AIX NIM Help needed

[Rudedog8899]

Please forgive my shallow level of knowledge when it comes to AIX and NIM. I am a native x86/x64 IT mgr recently tasked with AIX responsibilities. One area of task is to install my clients backued-up MKSYSB files from a NIM installation server to a destination server. Currently, a manual process needs to be done to setup the NIM installation client with the proper MKSYSb resources, spot and lppsource. Once all setup, the destination server is booted to the network and the installation of the NIM MKSYSB happens.

I'm looking to see if it is possible to script the process so that when the destination server boots to the NIM server address, a menu driven choice selection is provided which allows for the specific customer's MKSYSB image file, appropriate spot and lppsource etc can be specified and then the installation begins.

I'm hoping to minimize the amount of interaction necessary on the NIM server itself, while providing my staff the ability to install without escalated help from the System Engineer who manages the NIM server.

Again, forgive my ignorance, but I am never comfortable being told that something cannot be done with any effort in trying. If someone can provide any information that suggests this can be done, I'll put full resources on trying to figure it out.

Thanks

 

[Chapter11]

I'm not a NIM expert (I know very little about it), but I know enough to be fairly certain that what you would like it to do is almost completely opposite of what it's designed to do.

My limited understanding of NIM is that all of the setup is done on the NIM server, and when the client boots up and starts the NIM process, it processes whatever the NIM server feeds to it, and you don't really get much choice as to image selection.

In short, I don't believe it's possible for a NIM client to be booted and get a choice of mksysb's to restore from; the NIM server has to be configured (each time iirc) to select what mksysb to feed the client next time the client asks to boot up from NIM.

 

[hfaix]

Great question!....but NO I don't think it's possible. NIM is very much server driven.

I keep a spot and lpp_source at the latest TL level all the time, so all I really need is to turn a mksysb into a resource and distribute (5 minutes work).