Solaris 10 5/09 Installation Guide: Custom JumpStart and Advanced Installations

JumpStart Installation for a ZFS Root (/) File System (Overview and Planning)

This chapter provides the information for you to create a JumpStart profile to install a ZFS root pool.


Note –

If you want to install a UFS root (/) file system, all existing profile keywords work as in previous Solaris releases. For a list of UFS profile keywords, see Chapter 8, Custom JumpStart (Reference).


A ZFS specific profile must contain the pool keyword. The pool keyword installs a new root pool and a new boot environment is created by default. You can provide the name of the boot environment and you can create a separate /var dataset with existing bootenv installbe keywords and the new bename and dataset options. Some keywords that are allowed in a UFS-specific profile are not allowed in a ZFS specific profile, such as those specifying the creation of UFS mount points.

For overall ZFS planning information, see Chapter 6, ZFS Root File System Installation (Planning), in Solaris 10 5/09 Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade.

Limitations for a JumpStart installation for a ZFS Root Pool

Keep the following issues in mind before considering a JumpStart installation of a bootable ZFS root pool.

Table 9–1 JumpStart Limitations for ZFS Root Pools

Limitation 

Description 

For More Information 

For a JumpStart installation, you cannot use an existing ZFS storage pool to create a bootable ZFS root pool.  

You must create a new ZFS storage pool with syntax similar to the following: 


pool rpool 20G 4G 4G c0t0d0s0

The complete pool keyword line is required because you cannot use an existing pool. The bootenv keyword line is optional. If you do not use bootenv, a default boot environment is created for you. For example:


install_type initial_install
cluster SUNWCall
pool rpool 20G 4g 4g any
bootenv installbe bename newBE

pool Profile Keyword (ZFS Only)

You cannot create a pool with whole disks. 

You must create your pool with disk slices rather than whole disks. 

If in the profile you create a pool with whole disks, such as c0t0d0, the installation fails. You will receive an error message similar to the following.


Invalid disk name (c0t0d0)
 

Some keywords that are allowed in a UFS specific profile are not allowed in a ZFS specific profile, such as those specifying the creation of UFS mount points. 

 

Profile Keywords Quick Reference

You cannot upgrade with JumpStart. You must use Solaris Live Upgrade 

With Solaris Live Upgrade, you can create a copy of the currently running system. This copy can be upgraded and then activated to become the currently running system.  

Chapter 11, Solaris Live Upgrade and ZFS (Overview), in Solaris 10 5/09 Installation Guide: Solaris Live Upgrade and Upgrade Planning