Name

dms − diskless management services utility

Syntax

/etc/dms

Description

The dms utility performs diskless management services.  You can use dms to install products into diskless management services areas on a server machine and register diskless clients so that they can access those products on the server machine, rather than having each client install the products to a disk on its local machine.  The server machine can be either a VAX or a RISC machine and it can serve both VAX and RISC clients. 

Before you set up a diskless management services area on a server, the following software should be installed: Local Area Network (LAN); Network File System (NFS); and Maintenance Operations Protocol (MOP). 

The dms utility performs the following functions:

a - Add Client Processor

m - Modify Client Parameters

r - Remove Client Processor

l - List Registered Clients

s - Show Products in Diskless Environments

i - Install Software

c - Create Diskless Area on Disk

k - Kernel Rebuild or Copy

To set up a diskless management services area on a server, select dms functions in the following order:

1.   Create Diskless Area on Disk (c)

This sets up the disk partitions needed for the two diskless management services file systems, /dlenv? and /dlclient?, (The "?" represents a unique number assigned by dms.) The /dlenv? file system contains a common root area that is copied to each client when it is registered, and a /usr area that is shared by all the clients. The /dlclient? file system contains a copy of the common root area for each registered diskless client.

2.   Install Software (i)

This installs the products from the distribution media to the /dlenv? file system. If the product will be accessed by VAX clients, the images from the media are put under a root?.vax directory under the /dlenv file system. If the product will be accessed by RISC clients, the images from the media will be put under a root?.mips directory under the /dlenv file system. The "?" represents a unique number assigned by dms.

To register a diskless client, select the Add Client Processor option (a).  This copies the common root area in the /dlenv? file system, for example, /dlenv0/root0.vax to the diskless client’s directory in the /dlclient? file system, for example, /dlclient0/hostname.root. The server’s /etc/exports file is updated to allow the client to access its individual root and the shared /usr area.

Each diskless client’s area also contains a client parameter file, /etc/dlparam.

You must use dms interactively to set up a diskless environment or to modify client parameters. 

There are several functions you can use either interactively or from the command line:

- Add Client Processor

- Show Products in Diskless Environments

- Remove Client Processor

- Kernel Rebuild

When the first diskless client is registered for a diskless management services area, a database file, /usr/diskless/dmsdb, is created on the server machine. You can use this file and the command line to manage groups of diskless clients.

Files

/usr/diskless/dmsdb /etc/dlparam

See Also

exports(5nfs), addnode(8), setld(8)

Guide to Diskless Management Services

Guide to Server Setup