Network Installation Management Guide and Reference

Defining /usr versus non-/usr SPOTs

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.

From Web-based System Manager

1. Select the Resources container.
2. From the Resources menu, select New Resource.
3. Follow the wizard instructions to create the SPOT resource.

From SMIT

1. To create a /usr SPOT, enter the smit nim_mkres fast path.
2. Select the Resource Type.
3. Type /usr in the Location of Resource field.
4. Supply the values or accept the defaults for all other fields on this screen.

From the Command Line

To create a /usr-SPOT, enter:

nim -o define -t spot -a
server=ServerName \
-a location=/usr -a source=SourceName ResourceName 

Example:

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

Using the installp Command

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:

1. Ensure that all NIM operations on the server and any clients associated with the SPOT are complete.
2. Deallocate the SPOT from all standalone clients.
3. Run the installp command.
4. Run the check operation on the SPOT after the installp command has completed:

   nim -o check -F usrSPOTName
   

   Note: The -F flag is required for rebuilding the boot images.

5. If this SPOT is being used to serve diskless or dataless clients, resynchronize all diskless and dataless clients with the SPOT after the installp command completes by issuing the nim command with the sync_roots operation for the /usr SPOT:

   nim -o sync_roots usrSPOTName
    
   nim -o check -F usrSPOTName
   

   The cust and maint operations must be used to manage software installed on non-/usr SPOTs.