nimconfig Command

Purpose

Initializes the Network Installation Management (NIM) master package.

Syntax

To initialize the NIM master package

nimconfig -a pif_name=Pif -a netname=Objectname [ -a master_port=PortNumber ] [ -a platform=Value ] [ -a registration_port=PortNumber ] [ -a ring_speed=Speed | -a cable_type=CableType ] [ -c ]

To configure Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for the NIM Environment

nimconfig -c

To unconfigure SSL for the NIM Environment

nimconfig -C

To enable NIM HTTP service for the NIM Environment

nimconfig -h

To disable NIM HTTP service for the NIM Environment

nimconfig -H

To rebuild the /etc/niminfo file

nimconfig -r

Description

The nimconfig command initializes the NIM master package before you use any other NIM commands. When you use the -a flag of the nimconfig command to provide the proper attributes, the NIM environment performs the following tasks:

Defines a network object that is specified by the ObjectName variable. The network object represents the network to which the primary interface of the NIM Master that is specified by the Pif variable is connected.
Completes the definition of the NIM master by connecting the NIM master to the newly defined network object.
Defines a resource object to represent the network boot resource that the NIM master automatically manages.
Defines a resource object to represent the customization scripts that NIM automatically builds to perform the customization.
Starts the nimesis command, which is the core communications component for NIM.

Flags

Table 1. Flags
Item	Description
-a	Assigns the following attribute=`value` pairs: pif_name=`Pif` Designates the primary network interface for the NIM master. This value must be a logical interface name such as `tr0` or `en0`. The logical interface must be in an available state. master_port=`PortNumber` Specifies the port number of the nimesis daemon that is used for the NIM client communication. platform=`Value` Specifies the platform. The following values are the valid values of the platform attribute: rs6K Micro Channel-based, uniprocessor models for AIX® 5.1 and earlier. rs6ksmp Micro Channeled-based, symmetric multiprocessor models for AIX 5.1 and earlier. rspc PowerPC® PCI bus-based, uniprocessor models for AIX 5.1 and earlier. rspcsmp PowerPC PCI bus-based, symmetric multiprocessor models for AIX 5.1 and earlier. netname=`ObjectName` Specifies the name that you want the nimconfig command to use when you create the network object to represent the network to which the primary interface of the master connects. ring_speed=`Speed` Specifies the speed in Mbps. When the pif_name refers to a token ring network, this value must be given. The valid values are 4 and 16.
-a (continued)	cable_type=`CableType` Specifies the Ethernet cable type. When the pif_name refers to an Ethernet network, this value must be given. The valid values are bnc, dix, or N/A. registration_port=`PortNumber` Specifies the port number that is used for the NIM client registration. Note: If you do not specify the port numbers on the command line, the port numbers in the /etc/services file for the NIM are 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. ip_env=`6` Configures the NIM environment to support the dual-stack implementation of the Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) and Internet Protocol Version (IPv6) protocol over a single interface definition. This option creates a network object and defines a secondary interface by using the newly created network object information. When you specify the ip_env option, the following flags are required: pif_name=`Pif` Specifies the name of the interface for the NIM master. netname=`ObjectName` Specifies the name of the new ent object that represents the IPv6 network. cable_type=`CableType` Specifies the type of the Ethernet cable. Note: You must run the autoconf6 command and start the ndpd-host daemon before you configure the dual-stack environment.
-c	Creates the SSL keys and the SSL certificates that you must use during the NIM client communication when the Open Secure Sockets Layer (OpenSSL) is installed on the NIM master machine. You must restart the nimesis daemon after the operation is complete. The SSL certificates are later copied to NIM clients by using the `nimclient -c` command. Note: If a file or directory in the root filesystem has the name root (/root), the `nimconfig -c` command does not create or refresh the following items: Certificates in the /ssl_nimsh/certs directory /tftpboot/server.pem file
-C	Unconfigures the SSL for the NIM Environment. You must restart the nimesis daemon after the operation is complete. A secure NIM Service Handler (NIMSH) communication can be disabled at NIM clients by using the `nimclient -C` command.
-h	Configures the NIM HTTP service for the NIM environment. For more information about the NIM HTTP service, see the Using NIM for installing AIX updates and new packages over the HTTP protocol topic.
-H	Unconfigures the NIM HTTP service for the NIM environment.
-r	Rebuilds the /etc/niminfo file on the NIM master by using the information that exists in the NIM database. If the `bos.sysmgt.nim.master` package is not configured on NIM master, the -r flag fails. The -r flag is used if the /etc/niminfo file is accidentally removed by a user.

Security

Access Control: You must have the root authority to run the nimconfig command.
RBAC users: Attention RBAC users and Trusted AIX users: This command can perform privileged operations. Only privileged users can run privileged operations. For more information about authorizations and privileges, see Privileged Command Database in Security. For a list of privileges and the authorizations that are associated with this command, see the lssecattr command or the getcmdattr subcommand.

Examples

To initialize the NIM environment by using the token ring and the default NIM ports for network communications, enter the following command:
```
nimconfig -a pif_name=tr0 -a netname=net1 -a ring_speed=16
```
To initialize the NIM environment by using the Ethernet and the default NIM ports, enter the following command:
```
nimconfig -a pif_name=en0 -a master_port=1058 \
-a netname = net2 -a cable_type=bnc
```
To rebuild the /etc/niminfo file on the NIM master when the NIM master is configured as the primary machine, enter the following command:
```
nimconfig -r
```
To initialize the NIM master by using an ATM network interface, enter the following command:
```
nimconfig -a pif_name=at0 -a master_port=1058 -a netname=ATMnet
```
Note: Initializing the NIM master by using an ATM network interface operation defines a generic network object that corresponds to the subnet of the master because an interface to an ATM network does not support booting over the network.
To initialize the NIM environment by using the TCP/IP port 1060 for NIM client communications and TCP/IP port 1061 for NIM client registration, enter the following command:
```
nimconfig -a pif_name=tr0 -a netname=net2 -a master_port=1060 \
-a registration_port=1061 -a ring_speed=16
```
To create the SSL keys and certificates for the NIM communication, enter the following command:
```
nimconfig -c
```
Note: You must install the OpenSSL on the NIM master before you use this command option.
To create the SSL keys and SSL certificates for the NIM communication during NIM master initialization, enter the following command:
```
nimconfig -a netname=net1 -a pif_name=en0 -a cable_type=N/A -a verbose=4 -c
```
Note: For NIM communication, configuring SSL keys and SSL certificates during NIM master initialization is supported only for AIX 7.3 with Technology Level 2, and later.
To configure a dual-stack environment, create an ent6 network, and define a secondary interface, enter the following command:
```
nimconfig -a ip_env=6  -a netname=dualstack_v6  -a pif_name=en0 -a cable_type=N/A
```
To enable the NIM HTTP service for the NIM environment, enter the following command on the NIM server:
```
nimconfig -h
```
To disable the NIM HTTP service for the NIM environment, enter the following command on the NIM server:
```
nimconfig -H
```

Files

Table 2. Files
Item	Description
/etc/niminfo	Contains variables that are used by NIM environment.