Network Installation Management Guide and Reference

Customizing NIM Clients and SPOT Resources

This procedure describes how to use NIM to install software on running, configured NIM clients and SPOT resources.

Prerequisites

1. If the software is to be installed on a machine, the machine must be a running, configured NIM client with push permissions enabled for the NIM master. Push permissions are enabled by default when a client is configured or installed by NIM.
2. If the software is to be installed on a SPOT resource, the server of the SPOT must be running.
3. The installation image to be installed on the target is available in an lpp_source resource, and a check operation was performed on the lpp_source at some point after the image was first copied there. (The check operation updates the .toc file with information about the images present in the lpp_source.)

From Web-based System Manager

1. From the NIM container, select the Machines container.
2. In the contents area, select a target machine (master or standalone), or in the Resources container, select a target SPOT.
3. From the Selected menu, choose Install/Update Software --> Install Additional Software (Custom) to display the Install Software dialog.
4. Use the dialog to complete the task.

From SMIT

Several SMIT screens are available to make NIM installation operations easier to perform. The SMIT screens follow the same structure as those used for local installation operations performed on a system. When performing NIM customization operations, select the SMIT screen that most closely describes the installation you want to perform.

1. From the command line, enter the smit nim_task_inst fast path.
2. Select the SMIT menu item that matches the type of installation you want to perform.
3. Select a TARGET for the operation.
4. Select the lpp_source that contains the installation images to be used.
5. Select any other required resources.
6. In the final SMIT dialog, supply the values for the required fields or accept the defaults. Use the help information and the LIST option to help you specify the correct values.

From the Command Line

To perform the installation operation, enter:

nim -o cust -a lpp_source=Lpp_Source -a
filesets=FilesetsList \
-a installp_bundle=InstallpBundle \
-a installp_flags=InstallpFlags TargetName 

You will specify the resources to use to support the installation and any additional attributes for customization.

The software to be installed on the client can be specified on the command line using either the filesets attribute or by specifying an installp_bundle resource that lists the software.

The default installp flags to be used to install the software are -a, -g, -Q, and -X. To specify a different set of installp flags, you can list them in the installp_flags attribute.

Example 1:

To install the bos.diag and bos.dosutil filesets on the client, machine1, using the lpp_source resource named lpp_source1, enter:

nim -o cust -a lpp_source=lpp_source1 \
-a filesets="bos.diag bos.dosutil" machine1

Example 2:

To install software into the SPOT resource, spot1, using the lpp_source resource, lpp_source1, and the list of filesets specified in the installp_bundle resource, installp_bundle1, enter:

nim -o cust -a lpp_source=lpp_source1 \
-a installp_bundle=installp_bundle1 spot1

Note: Several other resources and attributes can be specified on the command line with the cust operation. See NIM Operations for a complete description of the cust operation.