Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to managing phys of a data storage target device. In one embodiment, a method of automatically managing phys of a data storage target device by a controller of the data storage device across a link reset includes transmitting a common target phy address for a plurality of target phys during a first link reset, storing the common target phy address in a non-volatile memory of the data storage device, resetting the target phys, and transmitting the stored common target phy address for the plurality of target phys during a second link reset. In another embodiment, a method of automatically managing phys of a data storage target device by a controller of the data storage device includes matching a received host address for a plurality of target phys and configuring the plurality of target phys into a wide port for the plurality of target phys with the matched received host address.