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AIX Version 4.3 Commands Reference, Volume 4

niminit Command

Purpose

Configures the Network Installation Management (NIM) client package.

Syntax

To Configure the NIM Client Package

niminit{-a name=Name -a pif_name=Pif -a master=Hostname} [ -a master_port=PortNumber ] [ -a registration_port=PortNumber ] [ -a cable_type=Type | -a ring_speed=Speed] [-a iplrom_emu=Device ] [ -aplatform=PlatformType ] [ -a netboot_kernel=NetbootKernelType ] [-aadpt_addr=AdapterAddress]

To Rebuild the /etc/niminfo File

niminit {-a name=Name -a master=Hostname -a master_port=PortNumber}

Description

The niminit command configures the NIM client package. This must be done before the nimclient command can be used. When the required attributes are supplied to the niminit command, a new machine object will be created to represent the machine where the niminit command is being executed. When the niminit command completes successfully, the machine will be able to participate in the NIM environment.

Once the NIM client package has been successfully configured, the niminit command may be run again to rebuild the /etc/niminfo on the client. The /etc/niminfo file is used by the nimclient command and must be rebuilt if it is accidentally removed by a user.

Flags

-a Specifies up to five different attributes for the niminit command. All of the following attribute=value pairs are preceded by the -a flag:
name=Name Specifies the name that NIM will use to identify the workstation. This value is required.
pif_name=Pif Defines the name of the network interface for all NIM communications. This value is required.
master=Hostname Specifies the hostname of the NIM master. The client must have the ability to resolve this hostname to an Internet Protocol (IP) address. This value is required.
master_port=PortNumber Specifies the port number of the nimesis daemon used for NIM communications.
cable_type=CableType Specifies the ethernet cable type. When the pif_name refers to an ethernet network, this value must be given. Acceptable values are:

bnc

dix

N/A

ring_speed=Speed Speed in Mbps. When the pif_name refers to a token ring network, this value must be given. Acceptable values are:

4

16

iplrom_emu=Device Specifies a device that contains a ROM emulation image. This image is required for models that do not have internal support for booting via network interface.
platform = PlatformType Specifies the platform that corresponds to the client's machine type. If this attribute is not specified, the default, rs6k, will be used. The supported platforms are:
rs6k Micro Channel-based, uniprocessor models
rs6ksmp Micro Channel-based, symmetric multiprocessor models
rspc PowerPC PCI bus-based, uniprocessor machines
rspcsmp PowerPC PCI bus-based, symmetric multiprocessor machines
adpt_add=AdapterAddress Specifies the hardware address that corresponds to the network adapter.

AIX Version 4.2 or later Attributes:

registration_port=PortNumber Specifies the port number used for NIM client registration.
Notes:
  1. If you do not specify port numbers on the command line, the port numbers in the /etc/services file for NIM is used. If the /etc/services file does not contain entries for the NIM ports nim and nimreg, the default values of 1058 for master_port and 1059 for registration_port are used.
  2. The values used for master_port and registration_port should match the values used by the NIM master. To display the values used by the NIM master, run the command lsnim -l master on the NIM master.
netboot_kernel=NetbootKernelType Specifies the type of kernel to use when booting the client over the network. The netboot_kernel values are:
up Kernel for uniprocessor machines
mp Kernel for multiprocessor machines

The default is up.

Security

Access Control: You must have root authority to run the niminit command.

Examples

  1. To configure the NIM client package on a machine which has a BOOTP-enabled IPL ROM such that it will be known as scuba in the NIM environment, using en0 as its primary interface and an ethernet cable type of bnc, and specifying that it communicates with the NIM master using the master's hostname of manta and the default NIM ports located in /etc/services for network install communications, enter: 
    niminit -a name=scuba -a pif_name=en0 -a cable_type=bnc \
-a master=manta
  2. To rebuild the /etc/niminfo file when it has accidentally been removed by a user, using a hostname of superman for the master's hostname and a port number of 1058, enter: 
    niminit -a name=robin -a master=superman -a master_port=1058
  3. To configure the NIM client package on a machine that is a PowerPC PCI bus-based, uniprocessor system that has a BOOTP-enabled IPL ROM such that it will be known as starfish in the NIM environment, using en0 as its primary interface and an Ethernet cable type of dix, and specifying that it communicates with the NIM master using the master's host name of whale and a port number of 1058, enter: 
    niminit -a name=starfish -a pif_name=en0 -a cable_type=dix \
-a master=whale -a master_port=1058 -a platform=rspc
  4. To configure the NIM client, on a machine to be known as bluefish in the NIM environment, using at0 as its primary interface and specifying that it communicates with the NIM master using the master's host name redfish and a port number of 1058, enter: 
    niminit -a name=bluefish -a pif_name=at0 -a master=redfish \
-a master_port=1058
    Note: Because an interface to an ATM network does not currently support booting over the network, this operation will define a machine object on the NIM master if a Generic network object corresponding to the client's subnet is already defined.
  5. To configure the NIM client on a machine that is a PowerPC PCI bus-based, symmetric multiprocessor system that has a BOOTP-enabled IPL ROM such that it will be it will be known as jellyfish in the NIM environment, using en0 as its primary interface and an Ethernet cable type of dix, and specifying that it communicates with the NIM master using the master's host name of whale and a port number of 1058, enter: 
    niminit -a name=jellyfish -a pif_name=en0 -a cable_type=dix \
-a master=whale -a master_port=1058 -a platform=rspcsmp

AIX Version 4.2 or later Examples:

  1. To configure the NIM client package on a machine which will use an IPL ROM emulation in device /dev/fd0, such that it will be known as octopus in the NIM environment and uses tr0 as its primary interface and a ring speed of 16, and communicates with the NIM master using the master's hostname of dolphin and a port number of 1700 for client communications and 1701 for client registration, enter: 
    niminit -a iplrom_emu=/dev/fd0 -a name=octopus -a pif_name=tr0 \
-a ring_speed=16 -a master=dolphin -a master_port=1700 \
-a registration_port=1701

File

/etc/niminfo Contains variables used by NIM.

Related Information

The lsnim command, nim command, nimclient command, nimconfig command.

The .info file.

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