System Administration Guide: Oracle Solaris Containers-Resource Management and Oracle Solaris Zones

SUNW_PKG_ALLZONES Package Parameter

The optional SUNW_PKG_ALLZONES package parameter describes the zone scope of a package. This parameter defines the following:

The SUNW_PKG_ALLZONES package parameter has two permissible values. These values are true and false. The default value is false. If this parameter is either not set or set to a value other than true or false, the value false is used.

The SUNW_PKG_ALLZONES parameter should be set to true for packages that must be the same package version and patch revision level across all zones. Any package that delivers functionality dependent on a particular Solaris kernel, for example, Solaris 10, should set this parameter to true. Any patch for a package must set the SUNW_PKG_ALLZONES parameter to the same value that is set in the installed package being patched. The patch revision level for any package that sets this parameter to true must be the same across all zones.

Packages that deliver functionality not dependent on a particular Solaris kernel, such as third-party packages or Sun compilers, should set this parameter to false. Any patch for a package that sets this parameter to false must also set this parameter to false. Both the package version or the patch revision level for any package that sets this parameter to false can be different between zones. For example, two non-global zones could each have a different version of a web server installed.

The SUNW_PKG_ALLZONES package parameter values are described in the following table.

Table 25–2 SUNW_PKG_ALLZONES Package Parameter Values

Value 

Description 

false

This package can be installed from the global zone to the global zone only, or to the global zone and to all non-global zones. The package can also be installed from any non-global zone to the same non-global zone. 

  • The global administrator can install the package on the global zone only.

  • The global administrator can install the package on the global zone and on all non-global zones.

  • The zone administrator can install the package on a non-global zone.

If removed from the global zone, the package is not removed from other zones. The package can be removed from individual non-global zones. 

  • The package is not required to be installed on the global zone.

  • The package is not required to be installed on any non-global zone.

  • The package is not required to be identical across all zones. Different versions of the package can exist on individual zones.

  • The package delivers software that is not implicitly shared across all zones. This means that the package is not operating system-specific. Most application-level software is in this category. Examples include the StarOffice product or a web server.

true

If installed on the global zone, this package must also be installed on all non-global zones. If removed from the global zone, the package must also be removed from all non-global zones. 

  • If the package is installed, it must be installed on the global zone. The package is then automatically installed on all non-global zones.

  • The version of the package must be identical on all zones.

  • The package delivers software that is implicitly shared across all zones. The package is dependent on the versions of software that are implicitly shared across all zones. The package should be visible in all non-global zones. Examples include kernel modules.

    These packages allow the non-global zone to resolve dependencies on packages that are installed in the global zone by requiring that the entire package be installed on all non-global zones.

  • Only the global administrator can install the package. A zone administrator cannot install the package on a non-global zone.