Network Installation Management Guide and Reference

Chapter 4. NIM Client Operations

Performing NIM Client Operations

NIM operations are usually performed by an administrator on the NIM master. However, it is also possible for an administrator to perform NIM installation operations from client machines. Operations initiated from client machines are referred to as pull installations, because the software is downloaded from a remote server to the local machine. To reinstall the Base Operating System (BOS), select the Install BOS wizard from the Machines container. Deinstalling software and committing and rejecting updates are performed on client machines through local operations and are not supported through NIM client operations.

NIM client operations are supported through the Web-based System Manager Software application, as well as from SMIT and the command line. Because the client interfaces to NIM are very similar to the interfaces on the NIM master, they will be discussed only briefly here. Online contextual help is available for both the Web-based System Manager and SMIT interfaces. For more information on the command line interface, see the nimclient Command.

From Web-based System Manager

To start the Web-based System Manager Software application, enter wsm.
To perform NIM client operations, select and expand the NIM container.
Select the Machines container.
In the contents area, click on the machine on which you want to perform the operation.
From the Selected menu, choose the operation you want to perform.

From SMIT

To perform NIM client operations, enter the smit nim fast path.

For normal installation operations, select the Install and Update Software option. Submenus guide you through performing the installation.

Advanced NIM users can select one of the other main options to perform more specialized NIM operations. These options are discussed in detail in the online helps and elsewhere in this guide.

From the Command Line

To perform NIM operations on a running, configured NIM client, use the nimclient command. The syntax for using the nimclient command is nearly identical to the syntax for using the nim command. The only difference is that you do not need to specify the target, since it is assumed to be the client where the command is running. For more information, see the nimclient Command or the nim Command .

Example:

On the NIM master, to install the bos.sysmgt.sysbr fileset on the client, client1, using the lpp_source, lpp_source1, enter:

nim -o cust -a lpp_source=lpp_source1 \
-a filesets="bos.sysmgt.sysbr client1

The equivalent command from the client client1 would be:

nimclient -o cust -a lpp_source=lpp_source1 \
-a filesets="bos.sysmgt.sysbr"