Overview

C H A P T E R 1

Overview

This chapter presents an overview for installing an operating system (OS) on a Sun Blade X6450 server module. The Sun Blade X6450 supports several operating systems, and for each OS there are several different installation methods. This document covers installation of supported Solaris, Linux, and VMware operating systems only.

Note - To install the Windows Server Operating System on the Sun Blade X6450 server module, see the Sun Blade X6450 Server Module Windows Operating System Installation Guide.

This chapter includes the following sections:

Installing an OS on Your Server Module

What to Do Next

About Diskless Servers

Using a Remote Control Application (KVMS)

Dongle Cable Connections

Installing an OS on Your Server Module

Before installing an OS on your server module, review the following sections for an understanding of the prerequisites and the decision-making process.

Prerequisites

Complete the following tasks before you can begin the installation.

Install the server hardware.

(Optional) Configure the service processor.

Install and configure any network hardware, including a bootable disk device.

(Optional) configure the boot device in the BIOS.

Note - See the Sun Blade X6450 Installation Guide for an overview of network hardware, and for instructions to configure the boot device.

Gather needed information, such as IP address and netmask.

(Linux only) Create a driver CD or use the Sun Installation Assistant (SIA), which is the recommended procedure.

See the documentation for your particular Linux OS. For information about the SIA, see the Sun Installation Assistant for Windows and Linux User's Guide, and http://www.sun.com/systemmanagement/sia.jsp.

Things You Must Decide

In addition, you must decide the following:

1. Which operating system are you installing?

TABLE 1-1 Supported Operating Systems
Operating System	Minimum required OS for E7220, L7345, E7320, E7340 CPUs	Minimum required OS for L7445, L7455, E7440, E7450 CPUs
Solaris Operating System	Solaris 10 5/08 (64-bit)	Solaris 10 05/08 (64-bit) + patch 137112-03
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Operating System (RHEL)	RHEL4.6 (32- and 64-bit) RHEL 5 (64-bit)	RHEL 4.7 (32- and 64-bit) RHEL 5.2 (64-bit)
Windows 2008	Windows 2008 (32- and 64-bit)	Windows 2008 (32- and 64-bit)
Windows 2003	Windows 2003 SE and EE (32- and 64-bit)	Windows 2003 SE and EE (32- and 64-bit)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)	SLES 10 sp1 (64-bit) SLES 9 sp4 (64-bit)	SLES 10 sp2 (64-bit)
VMware ESX	ESX 3.0.2 u1 (max 64Gb RAM)	ESX 3.5 u2

Note - To install the Windows operating system, see the Sun Blade X6450 Windows Operating System Installation Guide.

2. Are you configuring the server for diskless booting?

Operating System	Relevant Documentation on Diskless Configurations
Solaris 10	See Installing the Solaris 10 OS or Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations at `http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-5504`
Red Hat Linux	See Red Hat Enterprise Linux System Administration Guide at `https://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/`
VMware ESX	See `http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/`

3. Which installation method will you use?

Method	Solaris	Red Hat	SLES	VMware
Install from distribution media (CD/DVD) on the server via USB-attached external CD/DVD drive	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Install from distribution media (CD/DVD) via keyboard, video and monitor switch (KVMS)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Install from network using Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Note - For information on remote KVMS devices, see Using a Remote Control Application (KVMS).

4. Will you need to update the operating system and drivers?

In general, you need to perform updates after the operating system has been installed. For an update, see the appropriate chapter that corresponds to the OS you will install.

What to Do Next

The chapters in this guide provide detailed installation information. For relevant procedures, see the appropriate chapter of this guide for your particular OS.

You should also gather the installation, administration, and configuration documentation distributed with the operating system. These documents generally accompany the distribution media as printed manuals or are included as PDF files on the medium itself. In many cases, the latest versions of such documents are also downloadable from the web site of the OS vendor.

About Diskless Servers

The Sun Blade X6450 is a diskless server. This means that you cannot install the operating system on a local disk because it does not have one.

There are a number of options that allow you to access disks as if they were local. Most of them require hardware configuration before you can install an operating system.

For configurations that require additional hardware, you must install the hardware before you can install the operating system. You might also need to configure the boot device in the BIOS.

For an overview of the process, and instructions for configuring the boot device in the BIOS, see the Sun Blade X6450 Installation Guide.

For details on the hardware, see the documentation that came with the hardware.

Using a Remote Control Application (KVMS)

The Sun Blade X6450 server module supports industry-standard KVMS with devices connected to it through the service processor. This ability allows you to mount and boot from a remote CD/DVD, or an ISO file image.

Your server module might have one of two service processors:

Embedded Lights Out Manager (ELOM)

Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM)

The following sections describe how to configure KVMS on each.

To Mount a CD/DVD or Equivalent ISO Image File Using ELOM

1. Locate your installation CD/DVD or the equivalent ISO images.

2. Connect to the ELOM Service Processor web GUI.

3. Click the Remote Control tab.

4. Click the Redirection tab.

5. Click the Launch Redirection button to start the JavaRConsole application.

6. Start CD/DVD redirection.

From the JavaRConsole Storage/Mount Device menu, you can redirect the CD in two ways:

If you are installing a physical CD into the remote console CD-ROM drive, insert the CD into the drive and select CD-ROM.

If you are using an ISO image installed on the remote console, select ISO Image and provide the location of the ISO file.

The distribution media (or ISO file) is now mounted. When you power on the server module, it will appear in the BBS popup (boot list) menu as Virtual CD/DVD.

For more information about setting up a remote KVMS connection to your server with the ELOM Remote Console application, see the Sun Blade X6450 Embedded Lights Out Manager Administration Guide.

To Mount a CD/DVD or Equivalent ISO Image File Using ILOM

1. Locate your installation CD/DVD or the equivalent ISO images.

2. Connect to the ILOM.

The Versions screen appears.

3. Change the mouse mode from absolute to relative if you are installing one of the following operating systems.

RHEL 4.x, SLES, or VMware (with older Linux kernel).

a. Click the Remote Control tab.

b. Click the Mouse Mode Settings tab.

c. Select Relative Mouse Mode.

d. Select Save.

The ILOM displays a message, then reboots itself.

e. When the ILOM has rebooted, re-establish the remote session.

4. Click the Remote Control tab.

The Remote Control screen appears.

5. Click the Launch Redirection button.

The ILOM remote console appears.

6. In the Devices menu, select the following:

CD ROM if you are using a physical CD.

CD ROM Image if you are using an ISO file.

Depending on your selection, a dialog directs you to select either a CD/DVD drive, or a file.

7. Select the CD/DVD drive, or the ISO file.

The distribution media (or ISO file) is now mounted. When you power on the server module, it will appear in the BBS popup (boot list) menu as Virtual CD/DVD.

For more information about setting up a remote KVMS connection to your server with the ILOM Remote Console application, see the Sun Integrated Lights Out Manager 2.0 User Guide.

Dongle Cable Connections

If you choose to do a local installation, you must connect a dongle cable directly to the server module.

The dongle cable connection appears in FIGURE 1-1.

Note - The dongle cable has either three of four connectors. FIGURE 1-1 shows a dongle with four connectors.

1. Connect a USB hub to one of the USB connectors on the dongle.

2. Connect a keyboard, mouse, and CD drive to the USB hub or to the other USB connector.

3. Connect a monitor to the VGA port.

FIGURE 1-1 Dongle Cable Connections

Graphic showing the dongle cable connectionsGraphic showing the dongle cable connections

Figure Legend
1	DB9 serial console to server module ELOM. Note - This connector is not present on a three-connector dongle.
2	VGA video connector.
3	RJ-45 connector. On a three-connector dongle, this connector provides serial access to the ELOM. On a four-connector dongle, this connector is unused.
4	Dual USB connectors.