Creating a SPOT resource from the mksysb resource

Creating a SPOT from a mksysb resource allows you to only support the devices the mksysb uses.

Because the SPOT only contains boot images for the devices in the source mksysb, it is significantly smaller than a SPOT created from an installation image. A SPOT that you create from the mksysb resource is typically 30 to 50 MB, whereas a SPOT that you create from an installation image is typically 300 MB. You also do not need an lpp_source resource with this method.

In AIX® 5.3, NIM only creates the mp boot image because that is all that is required to boot the SPOT. Similarly, in AIX 7.1, and later, NIM only creates the 64-bit mp boot image to boot the SPOT.

You should only use a SPOT created from a mksysb to perform bos_inst operations of the mksysb. Performing other operations on standalone clients, such as maint and diag is not supported. Performing cust operations on a SPOT taken from a mksysb is also not supported.

The mksysb_source attribute is used to distinguish a SPOT created from a mksysb from other SPOTs. The mksysb_source attribute is set to the resource name of the mksysb you used to create the SPOT.

The mksysb from which you create a SPOT can be at any level greater than 4.3.3.75.