nimconfig Command

Commands Reference, Volume 4

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 ]

To Rebuild the /etc/niminfo file:

nimconfig -r

Description

The nimconfig command initializes the NIM master package. You must initialize the package before any other NIM commands can be used. When you use the -a flag to supply the proper attributes, the nimconfig command initializes the NIM environment by performing the following tasks:

Defines a network object specified by the ObjectName parameter to represent the network to which the NIM master's primary interface, 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 which NIM automatically builds to perform customization.
Starts the NIM communications daemon, nimesis.

Flags

-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) which is in the available state.
master_port=PortNumber	Specifies the port number of the nimesis daemon used for NIM client communication.
platform=Value	Specifies the platform. The supported platforms are: rs6K Micro Channel-based, uniprocessor models rs6ksmp Micro Channeled-based, symmetric multiprocessor models rspc PowerPC PCI bus-based, uniprocessor models rspcsmp PowerPC PCI bus-based, symmetric multiprocessor models
netname=ObjectName	Specifies the name you want the nimconfig command to use when creating the network object to represent the network which the master's primary interface connects to.
ring_speed=Speed	Speed in Mbps. When the pif_name refers to a token ring network, this value must be given. Acceptable values are: 4 16
cable_type=CableType	Specifies the ethernet cable type. When the pif_name refers to an ethernet network, this value must be given. Acceptable values are: bnc dix N/A AIX Version 4.2 or later Attributes:
registration_port=PortNumber	Specifies the port number used for NIM client registration. This attribute applies only to AIX Version 4.2 or later. 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.

-r

Rebuilds the /etc/niminfo file on the master using the information which already exists in the NIM database. Note that if the bos.sysmgt.nim.master package has not been configured on this machine, this option will fail. This option is provided in case the /etc/niminfo file is accidentally removed by a user.

Security

Access Control: You must have root authority to run the nimconfig command.

Examples

To initialize the NIM environment using token ring and the default NIM ports for network communications, enter:
```
nimconfig -a pif_name=tr0 -a netname=net1 -a ring_speed=16
```

To initialize the NIM environment using ethernet and the default NIM ports, enter:

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 that machine has already been correctly configured as a master, enter:
```
nimconfig -r
```
To initialize the NIM master using an ATM network interface, enter:
```
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 will define a generic network object corresponding to the master's subnet.

AIX Version 4.2 or later Examples

To initialize the NIM environment using TCP/IP port 1060 for NIM client communications and TCP/IP port 1061 for NIM client registration, enter:
```
nimconfig -a pif_name=tr0 -a netname=net2 -a master_port=1060 \
-a registration_port=1061 -a ring_speed=16
```

Files

/etc/niminfo

Contains variables used by NIM.

Related Information

The lsnim command, nim command, nimclient command, niminit command.

The .info file.