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Commands Reference, Volume 4
nimdef Command
Purpose
Defines Network Installation Management (NIM) clients
from a stanza file.
Syntax
nimdef [ -p | -d | -c ] -f Name
Description
The nimdef command parses a
definition stanza file to build the commands required to add NIM client definitions
to the NIM environment.
The nimdef command can also
create NIM networks and NIM machine groups automatically in the NIM environment
to support the new client definitions.
Note: Before using
the nimdef command, you must configure the NIM master.
(See Configuring the NIM Master and Creating Basic
Installation Resources in AIX 5L Version 5.2 Installation Guide and Reference for
more information.)
Client Definition File Rules
The format of the client definition file must comply
with the following rules:
- After the stanza header, follow attribute
lines of the form Attribute = Value.
- If you define an attribute value multiple
times within the same stanza, only the last definition is used unless the
attribute is machine_group. If you specify multiple machine_group attributes, all are applied to the machine
definition.
- If you use an invalid attribute keyword,
then that attribute definition is ignored.
- Each line of the file can have only one
header or attribute definition.
- Only one stanza may exist in a definition
file for each machine hostname.
- If the stanza header entry is the keyword default, this specifies to use it for the purpose of defining
default values.
- You can specify a default value for any
machine attribute except the machine hostname. If you do not specify an attribute
for a machine but define a default value, then the default value is used.
- You can specify and change default values
at any location in the definition file. After a default value is set, it applies
to all definitions following it.
- To turn off a default value for all following
machine definitions, set the attribute value to nothing in
a default stanza.
- To turn off a default value for a single
machine definition, set the attribute value to nothing in
the machine stanza.
- You can include comments in a client definition
file. Comments begin with the pound (#) character.
- When parsing the definition file for header/attribute
keywords and values, tab characters and spaces are ignored.
Client Definition File Keywords
The client definition file uses the following keywords
to specify machine attributes:
Required Attributes
cable_type |
Specifies the cable type of the machine. Required if network_type is ent. |
gateway |
Specifies the hostname or IP address of the default gateway used
by the machine. If the machine does not use a gateway, then specify the value 0 (zero) for this attribute. |
machine_type |
Specifies the type of the machine: standalone, diskless, or dataless. |
network_type |
Specifies the type of the machine's network adapter: ent or tok. |
ring_speed |
Specifies the ring speed of the machine. Required if network_type is tok. |
subnet_mask |
Specifies the subnet mask used by the machine. |
Optional Attributes
nim_name |
Specifies the NIM name to use for a machine. Use this attribute if
something other than the hostname is used for the NIM name. By default, the
NIM name given to a machine is the hostname of the machine with any domain
information stripped off. If you use non-unique hostnames in different domains,
a conflict occurs because the same NIM name is used for both machines. In
such an environment, define this attribute for the affected machine definitions. |
platform |
Specifies the machine hardware platform. If you do not specify this
attribute, default is rs6k through AIX 5.1 only. |
net_adptr_name |
Specifies the name of the network adapter used by the machine (tok0, ent0, etc.). |
netboot_kernel=NetbootKernelType |
Specifies the type of kernel to use when booting the client over
the network. The netboot_kernel values are up or mp. |
ipl_rom_emulation |
Specifies the device to use for IPL ROM emulation (/dev/fd0, /dev/rmt0, etc.). |
primary_interface |
Specifies the hostname used for the original machine definition.
Use this attribute if the current stanza is only to define an additional interface
to a machine that is defined in the NIM environment. |
master_gateway |
Specifies the gateway that the NIM master uses to reach this machine
if this machine is on a different network. This attribute is not necessary
if this machine is defined on a network that is already defined in the NIM
environment, or if the NIM master network has a default gateway specified. |
machine_group |
Specifies the group or groups to add the machine to when it is defined. |
comments |
Specifies a comment to include in the machine definition. The comment
string should be in double quotes ("). |
Client Definition File Stanza Errors
A definition stanza is incorrect under any of the
following conditions:
- The hostname used in the stanza header for
the definition is unresolvable.
- A required attribute is missing.
- You specify an invalid value for an attribute.
- An attribute mismatch occurs. For example,
you can not specify network_type=tok and cable_type=bnc in the same stanza.
- A group-type mismatch occurs. For example,
you can not specify a group for a machine if the group includes standalone
machines and you specify machine_type=diskless.
- Machine definitions occur multiple times
for the same hostname.
- A machine definition occurs for a machine
that is already defined in the NIM environment.
- The primary_interface value
in a machine definition does not match the hostname of any defined machine
or stanza definition.
- The primary_interface value
in a machine definition matches the hostname of another machine definition,
but that definition is incorrect.
Sample Client Definition File
These default values are for AIX 5.1 and earlier.
# Set default values.
default:
machine_type = standalone
subnet_mask = 255.255.240.0
gateway = gateway1
network_type = tok
ring_speed = 16
platform = rs6k
machine_group = all_machines
# Define the machine "lab1"
# Take all defaults.
lab1:
# Define the machine "lab2"
# Take all defaults and specify 2 additional attributes.
# The machine "lab2" uses IPL ROM emulation, and will be added to
# the machine groups "all_machines" and "lab_machines".
lab2:
ipl_rom_emulation = /dev/fd0
machine_group = lab_machines
# Define the machine "lab3"
# Take all defaults, but do not add the machine to the default
# group.
lab3:
machine_group=
# Define the machine "lab4"
# Take all defaults, but do not add "lab4" to the default group
# "all_machines".
# Instead add it to the groups "lab_machines" and "new_machines".
lab4:
machine_group =
machine_group = lab_machines
machine_group = new_machines
# Change the default "platform" attribute.
default:
platform = rspc
# define the machine "test1"
# Take all defaults and include a comment.
test1:
comments = "This machine is a test machine."
Flags
-c |
Generates commands from a client definition file. This flag processes
the definition file and generates the commands to add the definitions. The
commands are not invoked but displayed as a KSH script that you can redirect
to a file and invoke at a later time. |
-d |
Defines machines from a client definition file. This flag processes
the definition file and invokes the commands to add the definitions to the
NIM environment. |
-f Name |
Specifies the name of the client definition file. |
-p |
Displays a preview of the client definition file. This flag processes
the definition file but does not add machines to the NIM environment. Displays
the following:
All complete and valid NIM definition
stanzas.
All additional interfaces that will
be defined for machines.
All invalid definitions
stanzas and the reason for failure.
All new machine
groups and the members to add.
All existing machine
groups and the members to add.
All network definitions
to add to the NIM environment.
The commands to
invoke to add each new machine.
The commands
to invoke to add each additional machine interface.
The commands to invoke to create new machine groups and add their members.
The commands to invoke to add new members to
existing machine groups.
Note: We recommend
that you specify the -p flag on a client definition
file to verify that all stanzas are correct before using it for adding machines. |
Exit Status
This command returns the following exit values:
0 |
Successful completion. |
!0 |
An error occurred. |
Security
Access Control: You must have root authority to run
this command.
Auditing Events: N/A
Examples
- To preview the client definition file client.defs, enter:
nimdef -p -f client.defs
- To add the NIM clients described in the
client definition file client.defs, enter:
nimdef -d -f client.defs
- To create a kshell script called client.add to add the NIM clients described in the client definition
file client.defs, enter:
nimdef -c -f client.defs > client.add
Files
/usr/sbin/nimdef |
Contains the nimdef daemon/command. |
Related Information
The lsnim command, nim command, nimclient command, nimconfig command.
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