nim_suma – Use NIM to download fixes, SP or TL from IBM Fix Central website.

Synopsis

Use the Service Update Management Assistant (SUMA) to download fixes available to update specified target systems up to a specific technology levels (TL) or service packs (SP) level. The fixes are downloaded from the IBM Fix Central website and the related NIM resource is created on the NIM master. The user can then run another task to install the systems with this new resource.

Updates are downloaded based on the lowest technical level of all target systems.

Requirements

The below requirements are needed on the host that executes this module.

  • AIX >= 7.1 TL3

  • Python >= 3.6

  • Privileged user with authorizations: aix.system.install,aix.system.nim.config.server

Parameters

action (optional, str, preview)

Controls the SUMA action to be performed.

download specifies to download fixes and define the NIM resource.

preview specifies to execute all the checks without downloading the fixes.

targets (True, list, None)

Specifies the NIM clients to perform the action on.

foo* specifies all the NIM clients with name starting by foo.

foo[2:4] specifies the NIM clients among foo2, foo3 and foo4.

* or ALL specifies all the NIM clients.

Can be empty.

But it cannot be empty when oslevel is set to a Service Pack.

oslevel (optional, str, Latest)

Specifies the Operating System level to build the resource to update to;

Latest specifies to update the target to the latest SP suma can update for the current TL.

xxxx-xx(-00-0000) specifies to update the target to a specific TL.

xxxx-xx-xx-xxxx or xxxx-xx-xx specifies to update the target to a specific SP.

Required when action=download or action=preview.

When target list is empty targets=[], then oslevel cannot be empty oslevel=”” or oslevel=Latest.

lpp_source_name (optional, str, None)

Name of the lpp_source NIM resource to create when action=download.

When not specified the lpp_source_name is returned.

download_dir (optional, path, None)

Absolute directory path where to download the packages on the NIM server.

When not set, if a NIM resource lpp_source_name exists then it is the resource’s location.

If no NIM ressource exists, then it is set to /usr/sys/inst.images

Can be used if action=download or action=preview.

download_only (optional, bool, False)

Specifies to perform the preview and download operation only. Do not create the NIM resource.

Can be used if action=download

extend_fs (optional, bool, True)

Specifies to automatically extends the filesystem if extra space is needed.

When extend_fs=no and additional space is required for the download, no download occurs.

When set, a filesystem could have increased while the task returns changed=False.

Can be used if action=download or action=preview.

description (optional, str, None)

Specifies the display name for SUMA task. This is used when viewing existing SUMA tasks in SMIT for example.

If not set they will be labelled as ‘action request for oslevel oslevel‘.

Can be used for action=download or action=preview.

metadata_dir (optional, path, /var/adm/ansible/metadata)

Specifies the directory where metadata files are downloaded.

Can be used if action=download or action=preview when oslevel is not exact, for example oslevel=Latest.

Notes

Note

  • The /var/adm/ras/suma.log file on your system contains detailed results from running the SUMA command.

  • The /var/adm/ras/suma_dl.log file on your system contains a list of files that have been downloaded.

  • When you configure SUMA in an AIX logical partition (LPAR) or as the NIM master, it establishes a connection to the fix distribution website and downloads the available service update. The fix distribution website is an IBM server with the domain name of esupport.ibm.com. If your configuration contains a firewall that blocks the connection to the fix distribution website, you must customize the firewall rules to allow SUMA to connect to the following IP addresses 129.42.56.189, 129.42.60.189, 129.42.54.189. SUMA connects to one of these IP addresses based on your geography.

  • You can refer to the IBM documentation for additional information on the SUMA command and configuration settings at https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_aix_72/s_commands/suma.html.

  • If you hit the known bug that prevents suma from running successfully, contact IBM AIX support and request and ifix for this problem (APAR IJ06197 SUMA MAY CAUSE A NULLPOINTEREXCEPTION) at http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IJ06197.

  • To get assistance for SUMA errors through AIX Support refer to https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ibm10719985.

Examples

- name: Check, download and create the NIM resource to install latest updates
  nim_suma:
    action: download
    targets: nimclient01
    oslevel: Latest
    download_dir: /usr/sys/inst.images

Return Values

msg (always, str, Suma preview completed successfully)

Status information.

lpp_source_name (always, str, quimby01_lpp_source)

Name of the NIM Lpp Source resource used.

targets (always, list, [‘nimclient01’, ‘nimclient02’, ‘…’])

Status information.

cmd (if a command was run., str, )

The command executed.

stdout (always, str, )

The standard output of the command.

stderr (always, str, )

The standard error of the command.

meta (always, dict, {‘meta’: {‘messages’: [‘Unavailable client: nimclient02’, ‘The latest SP of 7200-02 is: 7200-02-01-1732’, ‘…’]}})

Detailed information on the module execution.

messages (always, list, Unavailable client: nimclient02)

Details on errors/warnings/information

Status

  • This module is not guaranteed to have a backwards compatible interface. [preview]

  • This module is maintained by community.

Authors

  • AIX Development Team (@pbfinley1911)