the following output:
