Methods of Creating Entities
The IO UI supports three methods to create entities:
Via the Inventory Tab, wherein a user can create individual entities, one at a time,
Via Settings > Entity Matching, and
Via Settings > Entity Import.
Inventory Tab
Importing from the Inventory Tab is best for occasionally creating an ad hoc entity. It is not efficient for creating extensive hierarchies from discovered entities, or for adding or modifying a lot of alias mappings or new entities. Refer to the Entity Management topic in the User Guide for more information.
Entity Matching
Entity Matching creates Host and Storage Array entities from corresponding HBA Port and Storage Port discovered entities. It cannot be used to create any other entity type.
See Entity Matching for more information.
Entity Import
Importing entity definitions is used when individual entity creation or entity matching are not sufficient for the entity creation or modification that you need to do. The two principal use cases are:
Importing device aliases (either adding them or modifying them) for HBA Port and/or Storage Port entities
Constructing entity hierarchies for complex environments
The process of importing entities is usually an iterative process with two main work streams:
Importing device aliases to either add them if they do not exist or to modify them if they do exist.
Creating entity hierarchies from discovered entities.
Getting all HBA Port and Storage Port entity names set correctly is important when modeling and viewing your environment. If you are working with a large number of entities, this process is likely be iterative in nature. You might encounter circumstances such as trying to create aliases for WWNs that were not discovered, or that were initially discovered but stopped displaying. It could, therefore, take several passes to get to a known good state.
After you complete the alias mappings, you can create entity hierarchies.