Setting up NIM for different networks


 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Operating Systems AIX Setting up NIM for different networks
# 1  
Old 10-01-2018
Setting up NIM for different networks

Hi,

I am struggling setting up a NIM master to serve hosts on a network that is not directly accessible through the "master"-s default interface. I now that I need to set up network definitions and maybe NIM routes, but got confused.

The master has 2 interfaces:
* en0 holding the address which is belonging to its hostname, therefore the AIX default gateway is using that interface (let's call this Network-master1)
* en1 holding IP address from another network. Hosts from this network are enabled to communicate with hosts from my target network, but that communication needs a static route to be set up in the OS - as the default gw routes in a wrong direction. (Let's cal this Network-master2)

And there is another network, holding the to-be-clients - Let's call this Network-client

Every object is served from the master. If I understand correctly, I only need NIM routes is some objects are served from different nodes, thus I would not need this. Is that right?

I tried to set up a second install interface for the master, but as it is part of Network-master2 and not Network-client, I was unable to make NIM to set bootp server address to its second interface IP. It always put "sa=IP.ON.FIRST.INTERFACE" and therefore the client is unable to get its boot package.

Now I am stuck. Can you please help me?

Best regards,
--Trifo
# 2  
Old 10-02-2018
AIX NIM issues are typically resolved by examination of the error messages:

Information about Network Installation Management (NIM) error and warning messages is provided, with suggestions for resolving specific problems.

Quote:
If an error condition is detected when a NIM command is executed, the command returns an error message. If a NIM command returns a warning message, this indicates that either a less severe problem was encountered by NIM, or a problem was encountered in a command called by NIM, and the severity of the problem cannot be readily determined by NIM. In the latter case, additional messages or output from the command often reveal the nature of the problem.

All NIM error messages begin with 0042 and are followed by a three-digit error code.
Did you find or examine any NIM error messages?

Reference:

IBM Knowledge Center Error - Information about Network Installation Management (NIM) error and warning messages is provided, with suggestions for resolving specific problems.
# 3  
Old 10-02-2018
There are no error messages to examine. Every command is run with "OK" exit status, but the config created by the commands is not correct. Clearly the problem is that I am doing it the wrong way and I wanted to get some advices on the correct way.

I would like to make NIM use install interface "if2" but it is still usind "if1", thus configuring bootptab with incorrect server address.

--Trifo
# 4  
Old 10-08-2018
Quote:
Originally Posted by trifo75

I would like to make NIM use install interface "if2" but it is still usind "if1", thus configuring bootptab with incorrect server address.

--Trifo
TO be clear, you have two interfaces on your AIX box,
en1 and en2
both have different IP address subnets, and you want to use en2,

is that your question ?
# 5  
Old 10-08-2018
Quote:
Originally Posted by trifo75
I am struggling setting up a NIM master to serve hosts on a network that is not directly accessible through the "master"-s default interface. I now that I need to set up network definitions and maybe NIM routes, but got confused.
First off: The NIM boot process relies on bootp/DHCP as well as tftp. The route from your NIM server to the client(s) have to let these protocols pass and they have to be capable to act as "bootp relay agents". If these preconditions are not met you can stop right here because it will never work.

On your NIM master you have to set up a "NIM-Network" first, before you create the clients. Basically it is a definition that clients in the IP-network X will be serviced over your local IP interface Y by Gateway Z. You can do that easily on the command line but - i suppose you are not quite the NIM-expert - i suggest you use SMIT: NIM -> Administrative Tasks -> NIM-Networks (or similar - i have no AIX system at hand now and am quoting from memory). You do not need to state routing or so, that is all done quite normally via the IP stacks means (routing table, ...).

You can list the networks you have so far with

Code:
lsnim -t network

By the way: it pays off to do that for every subnet you want to serve with your NIM-server. There is also the option of entering a short description of the network you are creating. Do that, as it helps you keeping track of the NIM configuration.

Quote:
Originally Posted by trifo75
There are no error messages to examine.
In your case, where you haven't really started to do something, you are right. Still, you should be aware of the various logs in the path /var/adm/ras as well as the nim -o showlog command, which can be used to display certain logs. Both sources can be quite useful in determining why (and if) a certain NIM command went wrong. Notice that the general NIM log (/var/adm/ras/nimlog) is not a text file - use i.e.

Code:
alog -f /var/adm/ras/nimlog -o

to display failed NIM operations.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

Last edited by bakunin; 10-08-2018 at 07:30 PM..
# 6  
Old 10-09-2018
Quote:
Originally Posted by filosophizer
TO be clear, you have two interfaces on your AIX box,
en1 and en2
both have different IP address subnets, and you want to use en2,

is that your question ?
Well, almost. I have 2 interfaces on NIM master, connecting to 2 different networks and I want to install into a third network which is accessible trough interface2.

--Trifo

------ Post updated at 07:36 AM ------

Quote:
Originally Posted by bakunin
First off: The NIM boot process relies on bootp/DHCP as well as tftp. The route from your NIM server to the client(s) have to let these protocols pass and they have to be capable to act as "bootp relay agents". If these preconditions are not met you can stop right here because it will never work.

On your NIM master you have to set up a "NIM-Network" first, before you create the clients. Basically it is a definition that clients in the IP-network X will be serviced over your local IP interface Y by Gateway Z. You can do that easily on the command line but - i suppose you are not quite the NIM-expert - i suggest you use SMIT: NIM -> Administrative Tasks -> NIM-Networks (or similar - i have no AIX system at hand now and am quoting from memory). You do not need to state routing or so, that is all done quite normally via the IP stacks means (routing table, ...).

You can list the networks you have so far with

Code:
lsnim -t network

By the way: it pays off to do that for every subnet you want to serve with your NIM-server. There is also the option of entering a short description of the network you are creating. Do that, as it helps you keeping track of the NIM configuration.



In your case, where you haven't really started to do something, you are right. Still, you should be aware of the various logs in the path /var/adm/ras as well as the nim -o showlog command, which can be used to display certain logs. Both sources can be quite useful in determining why (and if) a certain NIM command went wrong. Notice that the general NIM log (/var/adm/ras/nimlog) is not a text file - use i.e.

Code:
alog -f /var/adm/ras/nimlog -o

to display failed NIM operations.

I hope this helps.

bakunin
Well, there is NO failed operation. Though, I know that there would be. I see the problem arising before the error would be logged.

There is an interface - if1 - belonging to the first interface of the master. There is a second interface - if2 - defined to the second Ethernet interface of the master. Both interfaces have their matching NIM network definitions. There is a third network definition as well. This third network can be reached through en2 - there is an OS static routing entry for that.

My problem is the following: how to tell NIM that I want to use "if2" when installing client into the third network. How to achieve that NIM would configure bootptab with the IP of en2 as server address (sa=x.x.x.x).

All other ports and traffics are enabled to travel between the two networks.

(and, well, I am not a real NIM expert, but I am fond of command line)

--Trifo
# 7  
Old 10-09-2018
Quote:
Originally Posted by trifo75
There is an interface - if1 - belonging to the first interface of the master. There is a second interface - if2 - defined to the second Ethernet interface of the master. Both interfaces have their matching NIM network definitions.
Well, post the output of

Code:
lsnim -t network
ifconfig -a
netstat -rn

then. It makes no sense to speculate about abstract problems without seeing any real data.

bakunin
Login or Register to Ask a Question

Previous Thread | Next Thread

9 More Discussions You Might Find Interesting

1. AIX

How to know NIM name from NIM client?

Friend's, I was playing around with NIM in my environment & had a quick question in mind which I didn't/couldn't find answer to, which is -- how to find the name of the NIM server sitting on the NIM client? All leads to the answer would be much appreciated, many thanks! -- Souvik (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: thisissouvik
2 Replies

2. AIX

Problem in communication nim client with nim master

Hello, I have an AIX6.1 machine which is a nim client to my nim master which is also AIX6.1 machine. I had some problem to perform an installation on my client using smit nim . i removed /etc/niminfo file in order to do the initialization again but when i run the command niminit -a name=client... (0 Replies)
Discussion started by: omonoiatis9
0 Replies

3. AIX

NIM : remove nim client info from the client

Hi. I change my client's IP and hostname but I forgot to change anything on the master. How can I redefine or modify my client's resource from my master, or with using smit niminit from my client ? Tks (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: stephnane
2 Replies

4. Solaris

solaris routing between two networks

ce0: flags=1100843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,ROUTER,IPv4> mtu 1500 index 2 inet 10.162.212.132 netmask ffffff00 broadcast 10.162.212.255 ether 0:14:4f:55:82:9 ce1: flags=1100843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,ROUTER,IPv4> mtu 1500 index 3 inet 10.231.11.232 netmask... (3 Replies)
Discussion started by: busyboy
3 Replies

5. Solaris

Multiple networks on same server

If I have 2 interfaces in a server on the same subnet/network does Solaris automatically choose to route packets destined for this network out the first interface. I.e if ce0 and ce1 were on same network ce0 would be chosen as it's first interface? (5 Replies)
Discussion started by: Actuator
5 Replies

6. What is on Your Mind?

Networks alternative to Internet

I've read about BITNET, CompuServe... CompuServe was probably not a network but an online service. Are (were) there any other networks alternative to Internet? Does anyone have experience with them? Do they still exist, is it possible to access them over Internet? There seems not to be another way... (13 Replies)
Discussion started by: Action
13 Replies

7. AIX

Back up a client NIM from nim master

Hello everyone Im trying to backup a nim client from nim master but I got this message COMMAND STATUS Command: failed stdout: yes stderr: no Before command completion, additional instructions may appear below. 0042-001 nim:... (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: lo-lp-kl
2 Replies

8. AIX

migrate NIM server through NIM installation

I try to migrate a NIM server from one server to another. I try to do a mksysb on NIM server restore the NIM server's mksysb to a client through NIM installation shutdown NIM server start newly installed client as NIM server Does anyone do this before? who can give me some suggestion? (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: yanzhang
1 Replies

9. AIX

AIX versus Networks

HI folks, Actually i have a network engineer having 2 and 1/2 years of experience in cisco having CCNA certification also. Now my company offering me to move to AIX field. I am new to AIX and do not know more about that field. So i want a suggestion from you peoples, that I have to join AIX or... (5 Replies)
Discussion started by: rawatmohinder
5 Replies
Login or Register to Ask a Question