Creating Additional Interface Attributes

The primary interface or the first interface (if1) is created when the master is activated, and a sequence number is used to identify the additional interfaces (if2, if3...) in the machine object definition. To create an additional if attribute for the master object, use either Web-based System Manager, SMIT, or the nim -o change command operation.

From Web-based System Manager

1. In the NIM container, double-click on the icon for any machine (master, standalone, diskless, or dataless). The General page of the Machine Properties notebook for the selected machine displays.
2. Click the NIM Interfaces tab. The NIM Interfaces page of the Machine Properties notebook displays.
3. Use the NIM Interfaces page to complete the task.

From SMIT

1. To create an additional if attribute, enter the smit nim_mac_if fast path.
2. Select the Define a Network Install Interface option.
3. Select the machine object name. In the example, this is master .
4. Enter the host name for the interface.
5. Complete the network-specific information in the entry fields on the Define a Network Install Interface screen.

   Note: If a NIM network does not already exist corresponding to the IP address of the host name specified for the interface, additional network information will be requested so the network can be defined.

From the Command Line

To create an additional if attribute for the master object, enter:

For Token-Ring:

nim -o change -a ifseq_no='NetworkObjectName AdapterHostName \
AdapterHardwareAddress' -a ring_speedseq_no=Speed master

For Ethernet:

nim -o change -a ifseq_no='NetworkObjectName AdapterHostName \
AdapterHardwareAddress' -a cable_typeseq_no=Type master

For FDDI:

nim -o change -a ifseq_no='NetworkObjectName AdapterHostName \
AdapterHardwareAddress' master

For other networks:

nim -o change -a ifseq_no='NetworkObjectName AdapterHostName \
AdapterHardwareAddress' master

Note: If you do not know the name of the NIM network to which the interface is attached or if a network corresponding to the interface has not been defined, use the find_net keyword and net_definition attribute as described in "Defining NIM Clients".

In the example, the following command is run:

nim -o change -a if2='Network2 srv1_ent 0' -a \
cable_type2=bnc master

With this syntax, another if attribute is created for the master, which tells NIM that the master has an Ethernet interface that uses a host name of srv1_ent , that the Ethernet adapter's hardware address is 0 (not used), and that the master connects to the Network2 network object.

To display detailed information about the master which will now show the if2 attribute, enter:

lsnim -l master

The command produces output similar to the following:

master:
  class             =  machines
  type              =  master
  Cstate            =  ready for a NIM operation
  reserved          =  yes
  platform          =  rs6k
  serves            =  boot
  serves            =  nim_script
  comments          =  machine which controls the NIM environment
  Mstate            =  currently running
  prev_state        =  ready for a NIM operation
  if1               =  Network1 server1 10005AA88399
  master_port       =  1058
  registration_port =  1059
  ring_speed1       =  16
  if2               =  Network2 Srv1_ent 02608c2e222c
  cable_type2       =  bnc