Aix: Nim server configuration in aix

 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Contents>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

1.         Introduction.
2.         Create Volume Group, loglv, and filesystem for NIM resources.
3.         Generate a copy of Aix media in directory.
4.         Install the nim master file set.
5.         Configuring the NIM master and creating basic installation resources from
             the command line.
6.         Configure the clients.
7.         Allocate nim resource to the clients.
8.         Boot the LPAR Client from network.



1. <<<<<<<<Introduction>>>>>>>>>

In an environment with  AIX systems, installing, upgrading, and maintaining software can become time consuming. Network Installation Manager provides an easy, efficient way to install, upgrade, and even maintain your AIX systems over the network, while reducing down time. You can use Network Installation Manager to remotely manage AIX installations and upgrades on several systems without using AIX CD's.

You can also use Network Installation Manager to install several AIX machines simultaneously.

 2.<<<<<<< Create Volume Group, loglv, and filesystem for NIM resources>>>>>>>>

a) First create a separate Volume group for nim resource

# mkvg -f -y nimvg -s 1024 hdiskn

b) Create two lv (exportlv, imagelv) in this nimvg.

# mklv -t jfs2 -y exportlv nimvg 20

# mklv -t jfs2 -y imagelv nimvg 20

c) Create filesystem for these logical volumes.

# crfs -v jfs2 -d exportlv -p rw -m /export -A yes

# crfs -v jfs2 -d imagelv -p rw -m /image -A yes

d) mount the file system

# mount /export

# mount /image

3.<<<<<<<Generate a copy of Aix media in directory>>>>>>>>>>>>  

a) Mount the aix dvd in /mnt  

#  mount -V cdrfs -o ro /dev/cd0 /mnt

b) Generate a copy of media in the following directory name

#  gencopy -X -U -b "-qv" -d /mnt -t /export/lpp_source/710TL0lpp/ all

where-> -X    Extends the file system automatically if space is needed.

               -U   Upgrades the directory structure of the destination repository to 

                       the current standard.

               -b    bffcreateFlags

                -t    TargetLocation 

 

 4. <<<<<<< Install the nim master file set>>>>>>>>>>>> 

a) Install the bos.sysmgt.nim.master

# installp -ad /export/lpp_source/710TL0lpp bos.sysmgt.nim.master bos.sysmgt.nim.client bos.sysmgt.nim.spot

b) Check the file set installed or not

# lslpp -L bos.sysmgt.nim.master

or
# lslpp -l | grep -i nim

5. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Configuring the NIM master and creating basic installation resources from  the command line>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 a) Configure the nim master.
#  nimconfig -a netname=MASTER_NET -a pif_name=en0  -a platform=chrp -a netboot_kernel=64 -a cable_type=tp -a client_reg=yes

b) After successfully create the nim master check lsnim output
# lsnim -l master

c) Create the lpp source from the image.

#  nim -o define -t lpp_source  -a server=master -a location=/export/lpp_source/710TL0lpp  710TL0lpp

d) Now check the lpp source which just created.

# lsnim -t lpp_source 

e)  Create the spot from the above lpp_source. & it will take 25-30 minutes to be created.

#  nim -o define -t spot -a server=master -a  location=/export/spot -a     
     source=710TL0lpp 710TL0spot


f) Check the spot output

# lsnim -t spot

Now After successfully create the spot , we are ready to configure the clients. 

6. <<<<<<<<<<<Configure the clients.>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

To add the machine with host name machine1 with the following configuration:

host name=machine1
platform=chrp
kernel=mp
network type=ethernet

IP-Address= 192.168.1.10 

subnet mask=255.255.255.0
default gateway=gw1
default gateway used by NIM master=gw_master
cable type=bnc
network boot capability=yes (no emulation needed)

enter the following command sequence 

# nim -o define -t standalone -a platform="chrp" \
-a netboot_kernel="mp" -a if1="find_net machine1 0" \
-a cable_type1="bnc"  -a comments=192.168.1.10
-a net_definition="ent 255.255.255.0 gw1 gw_master" machine1

 After successfully adding the client machine in server, check with the following commands:

 # lsnim -c machines

And details information of the clients:

# lsnim -l machine1

7. <<<<<<<<<Allocate nim resource to the clients.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

# nim -o bos_inst -a source=rte -a spot=710TL0spot -a lpp_source=710TL0lpp -a accept_licenses=yes  -a no_client_boot=yes -a set_bootlist=no -a force_push=no machine1

After successfully command check the result

# lsnim -l machine1

 8. <<<<<<<<Boot the LPAR Client from network.>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Now I will start the machine1 LPAR from the network. 

If Machine1 is already running, then set the bootlist for network boot,\
on machine1 side--

# bootlist -m normal -o ent0  speed=auto duplex=auto bserver=192.168.1.5 client=192.168.1.10 gateway=0.0.0.0 
       where bserver is the IP of NIM server 

then check the bootlist with following command
# bootlist -m normal -o  

& reboot your machine1