Running stand-alone diagnostics from a Network Installation Management server

Learn how to run the stand-alone diagnostics from a Network Installation Manager (NIM) server.

The stand-alone diagnostics can help you perform hardware analysis. If a problem is found, you will receive a service request number (SRN) that can help pinpoint the problem and determine a corrective action.

A client system connected to a network with a NIM server can boot stand-alone diagnostics from the NIM server if the client-specific settings on both the NIM server and client are correctly configured.
Notes:
  1. For NIM clients that have adapters that would normally require that supplemental media be installed when stand-alone diagnostics are run from CD or DVD, the support code for these adapters must be installed into the directory pointed to by the NIM SPOT from which you want to boot that client. Before running stand-alone diagnostics on these clients from the NIM server, the NIM server system administrator must ensure that any needed support for these devices is installed on the server.
  2. All operations to configure the NIM server require root user authority.
  3. If you replace the network adapter in the client, the network adapter hardware address settings for the client must be updated on the NIM server.
  4. The Cstate for each stand-alone diagnostics client on the NIM server should be kept in the diagnostic boot has been enabled state.
  5. On the client system, the NIM server network adapter should be put in the bootlist after the boot disk drive. This allows the system to boot in stand-alone diagnostics from the NIM server if there is a problem booting from the disk drive. See the Multiboot section under SMS in the client system's service information about setting the bootlist.

Configuring the NIM server

For information about performing the following tasks, see the Advanced NIM configuration tasks chapter of the AIX Installation Guide and Reference:
  • Registering a client on the NIM server
  • Enabling a client to run diagnostics from the NIM server
To verify that the client system is registered on the NIM server and the diagnostic boot is enabled, run the command from the command line on the NIM server: 
Isnim -a Cstate -z ClientName
Note: The ClientName is the name of the system on which you want to run stand-alone diagnostics.
Refer to the following table for system responses.
System response Client status
#name:Cstate:ClientName:diagnostic boot has been enabled: The client system is registered on the NIM server and enabled to run diagnostics from the NIM server.
#name:Cstate:ClientName:ready for a NIM operation:or #name:Cstate:ClientName:B0S installation has been enabled: The client is registered on the NIM server but not enabled to run diagnostics from the NIM server.
Note: If the client system is registered on the NIM server but Cstate has not been set, no data will be returned.
0042–053 Isnim: there is no NIM object named "ClientName" The client is not registered on the NIM server.

Configuring the client and running the stand-alone diagnostics from a NIM server

Perform the following steps to run stand-alone diagnostics on a client from the NIM server:

  1. Let the system administrator and system users know that the system unit might be shut down.
  2. Stop all programs including the AIX® or Linux operating system. For details, see Powering on and powering off the system. If you need help, contact the system administrator.
  3. Remove all tapes, diskettes, and CDs.
  4. Choose from the following options:
    • If you are running stand-alone diagnostics in a full system partition profile, verify with the system administrator and system users that the system unit can shut down using the shutdown command. Then power down the system.
    • If you are running on a logically partitioned system, make sure that the CD or DVD drive is available to the partition used to run stand-alone diagnostics. Verify with the system administrator and system users using that partition that all applications on that partition must be stopped, and that the partition will be restarted. Stop all programs on that partition, including the operating system.
  5. Choose from the following options:
    • If you are in a full system partition, power on the system unit to run stand-alone diagnostics.
    • If you are in a logically partitioned system, restart the partition to run stand-alone diagnostics.
  6. When the keyboard indicator is displayed (the word keyboard on a management console virtual terminal window or the keyboard icon on a graphical display) press the number 1 key on the keyboard to display the SMS menu.
  7. Enter any requested passwords.
  8. Select Set Up Remote IPL (Initial Program Load).
  9. Enter the client address, server address, gateway address, if applicable, and subnet mask. If there is no gateway between the NIM server and the client, set the gateway address to 0.0.0.0.

    To determine whether there is a gateway, either ask the system network administrator or compare the first three octets of the NIM server address and the client address. If they are the same, (for example, if the NIM server address is 9.3.126.16 and the client address is 9.3.126.42, the first three octets (9.3.126) are the same), then set the gateway address in the RIPL field to 0.0.0.0.

    Note: The RIPL is located under the Utility menu in system management services (SMS). Refer to it for information about setting these parameters.
  10. If the NIM server is set up to allow pinging from the client system, use the ping utility in the RIPL utility to verify that the client system can ping the NIM server.
  11. Under the ping utility, choose the network adapter that provides the attachment to the NIM server to do the ping operation. If the ping returns with an OK prompt, the client is prepared to boot from the NIM server. If ping returns with a FAILED prompt, the client cannot proceed with the NIM boot.
    Note: If the ping fails, see the Boot problems and concerns information. Then follow the steps for network boot problems.
  12. Exit the SMS Main screen.
  13. Select Select Boot Options > Install or Boot a Device > Network.
  14. Record the current bootlist settings. You will need to set the bootlist back to the original settings after running diagnostics from the NIM server.
  15. Change the bootlist so the network adapter attached to the NIM is first in the bootlist.
  16. Set the network parameters for the adapter from which you want to boot.
  17. Exit completely from SMS. The system will start loading packets while doing a bootp from the network.
  18. Follow the on-screen instructions.
    • If Diagnostic Operating Instructions Version x.x.x displays, stand-alone diagnostics have installed successfully.
    • If the operating system login prompt displays, stand-alone diagnostics did not load. Continue with step 19.
  19. If the diagnostics did not load, check the following items:
    • The bootlist on the client might be incorrect.
    • Cstate on the NIM server might be incorrect.
    • Network problems might be preventing you from connecting to the NIM server.
    • Verify the settings and the status of the network. If you continue to have problems, see the Boot problems/concerns section for the system unit. Then follow the steps for network boot problems.
  20. After running diagnostics, restart the system and use SMS to change the IP settings and bootlist sequence back to the original settings.
Parent topic: Running the stand-alone hardware diagnostics


Last updated: Mon, March 23, 2020