AIX Primary NIC

[nyck]

Hello,

I'm installing AIX5.2 remotely via an HMC and when it comes to network selection there are 12 choices, en0 to en5 & et0 to et5. How can I tell which is the primary NIC where the network cable is connected?

I would check myself but I'm in the UK and the server in question is in the New Jersey data center!

Cheers

Nick

 

[AIXLogician]

Hi Nick,
1st let me ask you this, are you doing CD/DVD install? or doing NIM install?
This is applicable for latter. Figure out which is the VLAN, and check for VLAN ID (suppose you are using VLAN 20 on adapter ID 4). So, what you have to do is on the SMS select the adapter, which has the client as C4, as an example below.

ent0.U8202.E4C.10948BR-V5-C4-T1 --> this will be your primary adapter.
ent1.U5796.001.17012A9-P1-C5-T1
ent2.U8202.E4C.10948BR-V5-C6-T1
ent3.U5796.001.17012A9-P1-C7-T1

If they lack the document or say figure out by yourself, just go to NIM and run tail -f /etc/bootptab and it will list you the client IP address, figure out what is the VLAN for that IP, and trace it back on HMC (in virtual adapter -> vlan ID.

If you are using CD/DVD, then you don't need a network interface for that. Just select CD/DVD and take a cup of coffee.
Also, you will use interface 'en' so just look for en and NOT et.

SARFARAZ AHMED SYED,
Sr. Systems Engineer