NIM Commands

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. Defining an image_data resource
9. Creating a spot from an LPP source
10.Creating a spot from an MKSYSB
11.Prepare spot and LPP source for an Alternate Disk Migration
12.Modifying a client definition
13.Re-initializing a client
14.Installing a client
15.Installing a client with an MKSYSB image
16.Reset a NIM client
17.Query a client for installed APARs
18.Enabling a maintenance boot
19.Start an Alternate Disk Migration
3. Related Information
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

Type

Description

machines

standalone the client LPAR to be installed via NIM

networks

ent

network definition (network address, gateway)

resources

lpp_source

a set of AIX filesets

resources

mksysb

an mksysb image

resources

spot

a /usr filesystem

resources

fb_script

script, to be executed during the first boot after

installation

resources

script

a postinstall script

B. Command Overview
1. Listing all defined NIM objects
# 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
# nim -o define -t mksysb \
-a server=master \
-a comments="<free text>" \
-a location=<directory> \
<mksysb>
8. Defining an image_data resource
# nim -o define -t image_data \
-a server=master \
-a comments="<free text>" \
-a location=</path/to/image_data> \
<image_data>
9. 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>
10. 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>
11. Prepare spot and LPP source for an Alternate Disk Migration
# nimadm -M -s <spot> -l <lpp source> -d <source directory>
In <source directory> NIM searches for the two filesets
bos.alt_disk_install.rte and bos.alt_disk_install.boot_images. nimadm
then updates spot and LPP source with these two filesets. This way you can
migrate a client to a lower AIX level then the level of the NIM server itself. This
feature has been added to NIM with AIX 7.1.
12. 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>
13. Re-initializing a client
If a client's /etc/niminfo is out of date. It can be rewritten by the below
procedure:
client# rm /etc/niminfo
client# niminit -a name=<client> -a master=<nimserver> -a
connect=nimsh
This procedure is useful if you want to move a client from one NIM server to
another. In this case remember to first create the client on the server before
running this procedure.
"-a connect=nimsh" is optional and only required if you don't want the NIM
server to communicate via rsh with the client.
14. 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 \
-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.
15. 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>
16. 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>
To remove all resources from a client simply run:
# nim -o deallocate -a subclass=all <client>
17. Query a client for installed APARs
# nim -o fix_query <client>
This command is useful to check for your nimserver can reach the client.
18. 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.
19. Start an Alternate Disk Migration
# nimadm -c <client> -l <lpp source> -s <spot> -d <hdisk> -Y
C. Related Information
IBM Redbook: NIM from A to Z
(c) unixwerk

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