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. Initialize the package before any other NIM commands can be used. The following tasks are performed by the NIM environment when the -a flag of the nimconfig command is used to provide proper attributes:

  • Defines a network object that is specified by the ObjectName parameter to represent the network to which the NIM master's primary interface that is specified by the Pif parameter, is connected.
  • Completes the definition of the NIM master by connecting it to the newly defined network object.
  • Defines a resource object to represent the network boot resource, which is managed automatically by NIM.
  • Defines a resource object to represent the customization scripts that NIM automatically builds to perform customization.
  • Starts the nimesis NIM communications daemon.

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) is in the available state.
master_port=PortNumber
Specifies the port number of the nimesis daemon that is used for 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 creating the network object to represent the network to which the master's primary interface connects.
ring_speed=Speed
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 NIM client registration.
Note: If you do not specify port numbers on the command line, the port numbers in the /etc/services file for 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 IPv4 and IPv6 protocol over a single interface definition. This option creates an ent6 network object and defines a secondary interface (if2) by using the ent6 network object information.

When you specify the ip_env option, the following flags are also required:

pif_name=Pif
Specifies interface name.
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: Run the autoconf6 command and start the ndpd-host daemon before configuring the dual-stack environment.
-c Creates SSL keys and SSL certificates that must be used during NIM client communication when Open Secure Sockets Layer (OpenSSL) is installed on the NIM master machine. 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:
  • The certificates in the /ssl_nimsh/certs directory
  • The /tftpboot/server.pem file.
-C Unconfigures SSL for the NIM Environment. 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 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 master by using the information that exists in the NIM database. If the bos.sysmgt.nim.master package is not configured on this machine, the -r option fails. The -r flag is used if the /etc/niminfo file is accidentally removed by a user.

Security

Access Control
You must have 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

  1. To initialize the NIM environment by using 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
  2. To initialize the NIM environment by using 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
  3. To rebuild the /etc/niminfo file on the NIM master when that machine is correctly configured as a master, enter the following command:
    nimconfig -r
  4. 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: Because an interface to an ATM network does not currently support booting over the network, this operation defines a generic network object corresponding to the master's subnet.
  5. To initialize the NIM environment by using 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
  6. To create SSL keys and certificates for NIM communication, enter the following command:
    nimconfig -c
    Note: OpenSSL must be installed on the NIM master before using this command option.
  7. To create SSL keys and SSL certificates for 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.
  8. 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
  9. To enable the NIM HTTP service for the NIM environment, enter the following command on the NIM server:
    nimconfig -h
  10. 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.