NIM relies on standard AIX library routines to perform name resolution. If a network environment uses multiple sources for name resolution, NIM will resolve host names by querying the sources in whatever order is specified for the system. For example, if a system is configured to resolve host names by first querying NIS, then BIND/DNS, then a local /etc/hosts file, NIM will also follow that order when resolving client host names.
Problems may result if the NIM master and the NIM clients use different orders when querying sources for name resolution. Problems may also arise if a name service is available to one machine but not to another, causing different name resolution sources to be used.
Note: Mixing BIND/DNS, which is not case-sensitive, with NIS, which is case-sensitive, may result in problems.
It is possible to override the default system-wide order that AIX and NIM use when querying sources for host name resolution. This can be done by setting the NSORDER environment variable in the environment where NIM commands are being run. For example, to configure the environment to query NIS first, then BIND/DNS, then a local /etc/hosts file, type the following on the command line where NIM operations are being run:
export NSORDER=nis,bind,local
For more information on TCP/IP name resolution, refer to AIX 5L Version 5.1 System Management Guide: Communications and Networks.