AIX 5.1 cloning via NIM

clri6l.gsi.de, 140.181.98.69.

1. ensure that on the server side the appropriate mksysb and spot is available and allocated.
2. Cleanup first

   mv /etc/niminfo /etc/niminfo.save
   

3. smitty - nim - Configure Network Installation Management Client Fileset
   

   and fill the mandatory fields

4. smitty - nim - Manage Network Install Resource Allocation - Allocate ...
   

   select the appropriate spot and mksysb

5. smitty - nim - Perform a NIM Client Operation  
   

   select bosinst, mksysb and, important, set ACCEPT licenses to yes
6. here we go, just answer the questions.
7. when the basic installation is complete, ensure that
   1. the correct network adapter is active (in case the machine has two of them, use smitty to get rid of the superfluous one)
   2. the host name does not contain the domain (gsi.de)
   3. the machine is known to GSI's NIS netgroups (M.Feyerabend@gsi.de)
      (otherwise it won't let you login)
   4. special drivers (e.g. GL extensions for graphics cards) which weren't included in the original clone are installed additionally

lscfg -v

• On Models 43P-150, 43P-140, 43P-240, 44P-170:
  
  1. Shutdown/restart the system, when the indicators (memory, keyboard, speakers, ...) appear on the console (ASCII terminal or monitor), press the F1 or '1' key until the SMS menu appears.
     If this doesn't work, check if there's a console problem.
     As a last resort (e.g. in case of a trashed bootlist): Power down the system, remove the battery for at least 3 minutes to reset the NVRAM.
  2. If necessary, one can extract the network address from the Display Configuration menu.
  3. Select the Utilities/RIPL/Config menu and proceed to the menu which allows to insert the IP addresses as above. As of May 2006, the subnet mask is 255.255.192.0. Adapter parameters should be 10 / Half Duplex . Try a ping to be sure the NIM server is reachable.
  4. Select the Boot menu and select the Ethernet adapter as a boot device.
  5. Exit the SMS menu.
  If all goes well, the NIM installation takes about 1/2 hour.
  Note: In the TKR the necessary netboot does not work always possibly due to network problems. In this case move the machine to another network segment (e.g. RZ) and retry.
• On Models p615, p630, Intellistation:
  
  1. Shutdown/restart the system with the "1" key pressed until the SMS menu appears.
  2. Proceed to the menus which allows to select boot options/devices and to insert the IP addresses of client and master. Try a ping to be sure the NIM server is reachable. By experience the network adapters should be configured "100Mb" and "auto" negotiation.
  3. Select the Boot menu and select the Ethernet adapter as a boot device.
  4. Exit the SMS menu.
  If all goes well, the NIM installation takes about 1/2 hour.
• On Models 220, M20:
  
  1. Switch key to "Secure"/"Gesichert"
  2. Power Off/On
  3. Watch the LEDs come and go, at "200" switch the key to "Wartung" and press the reset button. You have to be fast !
  4. Wait until some boot screen appears. Follow the various prompts. Select ethernet as boot device.
  5. At some point you will be asked for the IP addresses of client, server and gateway.
     • Client: the IP address of the node to be installed
     • Server: 140.181.096.069
     • Gateway: 140.181.096.001
     • Network Mask: 255.255.192.0
  6. Proceed as suggested. The boot process starts when the TFTP packets are sent. If at this stage the LED stucks at "611" then they (the AIX group) have forgotten to put in a special CD at their server. Shame on them !
  7. If everything is OK the installation will proceed as reported on the green-on-black screen. Usually the system will end up in a state so that it can be used immediately. However, some fine tuning may be necessary, as shown below.
  The NIM installation takes about 1 hour.
• On Models 42T:
  Same procedure. NOTE, however, that these beasts insist on their original keyboards. NIM doesn't work with Quiet Touch Keyboards (LED shows "262"). The NIM installation takes about 1/2 hour.
  
• On Models 43P-120 (those without key and without LED):
  Be sure that the latest firmware is loaded. Last update was 1.12 in April '98. For both, firmware upgrade and NIM installation you need to boot in Service mode. To get their you
  1. insert the SMS diskette (which came with the computer or a later upgrade, latest was 1.07 in April '98)
  2. shutdown/restart the system with the F4 key pressed until the SMS menu appears.
  3. For a firmware upgrade you choose the Utilities, then the Update System Software item. Proceed as suggested. It is advisable to make a recovery diskette, as suggested. Apparently it must be HD, DOS formatted (with

     dosformat

     or

     mformat

     ).
  4. For a NIM installation you choose Utilities, then the Remote Initial Program Load Setup item. Choose Select Boot Devices and set the 1st boot device to "PCI Ethernet". Caution !: the two machines biori6k, biori6n do not use the "integrated" adapter (ent0) but the extra ent2. Insert the network addresses as above and press F3 to reboot (with the SMS diskette inserted). Proceed as suggested. From this point on the NIM process works as described in the previous items.
  The NIM installation takes about 1/2 hour.

  bootlist -m normal hdisky hdiskx