ZFS Root Pool Installation (Planning)

You can perform an initial installation by using the Solaris interactive text installer to create a ZFS storage pool that contains a bootable ZFS root pool. You cannot use the standard GUI installation program to install a ZFS root pool.

The Solaris interactive text installation process is similar to previous Solaris releases. The difference is that you have the option to install a UFS (/) root file system or ZFS root pool. UFS is the still the default file system. You must select the ZFS option, to create and install a ZFS storage pool.

If you already have ZFS storage pools on the system, they remain untouched, unless you select the disks in the existing pool to create the new storage pool. If you have an existing ZFS storage pool that you want to use for your ZFS root file system, you must use Solaris Live Upgrade to migrate your existing UFS root (/) file system to a ZFS root pool. Solaris Live Upgrade also provides the means to upgrade a ZFS root pool. For more information, see Chapter 11, Solaris Live Upgrade and ZFS (Overview), in Solaris 10 5/09 Installation Guide: Solaris Live Upgrade and Upgrade Planning.

Before you begin the initial installation to create a ZFS storage pool, see Chapter 6, ZFS Root File System Installation (Planning), in Solaris 10 5/09 Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade.