Planning the Operating System Installation
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This chapter identifies the information you need to properly plan the installation of an operating system to a Sun Blade X6270 Server Module.
This chapter contains the following topics:
Supported Operating Systems
The Sun Blade X6270 Server Module supports the installation and use of the following operating systems, or a subsequent release of the operating systems.
TABLE 1-1 Supported Operating Systems
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Operating System
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Supported Version
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Additional Information
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Windows
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- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition (R2 with SP2, or SP2) (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition (R2 with SP2, or SP2) (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Standard Edition (32-bit or 64-bit)
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Edition (32-bit or 64-bit)
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Datacenter Edition (32-bit or 64-bit)
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, Standard Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, Enterprise Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, Datacenter Edition
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Linux
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- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 10 SP2 (64-bit)
- SLES 11 (64-bit)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 4.7 and 4.8 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- RHEL 5.3 (64-bit)
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- Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Linux, VMware, OpenSolaris, and Solaris Operating Systems Installation Guide Guide
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Solaris
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- Solaris 10 10/08 and later
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- Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Linux, VMware, and Solaris Operating Systems Installation Guide
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Open Solaris
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- OpenSolaris 2009.06 and later
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VMware
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- VMware ESX 3.5 Update 4
- VMware ESXi 3.5 Update 4
- VMware ESX Server 4.0
- VMware ESXi Server 4.0
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- Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Linux, VMware, and Solaris Operating Systems Installation Guide
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Preinstalled Solaris 10 or OpenSolaris Image
You can order either a Solaris
10 Operating System (OS) image or an OpenSolaris OS image preinstalled on the server. If you order a preinstalled image, it is shipped on the hard disk drive. If you need to install another operating system on this drive, you can choose to partition the hard disk drive in one of the following ways:
- Partition the local drive to remove the Solaris 10 or OpenSolaris OS image
or
- Partition the local drive to support a dual boot operating system configuration
The Windows or Linux operating system installation procedures described later in this guide will walk you through the appropriate point in the installation program where you can either partition the drive to remove the Solaris 10 image or to support a dual boot operating system configuration.
| Note - To configure the Solaris 10 or OpenSolaris preinstalled OS image, see the Solaris 10 or OpenSolaris OS chapter, in the Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Installation Guide (820-6175) for details.
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Installation Prerequisites
The following requirements must be met prior to installing an operating system.
TABLE 1-2 OS Installation Prerequisites
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Requirement
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Mandatory or Optional
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Additional Information
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Server module is installed and powered-on in chassis.
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Mandatory
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- Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Installation Guide (820-6175)
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The SP network management port on the server is configured with an IP address.
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Mandatory
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- Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Installation Guide (820-6175)
or
- Sun Integrated Lights Out Manager 2.0 User’s Guide (820-1188)
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ILOM firmware version installed on server module SP matches the ILOM firmware version installed on the chassis management module (CMM).
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Recommended
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Select a console option and a media option for performing the installation, as well as an installation target.
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Mandatory
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Ensure that factory-default settings in the BIOS Setup Utility are set.
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Recommended*
*For local disk drive OS installation targets.
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To set up a RAID set on SATA or SAS disk drives configured with a host bus adapter (HBA) (such as REM or FEM), see the documentation supplied with the HBA.
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Mandatory*
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- Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Service Manual (820-6175) for instructions for adding or replacing disk drives in the server.
- Sun Disk Management Overview for x64 Sun Fire and Sun Blade Series Servers (820-6350)
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Gather the applicable vendor operating system installation documentation.
Note - The operating system vendor documentation should be used in conjunction with the operating system instructions in this guide.
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Recommended
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Ensure that you have the Tools and Drivers CD that was provided with your server.
Note - If device drivers are required for your OS installation, the device drivers are provided on the Tools and Driver DVD.
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Mandatory
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- Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Tools and Driver DVD
or
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Review the Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Product Notes for late breaking news about supported operating system software and patches.
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Recommended
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- Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Product Notes, (820-3972)
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Installation Methods
To determine which installation method is best for your infrastructure, consider the options and requirements summarized in the following sections:
Console Outputs
TABLE 1-3 lists the consoles you use to capture the output and input of the operating system installation.*
TABLE 1-3 Console Options For Performing An OS Installation
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Console
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Description
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Setup Requirement
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Local console
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You can install the OS and administer the server by attaching a local console directly to the server SP.
Examples of local consoles include:
- Serial console
- VGA console, with USB keyboard and mouse
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- Attach a local console to the server using a dongle cable.
For details, see the “Attaching Devices to the Server” in the Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Installation Guide (820-6175).
- At the ILOM prompt, type your ILOM username and password.
- For serial console connections only, establish a connection to the host serial port by typing start /SP/console.
The video output is automatically routed to local console.
For further details about establishing a connection to the server SP, see the Integrated Lights Out Manager 2.0 User’s Guide (820-1188).
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Remote console*
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You can install the OS and administer the server from a remote console by establishing a network connection to the server SP.
Examples of remote consoles include:
- Web-based client connection using the Sun ILOM Remote Console application.
- SSH client connection using a serial console.
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- Establish an IP address for the server SP.
For details, see the Sun Integrated Lights Out Manager 2.0 User’s Guide (820-1188).
- Establish a connection between a remote console and the server SP:
- For web-based client connection, perform these steps: 1) In a web browser, type the IP address for the server SP; 2) sign in to the ILOM web interface; 3) redirect the video output from the server to the web client by launching the Sun ILOM Remote Console; then 4) enable device redirection (mouse, keyboard, etc.) in the Device menu.
- For SSH client connection, perform these steps:
1) From a serial console, establish an SSH connection to the server SP (ssh root@ipaddress); 2) log in to ILOM, then 3) redirect the serial output from the server to the SSH client by typing start /SP/console.
For additional information about establishing a remote connection to the ILOM SP or using the Sun ILOM Remote Console, see the Sun Integrated Lights Out Manager 2.0 User’s Guide (820-1188).
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Installation Boot Media
You can start the operating system installation to a server by booting a local or remote installation media source. TABLE 1-4 identifies the supported media sources and the setup requirements for each source.
TABLE 1-4 Boot Media Options For Performing the OS Installation
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Installation Media
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Description
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Setup Requirement
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Local boot media
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Local boot media requires a built-in storage device on the server; or an external storage device attached to the server.
Supported OS local boot media sources can include:
- CD/DVD-ROM installation media, and, if applicable, floppy device driver media.
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- If your server does not contain a built-in storage device, attach the appropriate storage device to the front panel of the server module using the USB connector on the dongle cable.
- For more information about how to attached local devices to the server, see Attaching Devices to the Server in the Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Installation Guide (820-6175).
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Remote boot media
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Remote media requires you to boot the install over the network. You can start the network install from a redirected boot storage device or another networked system that exports the installation over the network using a Pre-Boot eXecution environment (PXE).
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To redirect the boot media from a remote storage device, perform these steps:
- Insert the boot media into the storage device, for example:
- For CD/DVD-ROM, insert media into the built-in or external CD/DVD-ROM drive.
- For CD/DVD-ROM ISO image, ensure that ISO image(s) are readily available on a network shared location.
- For device driver floppy ISO image, ensure that ISO image, if applicable, is readily available on a network shared location or on a thumb drive.
- For device driver floppy media, if applicable, insert floppy media into the external floppy drive.
- Establish a web-based client connection to the server ILOM SP and launch the Sun ILOM Remote Console application.
For more details, see the Setup Requirements for web-based client connection in TABLE 1-3.
- In the Device menu of the Sun ILOM Remote Console application, specify the location of the boot media, for example:
- For CD/DVD-ROM boot media, select CD-ROM.
- For CD/DVD-ROM ISO image boot media, select CD-ROM Image.
- For floppy device driver boot media, if applicable, select Floppy.
- For floppy image device driver boot media, if applicable, select Floppy Image.
For more information about the Sun ILOM Remote Console, see the Sun Integrated Lights Out Manager 2.0 User’s Guide (820-1188).
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Supported OS remote media sources can include:
- CD/DVD-ROM installation media, and, if applicable, floppy device driver media.
- CD/DVD-ROM ISO installation image and, if applicable, floppy ISO device driver media.
- Automated installation image (requires PXE boot).
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Remote Boot Media (continued)
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Note - An automated installation image enables you to perform the OS installation on multiple servers. By using an automated image, you can ensure configuration uniformity among many systems.
Automated installations use a Pre-boot eXecution Environment (PXE) technology to enable the clients without an operating system to boot remotely to the automated install server that performs the installation of the operating system.
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To perform the installation using PXE, perform these steps:
- Configure the network server to export the installation via PXE boot.
- Make the OS install media available for PXE boot.
Note that if you are using an automated OS installation image, you will need to create and provide the automated OS install image, for example:
- Solaris JumpStart Image
- RHEL KickStart Image
- SLES AutoYaST Image
- Windows RIS or WDS Image
For detailed instructions for automating the installation setup process, consult the operating system vendor documentation.
- To boot the installation media, select the PXE boot interface card as the temporary boot device. For details, see the applicable PXE-based operating system installation procedure described later in this chapter.
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Installation Targets
TABLE 1-5 identifies the supported installation targets you can use to install an operating system.
TABLE 1-5 Installation Targets For OS Installations
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Install Target
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Description
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Setup Requirement
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Supported OS
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Local hard disk drive (HDD)
or
Solid state drive (SSD)
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You can choose to install the operating system to any of the hard drives installed in the server module.
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- Ensure that the HDD or SSD is properly installed and powered-on in the server.
For more information about installing and powering on an HDD or SDD, refer to the installation guide or service guide provided with your server.
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Fibre Channel (FC) Storage Area Network (SAN) device
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For chassis systems equipped with Fibre Channel PCIe Host Bus Adapter (HBA)s, you can choose to install the operating system to an external FC storage device.
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- Ensure FC PCIe HBA is properly installed in the chassis and is operating.
For more information about installing a HBA in a chassis, refer to the Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Service Manual (820-6178).
- The SAN must be installed and configured to make the storage visible to the host. For instructions, refer to the documentation supplied with the FC HBA.
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Verify BIOS Settings for New Installations
For all new operating system installations on a hard disk drive, you should verify that the following BIOS settings are properly configured before you perform the operating system installation:
- System time
- System date
- Boot order
In the BIOS Setup Utility, you can set optimal defaults, as well as view and edit BIOS settings as needed. Note that all changes you make in the BIOS Setup utility (through F2) are permanent until the next time you change them.
| Tip - If necessary, you can specify a temporary boot device by pressing F8 during the BIOS start-up. Note that a temporary boot device setting is only in effect for the current system boot. After the system boots from a temporary boot device, the permanent boot device setting specified through F2 (in the BIOS) will be in effect.
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Before You Begin
Ensure the following requirements are met prior to accessing the BIOS Utility.
- Server module is properly installed in a power-on system chassis. For details, see the Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Installation Guide (820-6175).
- Server is equipped with a hard disk drive (HDD).
- HDD is properly installed in the server. For details, see the Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Installation Guide (820-6175).
- Established console connection to the server. For details, see Console Outputs.
 View or Edit BIOS Settings for New Installations
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1. Reset the power on the server.
For example, to reset the power on a server:
- From the ILOM web interface, select Reset on the Remote Power Control tab.
- From the local server, press the Power button on the front panel of the server module to turn the server module off, then press the Power button again to power-on the server module.
For further details about powering on or off the server, see the service manual for your server.
- From the ILOM CLI on the server module SP, type: reset /SYS
- From the ILOM CLI on a CMM, type: reset /CH/BLn/SYS
Where n is the slot number of the server module in the chassis
The BIOS screen appears.
2. When prompted in the BIOS screen, press F2 to access the BIOS Setup utility.
After a few moments, the BIOS Setup utility appears.
3. To ensure that the factory defaults are set, do the following:
a. Press F9 to automatically load the optimal factory default settings.
A message appears prompting you to continue this operation by selecting OK or to cancel this operation by selecting CANCEL.
b. In the message, highlight OK then press Enter.
The BIOS Setup utility screen appears with the cursor highlighting the first value in the system time field.
4. In the BIOS Setup utility, do the following to edit the values associated with the system time or date.
a. Highlight the values you want to change.
Use UP or DOWN arrows to change between the system time and date selection
b. To change the values in the highlighted fields use these keys:
- PLUS (+) to increment the current value shown
- MINUS (-) to decrement the current value shown
- ENTER to move the cursor to the next value field
5. To access the boot settings, select the Boot menu.
The Boot Settings menu appears.
6. In the Boot Settings menu, use the down arrow key to select Boot Device Priority, then press Enter.
The first device in the list has the highest boot priority.
7. In the Boot Device Priority menu, do the following to edit the first boot device entry in the list:
a. Use the up and down arrow keys to select the first entry in the list, then press Enter.
b. In the Options screen, use the up and down arrow keys to select the default permanent boot device, then press Enter.
Note that the boot options listed on your screen may be different from the options shown in the sample screen below.
| Note - You can change the boot order for other devices in the list by repeating Steps 7a and 7b for each device entry you want to change.
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| Tip - The device strings listed on the Boot menu and Options menu are in the format of: Device Type, Slot Indicator, and Product ID String
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8. To save changes and exit the BIOS Setup Utility, press F10.
| Note - When using the Sun ILOM Remote Console, F10 is trapped by the local OS. You must use the F10 option listed in the Keyboard drop-down menu that is available at the top of the console.
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Alternatively, you can save the changes and exit the BIOS Setup Utility by selecting Save on the Exit menu. A message appears prompting you to save changes and exit setup.In the message dialog, select OK, then press Enter.
| Sun Blade X6270 Server Module Windows Operating System Installation Guide
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820-6177-11
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Copyright © 2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.