Configuring the NIM Master and Creating Basic Installation Resources

AIX Version 4.3 Network Installation Management Guide and Reference

Configuring the NIM Master and Creating Basic Installation Resources

Using this procedure, you can configure the NIM master, create the minimum basic installation resources required to install NIM client machines, and manage the resources for diskless and dataless clients.

Note: This procedure produces a large amount of output, especially when creating the SPOT resource. Be sure to scan through the output to look for nonfatal errors and warnings that may not be evident from a successful return code.

Prerequisites

The NIM master must have at least 750MB of available disk space. If such space is not available, see "Using Client Machines as Resource Servers", "Defining /usr versus non-/usr SPOTs", and "Defining an lpp_source on CD-ROM versus Disk".

From Web-based System Manager

Insert the AIX Version 4.3 Server Product CD into the CD-ROM drive of the designated master machine, or insert the Server Product tape into the tape drive of the designated master machine.
Start the Web-based System Manager Software application by entering the wsm software fast path.
From the Software menu, select New Software (Install/Update) > Install Additional Software (Custom).
In the Install Software dialog, select /dev/cd0 or /dev/rmt0 as the software source.
Specify bos.sysmgt.nim as the software to install.
Additional options are available by clicking Advanced. Exit the Software application.
Start the Web-based System Manager NIM application by entering the wsm nim fast path.
In the NIM container, double-click the Configure NIM TaskGuide.
Follow the TaskGuide instructions to guide you through the configuration.

Note: You can also open a TaskGuide by selecting the icon, then selecting Open from the Selected menu.

From SMIT

Insert the AIX Version 4.2 (or later) Server Product CD into the CD-ROM drive of the designated master machine, or insert the Server Product tape into the tape drive of the designated master machine.
To install the bos.sysmgt.nim fileset, enter the smit install_latest fast path.
Using the LIST option, select /dev/cd0 or /dev/rmt0 for the INPUT device / directory for software.
Specify bos.sysmgt.nim as the SOFTWARE to install.
Accept the default values for all other fields on this screen. After successful completion of this installation, exit SMIT.
To configure the NIM master, enter the smit nim_config_env fast path.
Using the LIST option, select the Primary Network Interface for the NIM Master.
Using the LIST option, select /dev/cd0 or /dev/rmt0 for the Input device for installation images field.
If you will be supporting diskless and dataless clients, select yes at the Create Diskless/Dataless Machine Resources? field, and supply names for the resources to be created.
Select yes at the Remove all newly added NIM definitions and file systems if any part of this operation fails? field. This will make it easier to restart this procedure if failures occur.
Accept the default values for all other fields on this screen.
Notes:
1. Depending on the speed of your machine, this could be a very lengthy process.
2. This procedure provides the capability for much more than just configuring the NIM master and creating the lpp_source and SPOT resources. However, for this simple configuration, only a subset of the available functions will be used. Advanced NIM administrators can use the SMIT screens accessed through this procedure to create a more complex environment.
3. As you develop a better understanding of configuration tasks, you may prefer to not automatically undo all configuration when failures occur (as in step 10 above). Continuing from the last point of failure results in faster configuration for experienced administrators.

From the Command Line

Insert the AIX Version 4.2 (or later) Server Product CD or tape into the CD-ROM or tape drive of the designated master machine.
If installing from a tape, skip to step 5. To create a mount point for the CD, enter:
```
mkdir /cdfs
```
To create a cdrom file system, enter :
```
crfs -v cdrfs -p ro -d'cd0' -m'/cdfs'
```
To mount the CD, enter:
```
mount /cdfs
```
To install the bos.sysmgt.nim fileset from the CD, enter:
```
installp -agX -d /cdfs/usr/sys/inst.images bos.sysmgt.nim
```
or to install the bos.sysmgt.nim fileset from a tape, enter:
```
installp -agX -d /dev/rmt0 bos.sysmgt.nim
```
If installing from CD, to unmount the cdrom file system, enter:
```
unmount /cdfs
```

To configure the NIM master using the nimconfig command, enter:

nimconfig -a attr1=value1 \
          -a attr2=value2 \
          ...

For example, to configure a NIM master with the following configuration:

master host name = master1
primary network interface = tr0
ring speed = 16
platform = rspc
kernel type = mp

enter the following command sequence:

nimconfig -a netname=network1 -a pif_name=tr0 \
-a ring_speed1=16 -a platform=rspc -a netboot_kernel=mp

Note: See the "nimconfig Command" for additional attribute information.

To create a file system in the rootvg volume group with 400 MB of space with a mount point of /export/lpp_source , enter:

crfs -v jfs -g rootvg -a size=$((2000*400)) \
-m /export/lpp_source -A yes -p rw -t no \
-a frag=4096 -a nbpi=4096 -a compress=no

To mount the file system, enter:
```
mount /export/lpp_source
```
The lpp_source contains the installation images copied from the source device (in this example, the CD-ROM). The server of the lpp_source will be the NIM master. The images will be stored in the /export/lpp_source/lpp_source1 directory. To create the lpp_source resource named lpp_source1 , enter:
```
nim -o define -t lpp_source -a source=/dev/cd0 \
-a server=master -a location=/export/lpp_source/lpp_source1 \
lpp_source1
```

To create a file system in the rootvg volume group with 200 MB of space with a mount point of /export/spot , enter:

crfs -v jfs -g rootvg -a size=$((2000*200)) \
-m /export/spot -A yes -p rw -t no \
-a frag=4096 -a nbpi=4096 -a compress=no

To mount the file system, enter:
```
mount /export/spot
```
The SPOT resource will be installed from images in the image source (in this case, the lpp_source that was created in step 10). The server of the resource will be the NIM master, and the SPOT will be stored in the /export/spot/spot1 directory. To create the SPOT resource named spot1 , enter:
```
nim -o define -t spot -a source=lpp_source1 \
-a server=master -a location=/export/spot spot1 
```
If you are not supporting diskless and dataless clients, you do not need to continue with this procedure. If you are supporting diskless and dataless clients, create and mount a file system for their resources.
To create a file system in the rootvg volume group with 150 MB of space and a mount point of /export/dd_resource , enter:
```
crfs -v jfs -g rootvg -a size=$((2000*150)) \
-m /export/dd_resource -A yes -p rw -t no \
-a frag=4096 -a nbpi=4096 -a compress=no
```
To mount the file system, enter:
```
mount /export/dd_resource
```
Create the diskless and dataless client resources in subdirectories of the /export/dd_resource directory. Not all resources are required. Create only the resources to be used in your environment.
To create the root resource named root1 (required for diskless and dataless clients), enter:
```
nim -o define -t root -a server=master \
-a location=/export/dd_resource/root1 root1
```
To create the dump resource named dump1 (required for diskless and dataless clients), enter:
```
nim -o define -t dump -a server=master \
-a location=/export/dd_resource/dump1 dump1
```
To create the paging resource named paging1 (required for diskless clients), enter:
```
nim -o define -t paging -a server=master \
-a location=/export/dd_resource/paging1 paging1
```
To create the home resource named home1 (optional), enter:
```
nim -o define -t home -a server=master \
-a location=/export/dd_resource/home1 home1
```
To create the shared_home resource named shared_home1 (optional), enter:
```
nim -o define -t shared-home -a server=master \
-a location=/export/dd_resource/shared_home1 shared_home1
```
To create the tmp resource named tmp1 (optional), enter:
```
nim -o define -t tmp -a server=master \
-a location=/export/dd_resource/tmp1 tmp1
```
Notes:
1. The file systems created for the NIM resources are not required, but they can be beneficial for storage management.
2. A SPOT resource is required for supporting diskless and dataless clients. The SPOT created in step 13 can be used for this purpose, so there is no need to create another SPOT specifically for diskless and dataless clients.
3. For more information about NIM resources, see "NIM Resources".