Part I Windows Server Installations
3. Installing Windows Server 2008
4. Post Installation of Windows Server 2008
Part II Windows Server System Administrator References
A. Supported Installation Methods
B. Supported Operating Systems
C. BIOS Defaults for New Installations
D. Downloading the ISO Image for the Tools and Drivers DVD
E. Incorporating Device Drivers Into Windows Server 2008 WIM Images for Windows Deployment Services
F. Identifying Network Interfaces in Windows
SIA makes operating system installation easy. With SIA, all you need to begin is a licensed copy of Linux or Windows OS distribution media supported for your server. All software and required server-specific drivers are supplied by SIA. With a graphical wizard interface and flexible installation options, SIA brings simplicity, speed, and reliability to your server deployments.
To use SIA, simply boot the SIA program from the server's DVD drive, a USB flash drive, or from a network image. Check for the latest SIA updates available. Select your OS distribution from the menu and follow the on-screen instructions. SIA scans your system to ensure that it has the drivers it needs to configure your server components[1]. It also provides you the option of having SIA check for the latest drivers available. SIA will prompt you for the appropriate media as needed and any other required information during the OS installation process (such as license keys).
Note - [1] Some option card drivers are downloaded to the server, but require manual installation. Feature enhancements are made to SIA regularly; therefore, you should check the SIA information page for the latest SIA updates and supported features http://www.sun.com/systemmanagement/sia.jsp.
Topics discussed in this chapter include:
You can perform the following tasks using SIA:
Note - The supported SIA installation and recovery tasks listed below are server-dependent and may vary.
Perform an assisted installation of a Linux or Windows operating system on your Sun x86 server from Oracle. SIA provides the appropriate drivers and platform-specific software, eliminating the need to create a separate driver disk.
Optionally create RAID-1 volumes on internal storage devices.
Optionally upgrade your system’s Integrated Lights Out Manger (ILOM) service processor (SP), BIOS, and storage device firmware (regardless of the OS on your server).
Optionally update your SIA session with the latest firmware and drivers.
Optionally recover from a corrupt or inaccessible ILOM service processor.
SIA is provided with most x86 Oracle server platforms on the SIA DVD. It is also available as a web download. Regular updates are made available to ensure that the latest OS versions are supported. To download the latest version of SIA for your server platform, refer to the SIA information page at:
http://www.sun.com/systemmanagement/sia.jsp
If you have determined that you want to install a Windows or Linux operating system on your server using SIA, refer to the following resources for detailed installation instructions and forum discussions.
Sun Installation Assistant 2.3 Through 2.4 User’s Guide for x64 Servers
Sun BigAdmin Feature Article: How to Use the Sun Installation Assistant
http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/features/articles/install_assistant.jsp