installp

installp is a command-line utility in the IBM AIX operating system used to manage software maintenance by installing, updating, or removing software products packaged as filesets. In AIX, a fileset is the basic unit of software installation, and maintenance kits are delivered as collections of filesets that fix, update, or enhance system components.

The tool can operate with software sources from various locations, including local media, network repositories, NIM (Network Installation Manager) servers, or IBM maintenance services. When invoked, installp identifies the target filesets, checks for prerequisites and dependencies, and applies or removes the selected filesets. It supports interactive prompts as well as non-interactive or scripted usage with appropriate options. Administrators may run it to apply a single update, a group of updates, or all eligible maintenance from a specified source.

Operations performed by installp may require a system reboot or other reconfiguration, depending on the filesets involved. After execution, the process is logged by the system, and administrators can review the logs to confirm success or diagnose failures. Exit codes generally indicate success or failure, enabling integration with scripts and automated management workflows.

Common administration practices include using installp in concert with other AIX maintenance tools, planning updates to minimize downtime, and validating dependencies before applying changes. For centralized management, it is often used in combination with NIM or other deployment infrastructure.

See also: AIX, filesets, NIM, IBM maintenance services.