Sun Fire X4100, X4100 M2, X4200, and X4200 M2 Servers Linux, ESX, and Solaris OS Installation Guide

This chapter describes some of what you need to know to install the Solaris Operating System (Solaris OS) on a Sun Fire X4100, X4100 M2, X4200, or X4200 M2 server and points you to the Solaris OS documentation for the more detailed information you need to complete the installation.

This Chapter contains the following sections:

• About Solaris OS Installation
• Preparing to Install the Solaris OS
• Booting a Server in a GRUB-Based Environment
• Booting a Server Over the Network By Using PXE
• Installing the Solaris OS From Distribution Media
• Using a Serial Console to Install the Solaris OS

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About Solaris OS Installation

This Solaris release supports systems that use the SPARC^ and x86 families of processor architectures: UltraSPARC^, SPARC64, IA-32, AMD64.

The supported SPARC based systems are listed in the Solaris Sun Hardware Platform Guide at http://docs.sun.com. The supported x86 based systems appear in the Solaris Hardware Compatibility List at http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/hcl. This document cites any implementation differences between the platform types.

You can download or order the media for Solaris 10 at: http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/get.jsp.

Solaris 10 might be preinstalled on the hard drive. Additional software is shipped separately on the Tools and Drivers CD for your Sun Fire server. Contact your Sun service provider if you need to order the Solaris OS or if you are missing the Tools and Drivers CD.

For updates on Solaris 10 versions and hardware compatibility, go to: http://www.sunsolve.sun.com.

The Sun Fire X4100/X4100 M2 or Sun Fire X4200/X4200 M2 server supports the following Solaris OS installation methods:

• Install one server from CD/DVD media interactively with the Solaris installation program.
• Install one or several servers over the network with Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) technology and the following installation methods:
• Solaris installation program over the network from remote DVD or CD images
• JumpStart installation
• Diskless boot
• Install using a serial console

• Boot from the preinstalled Solaris 10 OS image on the hard drive.

The Solaris Installation Program on the Solaris 10 Operating System media can be run with a graphical user interface (GUI) or as an interactive text installer in a console session. The Solaris Device Configuration Assistant is included in the Solaris Installation Program.

Use TABLE 3-1 to identify the steps you need to perform to install the Solaris OS.

Where to Find Solaris 10 Information

Solaris OS documentation is available from the web at: http://docs.sun.com/

Select Solaris 10 to display the list of documents in the Solaris 10 Documentation Collection.

• For the Solaris 10 installation guides, go to: http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/coll/1236.1
• For the Solaris 10 administration guides, go to: http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/coll/47.16
• For information about upgrading your system, go to: http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-5505
• For troubleshooting information, see Appendix A at: http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-5504

Solaris 10 documentation is also available on the Solaris Documentation DVD included with your Solaris OS software.

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Preparing to Install the Solaris OS

You need to gather information about your system before you install the Solaris OS.

If you need to know the logical names of your physical Internet interfaces when configuring your OS, refer to the appendix: Identifying Logical and Physical Network Interface Names for Solaris OS Installation.

The amount of planning and initial set up that you need to perform varies depending on whether you are preparing for a local installation from DVD or CD, or you are preparing for a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)-based network installation.

You also need to obtain the appropriate media for your installation.

Installation Prerequisites

You must complete the following tasks before you install the Solaris OS.

1. Verify that your system meets the minimum system requirements.

See the System Requirements section in the related topic about Solaris OS installation.

If you are using the Solaris Installation Program GUI or text installer, you need a local DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive or network connection, keyboard, and monitor. For more information, see the Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Basic Installations.

2. Gather the information you need to install the Solaris OS.

See the “Checklist for Installation,” in Chapter 1, at http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-0544.

For Solaris 10 installations see:

http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/819-5775.

For a non-networked system, you need to know the host name of the system you are installing and the language and the locales that you intend to use on the system.

For a networked system, use the checklist to gather the following information:

• Host name of the system that you are installing
• Language and locales that you intend to use on the system
• IP address of the server
• Subnet mask
• Type of name service (for example, DNS, NIS, or NIS+)
• IP address of gateway
• Domain name
• Host name of the name server
• IP address of the name server
• Root password

3. If you are installing the Solaris OS over the network, you need to set up a PXE-based network installation before you install the Solaris OS.

For information about setting up a PXE-based network installation, see Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations at: http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-5504 for Solaris 10.

For Solaris 10 installations see: http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/819-5776.

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Booting a Server in a GRUB-Based Environment

Starting with the Solaris 10 release, the open-source GNU Grand Unified Bootloader (GRUB) has been implemented on x86-based systems that are running the Solaris OS. GRUB is the boot loader that is responsible for loading a boot archive into a system's memory. The boot archive contains the kernel modules and configuration files that are required to boot the system. For more information on GRUB, you can see the grub(5) man page.

For information on how to boot a Sun Fire X4100/X4100 M2 or Sun Fire X4200/X4200 M2 server that is running Solaris 10 in a GRUB-based environment, refer to the Solaris 10 System Administration Guide: Basic Administration at http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/819-2379.

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Booting a Server Over the Network By Using PXE

Use this procedure along with the instructions in Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Networked-Based Installations.

The Sun Fire X4100/X4100 M2 or Sun Fire X4200/X4200 M2 server implements the Intel Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) specification required for a PXE network boot. PXE technology provides your server with the capability to boot the Solaris OS over the network using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). Using a PXE-based network installation, you can install the Solaris OS onto a server from the network with remote CD or DVD images. You can also automate the installation process and install the Solaris OS on several Sun Fire X4100/X4100 M2 or Sun Fire X4200/X4200 M2 servers using a JumpStart scenario.

A PXE network boot is a direct network boot. No boot media is required on the Sun Fire X4100/X4100 M2 or Sun Fire X4200/X4200 M2 client system.

Before You Begin

To boot over the network by using PXE, you first need to do the following:

1. Set up an install server.

2. Add the Sun Fire X4100/X4100 M2 or Sun Fire X4200/X4200 M2 clients to be installed.

3. Set up a DHCP server.

For instructions, see the next section, To Boot a Server Over the Network Using PXE.

1. Perform the tasks in “Guidelines for Booting with PXE,” located in Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations, located at http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-5504.

If you have already set up the systems you need for a PXE boot, review the Task Map to verify that you have performed all the steps.

2. Boot the server over the network by using PXE.

a. Complete the steps in Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations at http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-5504.

b. Follow the instructions on the screen.

c. When the BIOS comes up, press F12 to tell the BIOS to perform a network boot from the PXE server.

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Installing the Solaris OS From Distribution Media

Use this procedure, along with the instructions for x86 platforms in Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Basic Installations, to install the Solaris OS onto a Sun Fire X4100/X4100 M2 or Sun Fire X4200/X4200 M2 server from CD or DVD media. This procedure describes an interactive installation using the Solaris Installation Program.

The Solaris Installation Program on the Solaris 10 Operating System media can be run with a graphical user interface (GUI) or as an interactive text installer in a console session. The GUI or command-line interface (CLI) uses wizard screens to guide you step-by-step through installing the OS.

Before You Begin

Perform the tasks described in the related topic Preparing to Install the Solaris OS.

1. Boot the system by shutting it down and then turning it on.

The server BIOS supports booting from a CD/DVD drive.

2. Insert the Solaris 10 Operating System DVD or CD into your Sun Fire X4100/X4100 M2 or Sun Fire X4200/X4200 M2 server.

3. Continue the installation procedure by performing the steps in the procedure: “x86: To Install or Upgrade with the Solaris Installation Program,” in Chapter 2 at http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-0544.

Start the procedure at Step 4. When prompted, answer the configuration questions to complete the installation.

You can accept the default values on the screens to format the entire hard disk, use auto-layout file systems, and install a preselected set of software. Or, you can customize the installation to modify the hard disk layout, modify a Solaris fdisk partition, and select the software that you want to install.

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Using a Serial Console to Install the Solaris OS

The Solaris text installer enables you to type information in a terminal or a console window to interact with the Solaris OS Installation Program. Use this procedure to use a serial console to install the Solaris 10 OS on a Sun Fire X4100/X4100 M2 or Sun Fire X4200/X4200 M2 server with a PXE-based network installation.

Before You Begin

Before you set up the serial console, you need to set up the following systems for a PXE-based network installation:

• An install server
• A DHCP server

To set up these systems, see Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations at http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-5504.

1. Connect a terminal to the serial port on the service processor.

A terminal can be a VT100, a PC running terminal emulation, or a terminal server.

2. Set the terminal to receive at 9600 baud.

3. Add an x86 install client to an install server and specify a boot device to use during the installation.

If you specify the boot device when you set up the install client, you are not prompted for this information by the Device Configuration Assistant during the installation.

The examples below use the following values:

• Client MAC address: 00:07:e9:04:4a:bf
• Server IP address (GRUB only): 192.168.0.123
• Client macro name (GRUB only): 01000039FCF2EF

Use the commands specified in the examples below for the operating system version that you are using:

• For a Solaris 10 system:

# cd /export/boot/Solaris_10/Tools

# ./add_install_client -d -e "00:07:e9:04:4a:bf" \

-b "console=ttya" \

-b "bootpath=/pci@0,0/pci1022,7450@1/pci8086,1011@1" i86pc

• For Solaris 10 system with GRUB booting:

# cd /export/boot/Solaris_10/Tools

# ./add_install_client -d -e “00:07:e9:04:4a:bf” \
-b “consolatory” i86pc

# datum -A -m 01000039FCF2EF \
-d “:BootSrvA=192.168.0.123:BootFile=01000039FCF2EF:”

# pntadm -f 01 -A $CLIENT_IP -i 01000039FCF2EF \
-m 01000039FCF2EF $CLIENT_NET

4. Log in to the service processor as an Administrator.

5. Enter the following command to use the serial console:

start /SP/console

6. Boot the Sun Fire X4100/X4100 M2 or Sun Fire X4200/X4200 M2 server.

Follow the instructions in Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations at: http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-5504. When prompted, use the following setting:

• To boot via PXE, press F12 at the BIOS.

7. After the system is installed, log in to the system and use the eeprom command to change bootenv.rc:

eeprom input-console=ttya

^{1 (TableFootnote) Replace version with the version of the Solaris Operating System you want to install.}

Sun Fire X4100, X4100 M2, X4200, and X4200 M2 Servers Linux, ESX, and Solaris OS Installation Guide

819-1158-25

Copyright © 2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.