Welcome
Server Automation
Server Automation provides powerful automation. You can use it to sequence automation actions in steps across multiple endpoints.
Virtualization
Virtualization is a software technology that allows multiple operating systems to run on the same host computer at the same time. Additional uses of virtualization include the quick creation of new systems for testing, training, and demonstration. Using virtualized computers saves the cost of hardware, management, and administration of the server infrastructure.
AIX® NIM
You can setup and configure management extender plug-in for AIX® NIM. You can then create and remove NIM Clients and Mksysb images on a NIM master server from within the BigFix console.
AIX® NIM Tasks
Use the following section to find information about how to create/remove remote NIM Clients on a NIM master server. You can also create a Mksysb image on a NIM server and configure remote AIX® NIM clients with BigFix Root server's (BES Root Server) IP/FQDN and AIX® NIM client's root user. These tasks are run on the AIX® NIM server.
Configuring a NIM Client after LPAR Netboot
This task guides users through the configuration of an AIX® LPAR client machine on a NIM master after performing a LPAR Netboot. It includes steps for creating/updating the BigFix Root Server's Host/FQDN name, IP address, and AIX® root user credentials. This is an optional Fixlet and task, and it will be useful for the user when the BigFix agent installing on an AIX® LPAR may not be able to resolve the IP address of a BigFix Root Server in another network.

BigFix Documentation Homepage
BigFix 11 Lifecycle Documentation
Welcome to the BigFix Lifecycle documentation, where you can find information about how to install, maintain, and use BigFix Lifecycle.
BigFix Platform
BigFix Query
Lifecycle overview
BigFix Lifecycle is single-agent, single-console technology that provides near real-time visibility into the state of endpoints.
Lifecycle guides in PDF format
Following is a list of links to the BigFix Lifecycle guides in PDF format:
Software Distribution
Use the BigFix Software Distribution applications to deploy software to endpoints across your network from a single location. Maintain control and visibility into software delivery and installation. Device owners can use the Self Service Application to manage software and other BigFix actions that are deployed to them as offers.
OS Deployment
BigFix OS Deployment, which is part of the BigFix Lifecycle Management suite, provides a consolidated, comprehensive solution to quickly deploy new workstations and servers throughout a network from a single, centralized location. This solution saves time and money, enforces a standardized and approved image, and reduces risks associated with non-compliant or insecure configurations.
Remote Control
BigFix Remote Control application helps to communicate between different components, clients, and endpoints within BigFix environment.
Power Management
Use Power Management to control, monitor, and manage conservation policies in your deployment.
Application Control
BigFix Application Control 2.x lets IT administrators centrally manage and enforce application allowlisting on Windows endpoints using Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). Built on BigFix, it delivers kernel-level execution control, deny-by-default policy enforcement, TPM-backed code signing, and compliance-ready audit reporting across the enterprise.
Server Automation
Server Automation provides powerful automation. You can use it to sequence automation actions in steps across multiple endpoints.
- Overview
  BigFix Lifecycle Server Automation provides you with the capability to automate provisioning workflows. You can automate a sequence of Fixlets, Tasks, and Baselines across different endpoints, such as servers or computers. Server Automation exploits the agility and scalability of BigFix to deliver powerful functionality in a lean and efficient manner, with minimal impact on your network.
- Automation
  BigFix Lifecycle Server Automation provides you with technology to sequence actions, such as the deployment of Fixlets, across multiple endpoints. To sequence automation, you create an Automation Plan. Your Automation Plan contains all of the actions for your end-to-end automation sequence.
- Virtualization
  Virtualization is a software technology that allows multiple operating systems to run on the same host computer at the same time. Additional uses of virtualization include the quick creation of new systems for testing, training, and demonstration. Using virtualized computers saves the cost of hardware, management, and administration of the server infrastructure.
  - VMware
    Know how to remove the management extender plug-in for VMware and perform the setup and maintenance of VMware Plugin Portal.
  - AIX® NIM
    You can setup and configure management extender plug-in for AIX® NIM. You can then create and remove NIM Clients and Mksysb images on a NIM master server from within the BigFix console.
    - Setup and Maintenance
      Use the information in this section for instructions and important information about how to set up the virtualization environment for AIX® NIM.
    - AIX® NIM Tasks
      Use the following section to find information about how to create/remove remote NIM Clients on a NIM master server. You can also create a Mksysb image on a NIM server and configure remote AIX® NIM clients with BigFix Root server's (BES Root Server) IP/FQDN and AIX® NIM client's root user. These tasks are run on the AIX® NIM server.
      - Creating a NIM client for an LPAR on a NIM server
        Using the AIX NIM Create a Client for a Logical Partition (LPAR) on a NIM Master Server task, you can create a NIM client on a NIM server. The client that you create is associated to an operating system image on the NIM server and also with SSH bundle installation , a root user creation script resource as well . When a new client is created, the client copies the image and any required start information that is defined on the client. Later in a subsequent step, when you NetBoot the LPAR with PowerVM Netboot a Logical Partition (LPAR) task, the operating system image and OpenSSH is deployed to the LPAR at this stage. And an optional root user creation, if the user has selected to create it , the root user with the credentials provided will also be setup in the AIX® LPAR. To avoid the end user confusion, please maintain the same root user credentials for all LPARs at the pre-provisioning stage of AIX LPAR.
      - Creating a Mksysb Image
        Using the AIX NIM Create a mksysb image task, you can create a Mksysb image from a NIM master server. You can then use the Mksysb image to create a NIM client.
      - Post-Provisioning System Configuration
        This Fixlet automates the post-provisioning configuration of AIX® LPARs and Linux™ systems by updating the hostname and/or time zone based on user-provided parameters. If parameters are left blank, the corresponding settings will remain unchanged. As this is an optional Fixlet and task, this can be used if the user intends to use it for updating; otherwise it will not be used.
      - Removing a NIM client
        Using the AIX NIM Remove NIM Client task, you can remove a NIM client from a NIM master server.
      - Configuring a NIM Client after LPAR Netboot
        This task guides users through the configuration of an AIX® LPAR client machine on a NIM master after performing a LPAR Netboot. It includes steps for creating/updating the BigFix Root Server's Host/FQDN name, IP address, and AIX® root user credentials. This is an optional Fixlet and task, and it will be useful for the user when the BigFix agent installing on an AIX® LPAR may not be able to resolve the IP address of a BigFix Root Server in another network.
  - PowerVM®
    You can deploy and configure a management extender plug-in for PowerVM®. You can then manage PowerVM logical partitions (LPARs) from within the BigFix console.
  - Management Extender Log Viewer
    The Management Extender Log Viewer dashboard provides information about each Virtualization task that you run. In the dashboard, you can view a high-level overview of the action logs. Each log entry contains a link to where you can find the original action window. Each entry also contains a link to the log file.
  - Turning off validation in a task
    Some of the Virtualization Tasks within the Server Automation domain contain a Validation button which you can use to disable validation and enter your own data for some of the parameters.
- Configuring your system
  This section describes how the BigFix architecture is relevant for Server Automation. It also describes how Server Automation can affect BigFix performance.
- Sample Automation Plans
  Server Automation is shipped with a number of sample Automation Plans that you can run out of the box. To run these Automation Plans out of the box, ensure that the Fixlets contained in them are available. Typically, you would substitute some of the Fixlets contained in these samples with particular Fixlets that you want to run. Use the information in each of the following sections to find out more about each of the sample plans.
- Server Automation content
  Server Automation provides content that you can use to automate processes and software deployment.
- MSSQL Always On Availability Group Cluster Patching
  Use Tasks 190 and 191 to perform controlled failover and failback of a SQL Server Always On Availability Group during planned maintenance, ensuring data integrity and minimal application downtime.
- Notices
Virtual Endpoint Manager
HCL BigFix Virtual Endpoint Manager (VEM) enhances BigFix with centralized, unified endpoint management for hybrid cloud and data center environments, spanning virtual machines and physical endpoints. VEM delivers real-time endpoint visibility, policy-driven automation for configuration and compliance remediation, and consistent security controls to streamline IT operations, reduce risk, and strengthen regulatory compliance.
Profile Management
Profile Management is a WebUI-based feature of BigFix Lifecycle. It provides Security Administrators the capability to define and deploy security policies to Windows 10 and macOS devices.
BigFix Remediate
BigFix MCM

Configuring a NIM Client after LPAR Netboot

This task guides users through the configuration of an AIX® LPAR client machine on a NIM master after performing a LPAR Netboot. It includes steps for creating/updating the BigFix Root Server's Host/FQDN name, IP address, and AIX® root user credentials. This is an optional Fixlet and task, and it will be useful for the user when the BigFix agent installing on an AIX® LPAR may not be able to resolve the IP address of a BigFix Root Server in another network.

Before you begin

You must activate the AIX® NIM Overview analysis. To activate the analysis, navigate to the Domain Panel of the Server Automation domain and select Virtualization > AIX NIM > Setup and Maintenance and select AIX NIM Overview. In the Analysis: AIX NIM Overview pane, select Activate.

About this task

Using this Fixlet, users can configure the AIX™ NIM client machine on NIM master after LPAR Netboot.

Using this task, users can configure the AIX® NIM Client machine's BigFix™ Root Server's Host/FQDN name & IP address and upadte the AIX® root user credentials.

Note:

This task must be run after successfully executing PowerVM Netboot LPAR and it must have a successfully runing AIX® NIM client.

Procedure

Login to BigFix Console.
From All Content > Fixlets and Tasks > All, select AIX NIM Client configuration after LPAR Netboot fixlet.

From the Task: AIX NIM Client configuration after LPAR Netboot panel, on the Description tab, enter the following:

Table 1. AIX NIM Client configuration after LPAR Netboot
Parameter Name	Description
NIM Server	Select the NIM server name from the dropdown list.
NIM Client	Select the NIM client name from the dropdown list.
NIM Client State	Shows the current status of the NIM client.
BigFix RootServer IP	IP address of the BigFix root server.
BigFix RootServer Host/FQDN Name	Host name or the FQDN name of the BigFix root server.
Root user update	Select `true` if you want to update the AIX® root user credentials.
Root user Password	Enter the new password for updating the AIX® user credentials.

Select the Take Action tab, and select the NIM master server where the NIM client is located.
Click OK.

Results

The AIX® NIM Client machine's BigFix™ Root Server's Host/FQDN name & IP address and/or AIX® root user credentials are updated.