NIM installation

[unixfreak]

Hi,
I've been given a task to install a NIM master server which I haven't done in a while. The only redbook for NIM I can find is for AIX 4.3. I've found some notes somewhere that says to run 'smitty eznim' and choose Install Master and that's it.

Does anyone have experience with this EZNIM? Does it work? Is that all you need to do today?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[reneford]

Here is a good document. At the chapter 1 at the point 1.1.4, there is five easy step for beginner. That's like this I start with NIM.

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg245524.pdf

I have also a good internet link for the nim operation.

http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/aix/aixins/aixnimgd/error_messages.htm

Sorry, I don't know EZNIM.

 

[kierong]

Here's another link lots of information. Look under Installation Guides

http://publib16.boulder.ibm.com/pseries/en_US/infocenter/base/aix51.htm

Kieron

 

[unixfreak]

Ok, I got it installed. I'm now configuring clients.

I was told that the new NIM can communicate via SSH but in the "Communication protocol used by client" I can only choose between shell/RSH and nimsh. Where is SSH?

Thanks

 

[unixfreak]

Ok, I can't do this. The installation steps listed I already knew but it's not working.
If I reboot the client and do network boot, the master completely ignores it.
If I in AIX chose to reinstall OS I get this message after a while:

1800-106 An error occurred:

mamgp201: A remote host did not respond within the timeout period.
0042-006 nimclient: (To_Master) rcmd A remote host did not respond within the timeout period.

I seem to remember from the old days that I could enter the network details of the master and network on the client itself in the SMS menu?

 

[plamb]

that is still available

 

[unixfreak]

ok, I got a long way on this - thanks.

I've also created a mksysb resource on the master but I'm not sure how to install it on a client. If I boot the client I get the normal installation menu but there's no option to install from a backup.

Which resources do I need to allocate to the client to install from a mksysb?

Cheers

 

[plamb]

add it to the resouces the allocate it just like lpp and spot

 

[unixfreak]

If I do it says I'm missing lpp_source and SPOT when I change the operation to bos_inst. What should the operation be?

Cheers

 

[jprabaker]

You need to assign an lpp_source, spot & mksysb image. It needs the spot to be able to build a boot image & the lpp_source if you have any additional hardware that needs drivers installing.

You need to boot your client into sms utilities by hitting F1 when you get the audio beep. You need to then configure your network card settings through the RIPL menu (and do a ping test!), and then go into the boot options menu and tell it to boot from the network card.

It should then go off and pull a bootfile from your NIM server & start your install off.

IF you want the install to be unattended you'll need to create & change a bosinst.data nim resource.

 

[plamb]

for SOURCE for BOS RUNTIME FILE select mksysb not rte

 

[unixfreak]

plamb: That was it. Thanks for that.

Thanks to all of you, it's now fully functional.

Cheers

 

[unixfreak]

Just one additional question:

When the client boots it uses BOOTP and TFTP. In normal client operations it uses 3901 and 3902 on the client and 1058 and 1059 on the server? Correct?

But what is used during installation to transfer the filesets or mksysb image to the client?

Is NFS ever used? And are there ports I have over looked? I need to know this before planning what is possible.

Thanks in advance.

 

[plamb]

are you trying to get nim owking in a DMZ/firewall setup???

 

[unixfreak]

Well, we have test, staging and production networks with firewalls in between them. We're not too happy about using NFS either.
If this project is possible depends on how we need to modify our firealls and if the security dept. will accept it.

Cheers

 

[plamb]

I put a nim server in the DMZ and open specfic ports to the other neyworks for nim installs. here is what I have opened:

NIM Client 68 NIM Master 67 udp bootp
NIM Client >1023 NIM Master 68 udp tftp
NIM Client >1023 NIM Master 2049 tcp nfs
NIM Client 1019-1023 NIM Master 1058 tcp nim primary
NIM Master 1019-1023 NIM Client 1019-1023 tcp nim auxiliary
ping bi directional

This will allow a nim master to install to a clinet that has no O/S