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 Configure SSL for the NIM Environment

nimconfig -c

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 that NIM automatically builds to perform customization.
Starts the NIM communications daemon, nimesis.

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 used for NIM client communication. platform=Value Specifies the platform. The supported platforms are: 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 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. 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 registration_port=PortNumber Specifies the port number 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.
-c	When OpenSSL is installed on the NIM master, this option creates SSL keys and certificates for use during NIM client communication. The SSL certificates are later copied to NIM clients using the nimclient -c command.
-r	Rebuilds the /etc/niminfo file on the master using the information 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.

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 associated with this command, see the lssecattr command or the getcmdattr subcommand.

Examples

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

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

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, type:
```
nimconfig -r
```
To initialize the NIM master using an ATM network interface, type:
```
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.
To initialize the NIM environment using TCP/IP port 1060 for NIM client communications and TCP/IP port 1061 for NIM client registration, type:
```
nimconfig -a pif_name=tr0 -a netname=net2 -a master_port=1060 \
-a registration_port=1061 -a ring_speed=16
```
To create SSL keys and certificates for NIM communication, type:
```
nimconfig -c
```
Note: OpenSSL must be installed on the NIM master prior to using this command option.

Files

Item	Description
/etc/niminfo	Contains variables used by NIM.