Defining NIM clients

You can use the NIM define operation to define stand-alone, diskless, and dataless clients.

The client system can be either managed or unmanaged. A managed client is associated with a managing system that controls the client.

Managed clients use the network-boot and power-control capabilities of the dsm.core fileset when the file is installed. For example, You can request a maintenance boot of the client without accessing the managing system to request a network-boot.

When the dsm.core fileset is installed the additional capabilities of the managed clients in comparison with the unmanaged clients, is as follows:

Performs a network-boot and boot in maintenance mode by using the following command:
```
nim -o maint_boot -a boot_client=yes 
```
Performs a network-boot and installs the client by using the following command:
```
nim -o bos_inst -a boot_client=yes
```
Boots or reboots the client with the nim -o reboot parameter.
Opens a virtual console xterm, when using the -a open_console parameter on selected NIM operations.
Defines and uses virtual optical devices to allow the VIOS clients to mount an ISO image from a virtual CD.

Managed clients require an mgmt_profile attribute. This attribute specifies the management object that controls the client. It also provides the client identifier (lpar_id or blade slot).

To set the mgmt_profile attribute, use the mgmt_source and identity attributes. The mgmt_profile can be set directly, but it must not be merged with the mgmt_source and identity attributes of the define operation.

Depending on the controlling system, the mgmt_source and identity attributes provide the following information:

If the client is managed by Hardware Management Console (HMC), the mgmt_source attribute must be a CEC or a VIOS object and the identity must be the lpar identifier of the client.
If the client is managed by an Integrated Virtual Machine (IVM), the mgmt_source attribute must be an IVM object and the identity must be the lpar identifier of the client.
If the client is managed by a Blade Center Management Module (BCMM), the mgmt_source attribute must be a BCMM object and the identity must be the blade slot of the client.

For managed clients, include the real network-adapter-hardware address in the if attribute to activate the network-boot capabilities.

The definition of the CEC,HMC IVM, VIOS, and BCMM management object is described in

To define a stand-alone, diskless, or dataless client, enter the command-line syntax as follows:

nim -o define -t MachineType -a Attribute=Value ... MachineName

where the following attributes are required:

Item	Description
-t MachineType	Specifies the type of machine being defined. Valid values are stand-alone, diskless, dataless, and wpar.
-a if=Value ...	Stores network interface information for a NIM client, and requires a sequence number when specified. Note: Multiple IP addresses on the same network interface can cause Network File System (NFS) mount issues. Therefore, multiple IP addresses on the same network interface is not supported. The value for this attribute consists of three required values and a fourth, optional value: Value 1 Specifies the name of the NIM network to which this interface connects. If the name of the NIM network is unknown, then the find_net keyword can be used to match the IP address of the client to a defined NIM network. If the find_net keyword is used, but NIM does not find a matching network, the optional net_definition attribute must be used to define the network. Value 2 Specifies the host name associated with this interface. Value 3 Specifies the network-adapter-hardware address of this interface. A value of 0 can be specified unless broadcasting is used for a network-boot of the client. The actual adapter hardware address must be used to enable the use of network-boot capabilities provided to managed systems by dsm.core. Value 4 Specifies the logical device name of the network adapter used for this interface. If this value is not specified, NIM uses a default based on the type of network interface defined. This field is required when the client is defined on a heterogeneous network. This attribute requires a sequence number for NIM to distinguish between multiple network interfaces. Because machines can be multihomed, NIM allows more than one if attribute per machine.

Item

Description

-t MachineType

Specifies the type of machine being defined. Valid values are stand-alone, diskless, dataless, and wpar.

-a if=Value ...

Stores network interface information for a NIM client, and requires a sequence number when specified.

Note: Multiple IP addresses on the same network interface can cause Network File System (NFS) mount issues. Therefore, multiple IP addresses on the same network interface is not supported.

The value for this attribute consists of three required values and a fourth, optional value:

Value 1: Specifies the name of the NIM network to which this interface connects. If the name of the NIM network is unknown, then the find_net keyword can be used to match the IP address of the client to a defined NIM network. If the find_net keyword is used, but NIM does not find a matching network, the optional net_definition attribute must be used to define the network.
Value 2: Specifies the host name associated with this interface.
Value 3: Specifies the network-adapter-hardware address of this interface. A value of 0 can be specified unless broadcasting is used for a network-boot of the client. The actual adapter hardware address must be used to enable the use of network-boot capabilities provided to managed systems by dsm.core.
Value 4: Specifies the logical device name of the network adapter used for this interface. If this value is not specified, NIM uses a default based on the type of network interface defined. This field is required when the client is defined on a heterogeneous network.; This attribute requires a sequence number for NIM to distinguish between multiple network interfaces. Because machines can be multihomed, NIM allows more than one if attribute per machine.

The following attributes are optional:

-a ring_speed=Value

Specifies the ring speed of the client's token-ring adapter. This value is required if the client's NIM network is token-ring. This attribute requires a sequence number for NIM to distinguish between ring speeds for multiple interfaces on the machine.

-a cable_type=Value

Specifies the cable type of the client's ethernet adapter. This value is required if the client's NIM network is Ethernet. This attribute requires a sequence number for NIM to distinguish between cable types for multiple interfaces on the machine.

-a netboot_kernel=Value

Specifies the kernel type of the client. Valid values are up for uniprocessor machines, mp for multiprocessor machines, and 64 for 64-bit processors. The default value is 64.

-a iplrom_emu=Value

Specifies the device that contains the IPL ROM emulation software. IPL ROM emulation is required for machines that do not have bootp-enabled IPL ROM.

-a net_definition=Value ...

Defines a NIM network to be associated with the client being defined. The value for this attribute consists of required values and optional values:

Value 1 = NetworkType (required): Specifies the values tok, ent, fddi, and generic.
Value 2 = SubnetMask (required): Specifies the dotted decimal mask for the network.
Value 3 = ClientGateway (optional): Specifies the IP address or host name of the default gateway used by the machine being defined to communicate with the NIM master.
Value 4 = MasterGateway (optional): Specifies the IP address or host name of the default gateway used by the NIM master to communicate with clients on other subnets.
Value 5 = NetworkName (optional): Specifies a name to be given to the NIM definition created for the network. (Otherwise, a unique default value is assigned.)

When specifying the net_definition attribute to create or change a machine definition, the find_net keyword must be specified as the first component of the if attribute for the machine. The net_definition attribute can also be specified when defining additional NIM interfaces (if attributes) for machine definitions.

-a cpuid=Value

Specifies the CPU ID of the machine being defined. This attribute can be used for client verification during NIM operations. To display the CPU ID on a running machine, use the uname -m command. This field is optional and is automatically set the first time a client communicates with the NIM master.

-a master_port=Value

Specifies the port number used by the NIM master for socket communication with the clients. The default master port number is 1058.

-a registration_port=Value

Specifies the port number used by clients to register themselves with the NIM master. The default registration port number is 1059.

-a group=Value

Specifies a machine group to which the client must be added. The group will be defined, if it does not exist.

-a comments=Value

Provides comments about the client being defined.

-a verbose=Value

Displays information for debugging. Use verbose=5 to show maximum detail.

-a net_settings=Value1 Value2

Specifies the speed and duplex settings to use for the client's ethernet adapter during a network installation, and requires a sequence number when specified. When initiating an install and reboot of a client, NIM will set these parameters in the bootlist.

Value1= auto, 10, 100, or 1000: The default is value is 100.
Value2 = auto, half, or full: The default value is full.

For example:

nim -o change -a net_settings1="10 half" jellyfish

-a connect=Value

Specifies the communicating service used by the NIM client for remote execution of NIM commands. Value options are shell (for RSH) and nimsh. The default setting is connect=shell.

-a mgmt_profile=Value1 Value2

Stores managing system information for a NIM client that is managed by another NIM client, and requires a sequence number when specified. A mgmt_profile setting is required for operations on WPAR clients which must be performed by a managing system. Two values are required for this attribute.

Value1: Specifies the name of the NIM client which manages this client.
Value2: Specifies the name of the system as known on the managing system. This may be different than the name of the NIM object for the system.; This attribute must not be used in conjunction with the mgmt_source attribute and should be used for WPAR clients.

-a mgmt_source=Value

Stores managing system information for a NIM client that is managed by a hardware control point. The value must point to an existing NIM object, which can be one of the following objects:

A VIOS object for logical partitions (LPARs) that are attached to a Virtual I/O Server object.
A CEC object for LPARs that are defined on a server.
An IVM object for LPARs that are attached to an Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM).
A BCMM object for blades.
A NAS_FILER object that can be used for system management of an LPAR.
An HMC object that can be used for systems management of an LPAR.
A PowerVC object that can be used for system management of an LPAR.

-a identity=Value

Stores the client identifier information for a NIM client that is managed by a hardware control point. The value must be the client identifier on the hardware control point, which is one of the following:

The LPAR identifier for LPARs
The blade slot on the BCMM for blades

-a dump_port=Value

Specifies the TCP/IP port number that is used to transfer dump images from the diskless (<= Missing "=" value), and dataless clients to the dump resource server. This port number is used by a dump resource server, and otherwise has no meaning. The default value is 32600.

-a vlan_tag=Value

Specifies the virtual logical area network identifier used for VLAN tagging. The ID identifies which VLAN the Ethernet frame belongs. With this ID, the network administrator can organize the client's communication logically rather than to the subnet. This value is used by NIM to preform a network boot on a client by using the specified VLAN tag. Configuration of the VLAN tag communication must be handled using this value before using NIM. Valid value is from 0 to 4094. The vlan_tag and vlan_pri together makes up the VLAN tag Ethernet frame header.

-a vlan_pri=Value

Specifies the virtual logical area network priority used for VLAN tagging. The priority identifies which VLAN the Ethernet frame belongs. With this priority, the network administrator can organize the client's communication logically rather than to the subnet. This value is used by NIM to preform a network boot on a client by using the specified VLAN tag. Configuration of the VLAN tag communication must be handled using this value before using NIM. The valid value is from 0 to 4094. The vlan_tag and vlan_pri together makes up the VLAN tag Ethernet frame header.