unixwerk: NIM Commands

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unixwerk > AIX > nim commands

September 19, 2010

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N IM C o m m a n d s
Contents 1. Introduction: Objects and Classes 2. Command Overview 1. Listing all defined NIM objects 2. Listing all defined objects of a specific type 3. Showing an object's definition 4. Defining an LPP source 5. Defining a network 6. Defining a NIM client 7. Defining an MKSYSB resource 8. Creating a spot from an LPP source 9. Creating a spot from an MKSYSB 10. Modifying a client definition 11. Installing a client 12. Installing a client with an MKSYSB image 13. Reset a NIM client 14. Enabling a maintenance boot 15. Start an Alternate Disk Migration 3. Related Information

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A. Introduction: Objects and Classes

NIM (the Network Installation Manager) stores all information needed for the installation of servers in objects. Objects are organized in object types and object classes. Here is an overview of the most important object types and classes: Class machines networks resources resources resources resources resources Type standalone ent lpp_source mksysb spot fb_script script Description the client LPAR to be installed via NIM network definition (network address, gateway) a set of AIX filesets an mksysb image a /usr filesystem script, to be executed during the first boot after installation a postinstall script

B. Command Overview

1. Listing all defined NIM objects

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# lsnim

2. Listing all defined objects of a specific type

# lsnim -t <type>

3. Showing an object's definition

# lsnim -l <object>

4. Defining an LPP source

# nim -o define -t lpp_source \ -a server=master \ -a location=</path/to/bffs> \ -a comments=<free text> \ <lpp source>

5. Defining a network
# nim -o define -t ent \ -a net_addr=<netaddress> \ -a snm=<netmask> \ -a routing1="default <gateway>" \ <network>

6. Defining a NIM client

# nim -o define -t standalone \ -a platform=chrp \ -a netboot_kernel=64 \ -a if1="<network> <ip label> 0 ent" \ -a cable_type1=tp \ <client>
You could also use an ip address instead of an ip label here

7. Defining an MKSYSB resource

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# nim -o define -t mksysb \ -a server=master \ -a comments="<free text>" \ -a location=<directory> \ <mksysb>

8. Creating a spot from an LPP source

# nim -o define -t spot \ -a server=master \ -a source=<lpp source> \ -a location=<directory> \ -a comments="<free text>" \ <spot>

9. Creating a spot from an MKSYSB

# nim -o define -t spot \ -a server=master \ -a source=<mksysb> \ -a location=<directory> \ -a comments="<free text>" \ <spot>
Use the base directory for your spots here rather than a spot specific directory. NIM automatically creates a subdirectory with the name of the spot object: <spot>

10. Modifying a client definition

# nim -o change -a <attribute>=<value> <client>
You find the exact names of valid attributes in the output of lsnim -l <client>. The option change is used to change the value of an attribute, e.g. if you want to change a client's netboot kernel from 64 to mp you would type:

# nim -o change -a netboot_kernel=mp <client>

11. Installing a client

# nim -o bos_inst \ -a spot=<spot> \ -a lpp_source=<lpp source> \ -a fb_script=<script> \ -a script=<postinstall script> \ -a no_client_boot=yes \

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-a no_client_boot=yes \ -a accept_licenses=yes \ <client>

Use the option no_client_boot=yes if you don't want NIM to initiate a reboot of your LPAR over rsh. You have to manually boot the LPAR from the SMS menu then - what is probably what you want.

12. Installing a client with an MKSYSB image

# nim -o bos_inst \ -a source=mksysb \ -a spot=<spot> \ -a mksysb=<mksysb> \ -a lpp_source=<lpp source> \ -a fb_script=<script> \ -a script=<postinstall script> \ -a no_client_boot=yes \ -a accept_licenses=yes \ <client>

13. Reset a NIM client

# nim -F -o reset <client>
resets a NIM client so new operations can be done. Please note that often it's not enough to just reset a NIM object because there are still resources allocated for the client. You find all resources still allocated to the client with lsnim -l <client>. They can be removed with:

# nim -o deallocate -a spot=<spot> -a ...=... <client>

14. Enabling a maintenance boot

# nim -o maint_boot -a spot=<spot> <client>
Now you can boot your client over the network into a maintenance shell.

15. Start an Alternate Disk Migration

# nimadm -c <client> -l <lpp source> -s <spot> -d <hdisk> -Y

C. Related Information

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C. Related Information
IBM Redbook: NIM from A to Z

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