---
name: "iscsictl"
section: "8"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/iscsictl"
---

# iscsictl(8)

iSCSI initiator management utility

## NAME

**iscsictl** – iSCSI initiator management utility

## SYNOPSIS

**iscsictl** **-A** **-p** *portal* **-t** *target* \[**-u** *user* **-s** *secret*\] \[**-w** *timeout*\] \[**-r**\] \[**-e** **on**\|**off**\]

**iscsictl** **-A** **-d** *discovery-host* \[**-u** *user* **-s** *secret*\] \[**-r**\] \[**-e** **on**\|**off**\]

**iscsictl** **-A** **-a** \[**-c** *path*\]

**iscsictl** **-A** **-n** *nickname* \[**-c** *path*\]

**iscsictl** **-M** **-i** *session-id* \[**-p** *portal*\] \[**-t** *target*\] \[**-u** *user*\] \[**-s** *secret*\] \[**-e** **on**\|**off**\]

**iscsictl** **-M** **-i** *session-id* \[**-n** *nickname* \[**-c** *path*\]\]

**iscsictl** **-R** \[**-p** *portal*\] \[**-t** *target*\]

**iscsictl** **-R** **-a**

**iscsictl** **-R** **-n** *nickname* \[**-c** *path*\]

**iscsictl** **-L** \[**-v**\] \[**-w** *timeout*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **iscsictl** utility is used to configure the iSCSI initiator.

The following options are available:

- **--libxo**

  Generate output via [libxo(3)](/libxo/3.md) in a selection of different human and machine readable formats. See [xo\_options(7)](/xo_options/7.md) for details on command line arguments.

- **-A**

  Add session.

- **-M**

  Modify session.

- **-R**

  Remove session.

- **-L**

  List sessions.

- **-a**

  When adding, add all sessions defined in the configuration file. When removing, remove all currently established sessions.

- **-c** *path*

  Path to the configuration file. The default is */etc/iscsi.conf*.

- **-d** *discovery-host*

  Target host name or address used for SendTargets discovery. When used, it will add a temporary discovery session. After discovery is done, sessions will be added for each discovered target, and the temporary discovery session will be removed.

- **-e** **on**\|**off**

  Enable or disable the session. This is ignored for discovery sessions, but gets passed down to normal sessions they add.

- **-i** *session-id*

  Session ID, as displayed by **iscsictl** **-v**.

- **-n** *nickname*

  The *nickname* of a session defined in the configuration file.

- **-p** *portal*

  Target portal — host name or address — for statically defined targets.

- **-r**

  Use iSER (iSCSI over RDMA) instead of plain iSCSI over TCP/IP.

- **-s** *secret*

  CHAP secret.

- **-t** *target*

  Target name.

- **-u** *user*

  CHAP login.

- **-v**

  Verbose mode.

- **-w** *timeout*

  Instead of returning immediately, wait up to *timeout* seconds until all configured sessions are successfully established.

Certain parameters are necessary when adding a session. One can specify these either via command line (using the **-t**, **-p**, **-u**, and **-s** options), or configuration file (using the **-a** or **-n** options). Some functionality - for example mutual CHAP - is available only via configuration file.

Since connecting to the target is performed in background, non-zero exit status does not mean that the session was successfully established. Use either **iscsictl** **-L** to check the connection status, or the **-w** flag to wait for session establishment.

Note that in order for the iSCSI initiator to be able to connect to a target, the [iscsid(8)](/iscsid/8.md) daemon must be running.

## FILES

- */etc/iscsi.conf*

  iSCSI initiator configuration file.

## EXIT STATUS

The **iscsictl** utility exits 0 on success, and \>0 if an error occurs.

## EXAMPLES

Attach to target iqn.2012-06.com.example:target0, served by 192.168.1.1:

```
iscsictl -A -t iqn.2012-06.com.example:target0 -p 192.168.1.1
```

Perform discovery on 192.168.1.1, and add disabled sessions for each discovered target; use **-M** **-e** **on** to connect them:

```
iscsictl -A -d 192.168.1.1 -e off
```

Disconnect all iSCSI sessions:

```
iscsictl -Ra
```

## SEE ALSO

[libxo(3)](/libxo/3.md), [iscsi(4)](/iscsi/4.md), [iscsi.conf(5)](/iscsi.conf/5.md), [xo\_options(7)](/xo_options/7.md), [iscsid(8)](/iscsid/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **iscsictl** command appeared in FreeBSD 10.0.

## AUTHORS

The **iscsictl** utility was developed by Edward Tomasz Napierala ⟨*trasz@FreeBSD.org*⟩ under sponsorship from the FreeBSD Foundation.