A SPOT resource contains operating system files that are normally installed in the /usr file system of a machine. If disk space is limited on a machine or a SPOT must be created quickly, it may be helpful to convert the machine's /usr file system to a SPOT instead of creating an entirely separate SPOT at a different location.
If the /usr file system of a machine is converted to a SPOT, additional software will be installed on the machine to provide support for machines with different hardware configurations. Most of the operating system files will already be installed on the system and will not be reinstalled when the SPOT is created.
After a /usr file system is converted to a SPOT, all software installation and maintenance operations on the machine should be performed using NIM on the /usr SPOT resource that was created. This will ensure that all necessary SPOT operations are performed in addition to software installation/maintenance on the machine.
nim -o define -t spot -a server=ServerName \ -a location=/usr -a source=SourceName ResourceName
To convert the /usr file system on the machine, client1 , to a SPOT named usrspot using lppsource1 as the source for additional installation images, enter:
nim -o define -t spot -a server=client1 -a location=/usr \ -a source=lpp_source1 usrspot
Once you convert a /usr file system to a SPOT, it is not recommended that you use the installp command to install or maintain software on the machine serving the SPOT. The diskless and dataless clients and network boot images associated with the SPOT will not be updated by the installp command unless it is invoked using NIM's cust or maint operations. If you need to use the installp command to install or maintain software on a /usr SPOT server, use the following steps:
nim -o check -F usrSPOTName
Note: The -F flag is required for rebuilding the boot images.
nim -o sync_roots usrSPOTName nim -o check -F usrSPOTNameThe cust and maint operations must be used to manage software installed on non-/usr SPOTs.